If your kids wake up at the crack of dawn when visiting...
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Anonymous
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Kids are 4, 3, and 1. They usually wake up at 7am when we're home, but when we travel they start waking at 6-6:30. Baby was really bad over Thanksgiving and was up at 5:30. At home, we let them talk, whine and play in their cribs until 7:30.
What do you do when you're at other people's homes? I try plying my kids with food and staying in a different section of the house, but it's hard. They're LOUD. Inlaws house has an awful floorplan where all the bedrooms are together on one side and the TV backs up to the bedrooms (so we can't use it). Or we have stayed in big AirBnBs (with my entire family) and it's the same issue. The rest of the family, particularly our siblings, want to sleep until 10am and then eat a big breakfast. My kids won't sit for breakfast either because they've already eaten hours ago. There's usually snow outside, so I can't go outside walking with the kids without making a huge racket and they don't want to run errands or play outside without breakfast. The lack of sleep I get and the annoyance of trying to keep kids quiet all morning really ruins trips for me. Am I missing something? Hotels sound even worse with all of us in the same room and nothing to do until things open. |
Anonymous
| One room suite at a hotel |
Anonymous
Or a hotel suite with a kitchen. |
Anonymous
| There’s no magic solution here. Your family’s schedule doesn’t jive with your extended family’s schedule right now. Young children aren’t known for sleeping in. Either get a hotel suite/adjoining rooms or an AirBnB just for your immediate family. Yes, it’s expensive, but that comes with the territory of 3 children under 5. Or invite family to visit you where your children can sleep in their own beds. |
Anonymous
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If the TV was an option, but isn't available, let them play on a tablet with headphones. I don't usually bedshare, but at hotels, I'll let DC cuddle in bed in the morning if he wakes up early.
As for breakfast, I don't wait for everyone to wake up to feed the kids. Let them eat and then let them play and burn off energy while the rest of the house wakes up and starts their own breakfast. |
Anonymous
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We rarely travel to family for this reason. My siblings/IL do not have kids so they come to us for holidays (if they want to).
When we do visit, we bring/buy a few snacks, granola bars, whatever and toys if the kids are up super early like 5:30. Then around 7 we leave to get bagels and coffee. If it's closer to 7, we try to keep them entertained for a little and siblings/IL know they can join us for bagels if they feel like getting up early. I would not do these visits if I didn't have access to a car to take my kids out. Also my family knows with the little kids the schedule and activities are different than pre-kids, we don't try to pretend it's the same. When they get a little older I expect it will be different and hopefully easier. |
Anonymous
| Food as soon as they wake up then take them outside immediately. If they're eating at 6/6:30, 1, 3, and 4yos should absolutely be ready to eat again at 10. Sure getting out the door will be a little loud but I expect family will tolerate noise 6:30-7 if things actually quiet down after that. |
Anonymous
| Your family sounds pretty selfish. My siblings get up early, make coffee and enjoy time with their nieces/nephews! Often we are pushed back to bed to relax and parents/siblings cover the kids. |
Anonymous
This. Pacify w/ devices and food. I abandon my usual standards in favor of the greater good at times like that! |
Anonymous
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Your families schedule is not in sync with your kids. Nothing you can do to change that at this stage. I would focus on setting expectations like telling your family "the kids are up early so we are going to head out for coffee and a walk". Make your own plans that work for your kids and communicate that to everyone else, but do not feel guilty that you can't operate on their schedule. If they want to flex and join you for early breakfast they can. They shouldn't expect your young kids to do that for them.
Otherwise, tablet in your bed, special morning toys, or just getting out of the house are my suggestions. Or rent your own air bnb and meet up with extended family at 11am. |
Anonymous
| My tween daughter has always woken up at or before dawn every day of her life, so I trained her, even as a toddler, to not make any noise before we woke up. Since this is not routine for your kids, perhaps you can bring the baby into bed with you, and have headphones and devices for the others? |
Anonymous
This! What's the point of visiting these people if they don't want to interact with your young children, OP? Staying home is your best option, but if you feel you MUST go, then get your own Airbnb or something. This doesn't sound like any fun. Plus, saying your "baby was really bad over Thanksgiving" is kind of a rough indictment for a 1-year-old. |
Anonymous
Yeah the extended family sounds like a dud. I mean yeah the kids may wake up early and it makes some noise. The older ppl can just get up or try to go back to sleep. I mean, get over it seriously. It's a few days and then they can back to their regular schedules. If keeping an adult's sleep schedule is their priority,.I would not be interested in spending time with them at this stage. |
Anonymous
| This is why my kids have had beignets at Cafe du Monde at 4am. |
Anonymous
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When the kids wake up, have clothes/coats ready to go, dress them quickly and head out the door to a kid friendly breakfast place. (local diner, donut place, even McDonalds whatever it takes). Then find a nearby park with a playground. Run them around the playground for a while.
That should take care of enough time to return home around 10am. The kids get a morning snack while everyone else has breakfast and regale the relatives with how the playground climber is different than the one by your house. |