Ah, parenthood—a delightful journey filled with unexpected turns and a few detours that make you question your sanity. I’ve come to find that managing expectations is the name of the game. The monumental events I thought would be life-changing—like childbirth, holidays, and those epic birthday parties—usually left me feeling deflated. Meanwhile, the small, spontaneous moments—like a family bike ride, ice cream on a random Tuesday, or breakfast in bed on Mother’s Day—have been the real gems.
Here’s my tip: to dodge disappointment, keep your expectations low. I’m talking rock-bottom low. Because, as the adage goes, if something can go wrong, it probably will. And just when you think you hit rock bottom, guess what? It can get worse. I learned this the hard way on our last family vacation. My youngest son managed to spend four straight days battling an unrelenting stomach bug that included explosive messes, projectile vomiting, and even a trip to the ER. Welcome to the world of kids—where if something can go sideways, it will.
Here are some unwritten rules to keep in mind:
- Your child will inevitably fall ill on departure day—likely something that involves vomiting, a need for antibiotics, or a delightful combo of both.
- Expect flight delays, lost luggage, and rental car companies that have run out of minivans.
- Your “family-friendly” resort will be packed with so many hyper kids and exhausted parents that friendliness will be in short supply.
- If you’re heading to a warm destination, you can bet the weather will be unseasonably chilly. Meanwhile, back home, a heatwave will be in full swing.
- You will absolutely forget to pack your child’s favorite blankie or lovie, which is irreplaceable.
- Just when one kid recovers from their illness, another will catch it—this pattern will repeat until you return home, where you’ll inevitably catch it too.
- Kids’ meals at the hotel restaurant will cost more than a romantic dinner for two. And don’t even get me started on the price of a couple of margaritas—they could rival your mortgage!
- Prepare for multiple trips to Walmart or Target for all the essentials you forgot to pack.
- Your kids will rise at dawn—every. single. day.
- Once you’re back home, you’ll find yourself dragging them out of bed for school, tackling mountains of laundry, grappling with a credit card bill that could fund a small country, facing a flood of unanswered emails, and managing a voicemail full of messages—plus, you’ll be nursing whatever bug your kids brought home, all without a single vacation day left to spare.
And that, dear friends, is why it’s called traveling with kids, not a vacation.
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In summary, travel with kids is a wild ride filled with unexpected twists, and keeping your expectations in check can save you a lot of stress. For more on home insemination, visit this post. And if you’re looking for quality supplies, check out this authority on home insemination kits.