Don’t you just love planning a family vacation? You imagine the time away from laundry, responsibilities, having fun, and exploring new places with your kids. Showing them the things you love, or perhaps having a first time adventure yourself. Sure packing can be stressful, but just the thought of getting away from every day life is so invigorating! And having something to look forward to keeps you happy and energized through the tougher parenting moments.
You research, plan, pack the perfect activities for the plane or road trip, and are totally prepared for anything unexpected. Then you get to your amazing destination, and realize that you may just need a vacation from your vacation. Sure there are fun moments, but sleeping arrangements aren’t always optimal, there are picky eater struggles, and of course you can’t please everyone.
We recently took our girls for the first time to New York City, and in just a short three day weekend we were reminded of the joys of travelling with kids. So if you are planning a getaway anytime soon, um…good luck. Here are the 10 Truths of Going On Vacation With Kids.
the 10 truths of going on vacation with kids
- It’s the Mom’s Job to Pack -It’s an unspoken rule of parenthood, the responsibility of packing falls on mom’s shoulders. Every time.
- You Will Forget Something Important – No matter how many lists you make, there will be something you desperately need. The good news? There’s a Walmart just about everywhere so you’re good.
- Someone Will Get Sick – It’s inevitable, every time it’s vacation time someone gets sick. A runny nose in New York, the stomach flu and double ear infection in Colorado. I’m not sure if it’s the germs on the airplane, or the lack of sleep, but prepare and be armed with meds parents!
- Someone Will Tantrum Over Hitting the Elevator Button – Seriously. Just split it up, one of your children gets to push the “up” or “down” button, the other can push the number inside. If you have three kids the third can hit the “close or open door” button. If you have more than that, well you’re screwed, but you probably already knew that.
- Someone Will Cry Over Putting the Room Key in the Door – It always happens when you are returning from a long day, have to pee, and it takes your little one 22 times to get the blasted light to turn green. What is it with the ROOM KEY?!
- Someone Will Get Hurt – They’ll fall and skin a knee, walk into a door jam and cut their shoulder, or punch their little sister in the eye while waiting in line at the Empire State Building. Or all three. Not that this happened to us….no our kids totally don’t punch each other in the face over an Ariel doll.
- You Will Not Sleep Well – Forget getting a good night’s sleep on vacation with kids. They talk at night, or kick you in the face, or giggle in their sleep. They also wake up way too early, even when you try the “keep them up later strategy”. (Doesn’t work by the way.) Ear plugs are your BFF…and Pinot Noir.
- “Don’t Touch Anything” is Your Trip Motto – No matter where you go, bathrooms, museums, airports, you’re envisioning those little hands touching handrails and them putting those germs in their mouths. And when they go to open that sparkly silver box in the bathroom stall you yell every single time, “DON’T TOUCH ANYTHING!” Make sure you pack hand sanitizer. No check that, BATHE in it.
- You Will Learn Where Every Bathroom is in Your Destination – Want to know where a bathroom is in Times Square, Rockerfeller Center, Serendipity, or Broadway? I’m your girl. It’s every mom’s favorite thing in the world, taking your kids to a public bathroom twenty times a day.
- Your Kids Will OD On Sugar – It’s OK parents, you gotta do what you gotta do. Lollipops on planes, cupcake taste tests, mucho snacks at the theater…just be prepared for the crash. And by prepared I mean have adult beverages waiting for you back at the hotel.
Sure going on vacation with kids isn’t really a vacation, think of it more as an adventure. But no matter how hard the actual travelling part goes, there will be fun times in between the tantrums. And at some point you will see the wonder in their eyes, and be filled with joy, and reminded how precious they really are.
When they aren’t whining of course.
Have fun on your trip! And if you need some more expert advice on how to avoid vacation hell with kids, check this post out.
Yes to all of the above and doing this early July, so I am sure every one of these will once again be my fate!!
I always say that if you are going away with you kids it’s not a vacation it’s a change in location! Lol! Your tips prove the point!!! Love!
Love this list…I agree 1000% Sugar is a friend on vacay!! ????
These are so true, especially the fact that moms pack every time! My kids enjoy trying to pack, but they put 20 stuffed animals in the back and no clothes. 🙂
Oh my gosh! You hit every single one! We just got back from a short vacation, and I really need one now. No sleep, fighting kids, skinned knees, and dessert for breakfast every day. Plus, I packed everything, and it was Dad’s job to get the kids in the car. The oldest came with no shoes on. Perfect.
HA HA! Sounds like my husband!!
I am gearing up for a family road trip so this was a good reality check for what I have to look forward to! ha!
Who pushes the elevator call button versus who pushes the actual button inside the elevator is the biggest deal of our vacation, wherever we go. It drives me nuts. NUTS!
It’s the worst!!!
These are all so true! My sister used to really drive me crazy when she had to stop at every bathroom.
I hate it! It’s like they have to check out every bathroom!
This is exactly why we are planning a trip to Disney at the end of the summer. We are going to run him so ragged that he is too tired to wreak havoc! It’s an evil parental plot 😉
Dear God, yes.
so very true! but every time we forget that… and the adventure begins! i’m sharing!
ha! That photo makes me laugh at how perfect they look! I generally do NOT look like that mom.
It’s funny to travel with kids, I’ve decided. I have to laugh so I don’t cry.
Ha! All on point! The packing one kills me, something my husband will never understand.
Yes to all of this. We have a work/family trip coming up and I have begun the Rocky like mental preparation.
Oh I LOVE that analogy! We’re leaving tomorrow, sigh.
Haha, but oh you wait until you start traveling with teens! And if you are lucky enough to have toddlers at the same time as you do teens, it really becomes a 3 ring circus!
Some dads are far more involved in packing than we are given credit for, especially because we almost always end up carrying six other bags besides our own.
If I don’t get involved in packing I know we’ll bring too much stuff.
Word. I also pack so i know we have healthy snacks, timely toys for homesick kids, and activities in car/plane/etc. Wife packs half the luggage with her stuff, i pack other half with kids stuff, my stuff, and camping/other equipment. But we mostly split carrying duty… until we reach our destination. Then i haul everything inside, though sometimes i don’t have to watch kids at same time.
As a veteran if many long term family road trips, I can say you are 100% right. Two additional truths…you will also OD on fast food, and you will leave something behind at the hotel!
Oh, man. We haven’t left for vacation yet, and haven’t been on vacation with the kids in almost two years. Though, I already know #1 on your list will be true!
Oh, this is so true! And we’re going on vacation next Saturday! >_<
What’s up, I read your new stuff like every week. Your writing style is
witty, keep doing what you’re doing! http://Www.Yahoo.net/
Nice. It’s so true. No matter how hard you try and quarantine everyone before you leave, someone gets sick. We once took a trip where all of us got the stomach flu. It was terrible. Alas, another adventure to laugh about as they grow.
This is so funny and so true! It has gotten easier as the kids have gotten older!
Thanks for the great post Kristen, I wasn’t aware of your amazing blog until now. Its wonderful to see a passionate sports woman enjoying the fruits of her labor. I love to travel and always have my son with with me as well. I will definitely be following along with your trips and journey.
Thank you! It’s nice to meet you too!
I think my mom experienced this with my brother. Anyways, I think the stress caused by the kids is rewarding. You get to see the smile of the kids and see that they are having fun. Thanks for sharing the ugly truth!
Mom’s job to pack, but Dad’s job to load it all in the car. Explains why everyone’s bag but mine made it into the car on one very rainy camping trip. The same trip we discovered multiple tiny holes in the tent. Did I mention it rained the whole time?
Oh no!!!