Think about the beautiful images, typically shown, of children on vacation with their parents. The kids are smiling, jumping, and laughing, all while gazing lovingly up at their parents faces…IT DOES HAPPEN. Those picture perfect moments are seen all over the interwebs! We have proof that joy is taking place, for a grand total of 0.9831 seconds of the trip. Before the trip you have your vacation dream containing visions of relaxation and epic moments for the whole family. The reality, is a trip with tiny whiny kids who make you question if you will ever experience relaxation at any point in the next 18 years.
Before this last family trip, I decided to rid myself of the common fantasy that peaceful or divine moments would be found somewhere along the way. Trips with children are tough, full of hustle, lots of SWEATING is usually involved. Just throw in some worry, a good amount of planning, and a dash of hope; you have the perfect recipe for a family trip. The hope is for something on the trip to be remembered fondly by all and that those memories would stay in everyone’s mind, long after you are home. The other hope is that all the INSANITY thrown your face will disappear from your thoughts. Maybe your mind will help to block them for you, for safety reasons, so that the next time a family vacation is on the table…YOU WILL SAY “YES”!
Let me know if you can relate to any of these moments, all are real life examples and they happened on our D.C. trip. MY KIDS SAID IT ALL…
1. “Where are we going?” – We talked about our travel destination for two weeks prior.
2. “Why do I have to walk?”
3. “I’m hungry.”
4. “This is boring.”
5. “No, I don’t want to go potty.” 5 minutes later “I gotta go potty, NOW!”
6. “I don’t like walking.”
7. “Are we there yet?” – Plane had not taken off yet.
8. “We’re in the sky!!!” – Plane had not taken off yet.
9. “Can I have a snack?” – Plane had not taken off yet.
10. “This is too far to walk.”
11. “I don’t like this place.”
12. “It’s too hot.”
13. “But I wanted to go over THERE!”
14. “I’m hungry.”
15. “I’m STILL hungry.”
Some of it was funny, but some of their comments were disheartening. Then we got home and looked at our pictures from the trip together. It was at that moment THE KIDS started gushing about the places we took them. They both started to recall the fun, the happy moments, the good food, and all of our experiences. This trip stretched my kids’ view of the world, what they can accomplish in a day, and how to be brave while exploring new places. It got them out of their comfort zone and it was obvious, just look at that list of exclamations! Out of all of the comments though, “I’m hungry”, is a normal one and happens 100x a day. That is not fixable.
Will I plan another vacation? Yes! Will it be with the kids? *sigh* Yes. I know that I will muster up the courage to show them new places. Just give me a minute to forget the crazy. And I will never, never ever in my life believe Facebook, Instagram, or any commercials that show a family blissfully vacationing. What I will believe is a picture of tiny person throwing a tantrum. I will believe THAT wholeheartedly.
Warmest wishes and coffee dreams to you and yours,
Erin aka Coffee Mama Bear
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Contact me: erin@coffeemamabear.com
