I’d love to say that the idea sounded great at the time, but that would be a stretch. I’ve taken vacations with my kids before—well, with my oldest, since the youngest is just a few months old. While those trips were filled with moments of joy, they hardly fit the traditional definition of a vacation. A true getaway should be about unwinding, recharging, and maybe indulging in a good book or two. Traveling with kids? That’s a whole different ball game.
This time around, I was bringing along my 5-year-old and my 3-month-old. Let’s be honest, I wasn’t expecting much in terms of relaxation.
So, to be frank, it didn’t seem like a brilliant idea—neither before, during, nor after the trip. Sure, we had some fun; I won’t deny that. A vacation with kids may not be the same as lounging in an office chair stressing over deadlines, but it’s certainly a unique experience. Let’s dive into the bright spots first!
Bright Spots of the Trip
Surprisingly, our flight went relatively smoothly. The baby snoozed the entire time, avoiding any disgruntled stares from fellow passengers. My 5-year-old was occupied, mostly glued to his screen and munching on snacks. It was a manageable four-hour flight, and we made it through. Our lodging was fantastic, too. The hotel was right on the beach with two accessible pools and a nearby poolside bar, making it easier to transport our gear. The weather was lovely, the food was delicious, and we were surrounded by friendly families.
Challenges Along the Way
Now, let’s get to the not-so-great parts. I hope you have a moment or two… The flight went well overall, but let’s not forget the baby’s explosive diaper incident at 35,000 feet. I was left to tackle a blowout at cruising altitude. My 5-year-old, while entertained by movies, also had a knack for wandering from his seat, and those snacks he requested? They were either out of reach, nonexistent, or priced at a ridiculous $10.
The hotel was such a hit that my 5-year-old didn’t want to leave it. He spent half our stay glued to the SpongeBob movie playing in the lobby, which meant I was stuck there too since, shockingly, 5-year-olds can’t be unsupervised. The baby managed the beach without sunburn or dehydration, thanks to the portable shade we set up for him, and I lugged around what felt like a mountain of sunscreen and silly sun hats. I must have lost at least 10 pounds hauling that gear to the beach daily, so there’s that.
Sleep? What Sleep?
One of my main goals on vacation is to sleep in. With no school bus to catch and no early morning meetings, I envisioned lazy mornings until at least 9 AM. However, given that the baby’s sleep schedule went haywire in a new environment, and my 5-year-old inexplicably woke up at 5:30 every morning to see the next installment of SpongeBob—one he had already seen a dozen times—extra sleep was not in the cards.
Food and Expenses
As is common at most tourist spots, food prices were steep. This wouldn’t have been an issue if my son hadn’t turned his nose up at everything we bought. Drinks were pricey, but we managed to drown our frustration in them after realizing we brought two kids to an island. Souvenirs? Outrageously expensive—especially since my son managed to lose or break every single one. Even babysitters were costly, which would have been fine if our children weren’t so challenging.
By the end of the week, we had spent a considerable amount to escape the daily grind and create memories with our kids. We achieved both goals, despite the fact that one child is too young to remember much and the other mostly recalls SpongeBob’s every line.
Final Thoughts
Vacations can be enjoyable, and parenting is rewarding (seriously, just roll with it). But traveling with kids is undeniably challenging. It has its high points, and despite the hurdles, it’s (probably) worth it in the end. It’s just not the same as it used to be. Once you become a parent, everything changes—for better or worse. And on vacation? Well, it’s mostly worse.
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Summary
Taking a vacation with kids can be a mixed experience, filled with challenges and unexpected joys. While it may not resemble the traditional notion of relaxation, the moments spent together can create lasting memories—even if they involve some chaos along the way.
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