Thanksgiving alone with 3 kids, WWYD?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks everyone for all the great suggestions. i didn’t even know that Groupon was still a thing I do solo parenting often when DH is on business trips but this is usually combined with work, school, activities and planned outings. This situation is a last minute change of plan for 5 days. I am definitely planning to get a neighborhood teen to help for a couple of hours so I can get a break.

For the PP who is used to doing this, good for you i guess! I wish you had more constructive advices, it is not a competition !

There is really nothing to advise. It’s five days. What would you be doing if your husband was home? Just so the same.

DP - if you have zero compassion for someone who handles a situation differently than you, why post at all? Dumping on people who don’t have your skill set isn’t helpful.

Good luck, OP! Fingers crossed for good weather this weekend.

I’m not ”dumping”-I’m being practical.
Spending time with your older kids for a few days shouldn’t require hiring help.
And the extremes in advice is bizarre. One poster suggesting that Op’s 8 year old still needs help feeding, dressing, and using the toilet-while other posters suggesting op take the kids to water parks by herself!

Wow you still here posting. Get a life !

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks everyone for all the great suggestions. i didn’t even know that Groupon was still a thing I do solo parenting often when DH is on business trips but this is usually combined with work, school, activities and planned outings. This situation is a last minute change of plan for 5 days. I am definitely planning to get a neighborhood teen to help for a couple of hours so I can get a break.

For the PP who is used to doing this, good for you i guess! I wish you had more constructive advices, it is not a competition !

There is really nothing to advise. It’s five days. What would you be doing if your husband was home? Just so the same.

DP - if you have zero compassion for someone who handles a situation differently than you, why post at all? Dumping on people who don’t have your skill set isn’t helpful.

Good luck, OP! Fingers crossed for good weather this weekend.

I’m not ”dumping”-I’m being practical.
Spending time with your older kids for a few days shouldn’t require hiring help.
And the extremes in advice is bizarre. One poster suggesting that Op’s 8 year old still needs help feeding, dressing, and using the toilet-while other posters suggesting op take the kids to water parks by herself!

Wow you still here posting. Get a life !

Not the pp. OP has 3 elementary school aged kids. This should be the absolute easiest ages. There are so many things to do at this age. OP could decorate the house, make ornaments, bake cookies, go on outings, host friends, go to the million holiday events that I see around the DMV. Go bowling. Go to a trampoline park. Go to a museum. This isn’t that hard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks everyone for all the great suggestions. i didn’t even know that Groupon was still a thing I do solo parenting often when DH is on business trips but this is usually combined with work, school, activities and planned outings. This situation is a last minute change of plan for 5 days. I am definitely planning to get a neighborhood teen to help for a couple of hours so I can get a break.

For the PP who is used to doing this, good for you i guess! I wish you had more constructive advices, it is not a competition !

There is really nothing to advise. It’s five days. What would you be doing if your husband was home? Just so the same.

Good Lord, she’s just asking for suggestions! It’s not like she’s had several weeks to plan for this as it’s last minute.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks everyone for all the great suggestions. i didn’t even know that Groupon was still a thing I do solo parenting often when DH is on business trips but this is usually combined with work, school, activities and planned outings. This situation is a last minute change of plan for 5 days. I am definitely planning to get a neighborhood teen to help for a couple of hours so I can get a break.

For the PP who is used to doing this, good for you i guess! I wish you had more constructive advices, it is not a competition !

There is really nothing to advise. It’s five days. What would you be doing if your husband was home? Just so the same.

DP - if you have zero compassion for someone who handles a situation differently than you, why post at all? Dumping on people who don’t have your skill set isn’t helpful.

Good luck, OP! Fingers crossed for good weather this weekend.

I’m not ”dumping”-I’m being practical.
Spending time with your older kids for a few days shouldn’t require hiring help.
And the extremes in advice is bizarre. One poster suggesting that Op’s 8 year old still needs help feeding, dressing, and using the toilet-while other posters suggesting op take the kids to water parks by herself!

Wow you still here posting. Get a life !

Not the pp. OP has 3 elementary school aged kids. This should be the absolute easiest ages. There are so many things to do at this age. OP could decorate the house, make ornaments, bake cookies, go on outings, host friends, go to the million holiday events that I see around the DMV. Go bowling. Go to a trampoline park. Go to a museum. This isn’t that hard.

+1 not just op but I see this a lot. It’s like people can’t think for themselves. OP, you have many choices and activities in our area. Enjoy time with your kids and have a happy thanksgiving. I’m sorry for your husbands family emergency.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Head to the movies!

Disney's Wish is out this week. They're the perfect age for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel bad for kids whose parents seem not to be able to spend time with them for 5 days without a break.

What? Wow, people are rude. OP didn’t say she needed a break. She is just looking for things to do that are fun. This is totally normal, especially considering it is over holiday, no school, and the normal things she does with kids on weekends might be closed or not available. Sorry, you woke the beehive of single mothers and martyrs OP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel bad for kids whose parents seem not to be able to spend time with them for 5 days without a break.

What? Wow, people are rude. OP didn’t say she needed a break. She is just looking for things to do that are fun. This is totally normal, especially considering it is over holiday, no school, and the normal things she does with kids on weekends might be closed or not available. Sorry, you woke the beehive of single mothers and martyrs OP

OP said, “ I am definitely planning to get a neighborhood teen to help for a couple of hours so I can get a break.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel bad for kids whose parents seem not to be able to spend time with them for 5 days without a break.

What? Wow, people are rude. OP didn’t say she needed a break. She is just looking for things to do that are fun. This is totally normal, especially considering it is over holiday, no school, and the normal things she does with kids on weekends might be closed or not available. Sorry, you woke the beehive of single mothers and martyrs OP

What is closed the weekend of thanksgiving? If anything, they will all be busy with kids and family.

