Updated: Dec. 1, 2023
Originally Published: June 1, 2023
I would like to say it seemed like a smart choice at the time, but that would be untruthful.
I’ve taken vacations with my child before (well, with my eldest; the youngest is just a few months old). While these trips have been enjoyable, they hardly align with the traditional concept of a vacation. Typically, vacations are intended for relaxation, rejuvenation, and perhaps indulging in some reading or catching up on sleep. However, vacations with children present a whole different scenario.
On this occasion, I was traveling with my 5-year-old and my 3-month-old. Therefore, I prepared myself for minimal relaxation.
Thus, it didn’t exactly strike me as a brilliant idea—neither before, during, nor after the trip. We certainly had moments of joy; I can’t deny that. Traveling with kids is not quite the same as sitting in an office fretting over deadlines. So, let’s begin with the positives!
The Positives
To my surprise, the flight went smoothly. The baby slept throughout the journey, avoiding any discontent from fellow passengers, and thankfully, there were no meltdowns. My 5-year-old managed to do well on the flight too, primarily watching movies and requesting more snacks. It was a relatively short flight (around four hours), and we made it through unscathed. Our accommodations were excellent. The hotel was situated on the beach and featured two easily accessible pools—plus a conveniently located poolside bar!—which made transporting all our supplies far more manageable. The weather was delightful, the food was enjoyable, there were numerous families around, and the staff were welcoming.
The Drawbacks
Now, let’s discuss the drawbacks. I hope you have a moment to spare…
The flight was quite pleasant, disregarding the unfortunate incident where the baby had a significant diaper blowout at 35,000 feet. My 5-year-old managed to watch movies but also exhibited a refusal to remain seated, and those snacks he requested were either out of reach, nonexistent, or priced at a shocking $10.
The hotel was so appealing that my 5-year-old didn’t want to leave. He spent half our stay engrossed in the SpongeBob movie they had playing in the lobby, which meant I had to stay there with him because, for reasons unknown, 5-year-olds can’t be left unsupervised. The baby made it to the beach without suffering dehydration or sunburn, but that was largely due to our bringing along a portable shade for him and my carrying around an astonishing number of sunscreen bottles and ridiculous sun hats to protect him. I lost several pounds hauling that gear to the beach daily, so I suppose that’s a silver lining?
One of my main objectives while on vacation is to sleep in. No early morning commutes, no workplace obligations—just the luxury of staying in bed until at least 9 AM. But the baby’s sleep patterns regressed due to being in an unfamiliar environment, so he was awake for several hours each night. Meanwhile, my 5-year-old inexplicably woke up at 5:30 AM each morning, eager to find out what happened next in the SpongeBob movie he had already watched countless times. Extra sleep was simply not in the cards.
As is typical at vacation spots, food prices were inflated, which would be acceptable if my son hadn’t rejected everything we ordered for him. Beverage costs were also high, which was fine, though we managed to exhaust our entire budget in an attempt to drown our frustrations over bringing two kids to an island. Souvenirs were pricey too, which would have been alright if my son hadn’t lost or destroyed each one we purchased. Hiring babysitters was another expense, which would have been manageable if our children weren’t so difficult.
By the end of the week, we had spent a considerable amount of money to escape the daily routine and create some memorable experiences with our children. We achieved both goals despite one child being too young to remember anything and the other primarily recalling every line from that SpongeBob movie.
Conclusion
Vacations can be enjoyable. Parenting can be fulfilling (I know, it sounds cliché—just bear with me). However, family vacations present their own set of challenges. They offer moments of joy, and despite the inconveniences, the experience (probably) proves worthwhile. But let’s be real—it’s never quite the same as it was before. Once you become a parent, everything changes—for better or worse.
In this case, it was mostly worse.
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Summary
Traveling with kids can be a mixed bag of challenges and joys. While parental vacations may not offer the relaxation we once enjoyed, they create unique memories—albeit often at a higher cost and with added stress. Ultimately, family vacations require adjustments, and the experience is different from pre-parenting days.
Keyphrase: Family vacations with children
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