I am a married mom. We are heading to NY and there is sooooo much to do. DC also has so many holiday attractions. We are also close to Williamsburg, Baltimore, Philadelphia and Lancaster.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks everyone for all the great suggestions. i didn’t even know that Groupon was still a thing I do solo parenting often when DH is on business trips but this is usually combined with work, school, activities and planned outings. This situation is a last minute change of plan for 5 days. I am definitely planning to get a neighborhood teen to help for a couple of hours so I can get a break.

For the PP who is used to doing this, good for you i guess! I wish you had more constructive advices, it is not a competition !

There is really nothing to advise. It’s five days. What would you be doing if your husband was home? Just so the same.

DP - if you have zero compassion for someone who handles a situation differently than you, why post at all? Dumping on people who don’t have your skill set isn’t helpful.

Good luck, OP! Fingers crossed for good weather this weekend.

I’m not ”dumping”-I’m being practical.
Spending time with your older kids for a few days shouldn’t require hiring help.
And the extremes in advice is bizarre. One poster suggesting that Op’s 8 year old still needs help feeding, dressing, and using the toilet-while other posters suggesting op take the kids to water parks by herself!

No, you're not. Being "practical" in this case would be offering helpful suggestions. You're being smug and rude.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks everyone for all the great suggestions. i didn’t even know that Groupon was still a thing I do solo parenting often when DH is on business trips but this is usually combined with work, school, activities and planned outings. This situation is a last minute change of plan for 5 days. I am definitely planning to get a neighborhood teen to help for a couple of hours so I can get a break.

For the PP who is used to doing this, good for you i guess! I wish you had more constructive advices, it is not a competition !

There is really nothing to advise. It’s five days. What would you be doing if your husband was home? Just so the same.

DP - if you have zero compassion for someone who handles a situation differently than you, why post at all? Dumping on people who don’t have your skill set isn’t helpful.

Good luck, OP! Fingers crossed for good weather this weekend.

I’m not ”dumping”-I’m being practical.
Spending time with your older kids for a few days shouldn’t require hiring help.
And the extremes in advice is bizarre. One poster suggesting that Op’s 8 year old still needs help feeding, dressing, and using the toilet-while other posters suggesting op take the kids to water parks by herself!

No, you're not. Being "practical" in this case would be offering helpful suggestions. You're being smug and rude.

I did offer a helpful suggestion and I am not being smug nor rude. You are being defensive and are name calling.

The helpful suggestion is to just do whatever you would have done if the husband was home. You don't need to hire a mother's helper to spoon food your 8 year old or help him use the toilet. You also don't need to drag 3 kids to NYC or Great Wolf Lodge by yourself--especially if you are incapable of just existing with them in the house for five days without the help of a middle school girl. That would be a disaster!

[Anonymous]

^"spoon feed" not "food."

[Anonymous]

The Smithsonian is open. Go to a museum on Thanksgiving morning because it's not crowded at ALL. Do NOT go on Friday because it's one of the busiest days of the year.

I'd try to figure out a family friend with kids who will be in town too. Usually by Saturday the people who are still here are getting stir crazy and are ready to socialize. Playdates at a park, even in the cold, are great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love when my DH travels- we break all the rules!

Picnic meals on the floor
Extra messy crafts
staying up/out late
baking sweets
extra loud music for dance parties

+1 Me too!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel bad for kids whose parents seem not to be able to spend time with them for 5 days without a break.

What? Wow, people are rude. OP didn’t say she needed a break. She is just looking for things to do that are fun. This is totally normal, especially considering it is over holiday, no school, and the normal things she does with kids on weekends might be closed or not available. Sorry, you woke the beehive of single mothers and martyrs OP

OP said, “ I am definitely planning to get a neighborhood teen to help for a couple of hours so I can get a break.”

What’s wrong with that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks everyone for all the great suggestions. i didn’t even know that Groupon was still a thing I do solo parenting often when DH is on business trips but this is usually combined with work, school, activities and planned outings. This situation is a last minute change of plan for 5 days. I am definitely planning to get a neighborhood teen to help for a couple of hours so I can get a break.

For the PP who is used to doing this, good for you i guess! I wish you had more constructive advices, it is not a competition !

There is really nothing to advise. It’s five days. What would you be doing if your husband was home? Just so the same.

DP - if you have zero compassion for someone who handles a situation differently than you, why post at all? Dumping on people who don’t have your skill set isn’t helpful.

Good luck, OP! Fingers crossed for good weather this weekend.

I’m not ”dumping”-I’m being practical.
Spending time with your older kids for a few days shouldn’t require hiring help.
And the extremes in advice is bizarre. One poster suggesting that Op’s 8 year old still needs help feeding, dressing, and using the toilet-while other posters suggesting op take the kids to water parks by herself!

No, you're not. Being "practical" in this case would be offering helpful suggestions. You're being smug and rude.

I did offer a helpful suggestion and I am not being smug nor rude. You are being defensive and are name calling.

The helpful suggestion is to just do whatever you would have done if the husband was home. You don't need to hire a mother's helper to spoon food your 8 year old or help him use the toilet. You also don't need to drag 3 kids to NYC or Great Wolf Lodge by yourself--especially if you are incapable of just existing with them in the house for five days without the help of a middle school girl. That would be a disaster!

I was going to suggest kalahari. My kids are all better swimmers than I am. They have taken swim lessons since preschool and did swim team since kindergarten. My kids are well behaved and good travelers.

Some parents have kids who seem very difficult. Others are easy.

I have friends who travel to Asia by themselves with 3 kids since kids were babies. Going on an outing or short trip to a close by city isn’t that big of a deal.