Forgetting what it’s like to travel with children
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Anonymous
| We live about 2.5 hours from my grandma and told her we’d do a day trip for thanksgiving this year. She was SO disappointed. And, she’s pushing 90 so likely won’t have many thanksgivings left. So... here I am packing 2 days worth of stuff for my family of 5, including 2 potty training toddlers - pack n plays, booster seats, extra clothes, video monitors, straw cups, favorite stuffed animals, lots of extra food for my kid that literally cannot eat or drink anything in her house, stuff for DH and I to shower, making plans for our dog, etc. It is highly unlikely my 2 napping toddlers will nap there tomorrow, and even more unlikely they will sleep all night without a fuss since we will all be roomsharing. I think my grandma has forgotten what it’s like to travel with her 3 kids. Not a question, or really even a vent, just wondering what concessions you make for your aging loved ones. |
Anonymous
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You literally said you don’t know how many holidays you have left with her. Do you realize what a total a-hole you sound like? She’s going to be dead before too long. Literally dead, in the ground. And you can’t even pack your kids up to see her for what very well might be the last time without bitching.
You need perspective. BADLY. |
Anonymous
Considering your grandmother travelled with her kids roughly 60 -70 yrs ago, of course it's different. She probably packed them up in this:
She packed a lot less gear, and probably went with the flow a bit more--parenting was a little less uptight after living through WW2. My concession is was that I flew around the world twice a year for mine. Don't need to anymore, unfortunately. |
Anonymous
| BTW, OP you might be lucky to make it to her age. Perspective, my friend. Enjoy your time with her, and with your little ones--you'll be packing their gear for college before you know it. |
Anonymous
| Is she demanding of others too, or just you? Will her house be brimming with guests either way? |
Anonymous
| People manage far worse. I would quit moaning about it. |
Anonymous
| Grandma probably never traveled to hers. My parents and inlaws never once spent a holiday away from their own beds. |
Anonymous
| My parents live about 2.5 hours away, and I'm doing the same OP. While sick (but not contagious). Except I can't even start packing until tonight after I get home from work (and probably have to do some laundry). Really wish we weren't going, |
Anonymous
+1 |
Anonymous
| OP here. She stayed with us for a week last month, and we’ll see her again for Christmas next month... so it’s not like we never see her. We would have spent the majority of our childrens’ waking hours at her house tomorrow without staying overnight, but now we’re spending tonight and tomorrow night there, too. Maybe my post was confusing - by day trip, I meant driving there in the morning and driving back in the evening. |
Anonymous
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We have family all over the world and have figured out how to pack lightly, because as you note, traveling in typical American parenting style is not sustainable for frequent travel.
Lighten up the load or reduce the frequency. Or be stressed. That also seems to work for most folks. |
Anonymous
| Good for you! It's worth it. |
Anonymous
+2 |
Anonymous
| Instead of hauling the pack and plays, make a nest of pillows and blankets in the bathtub. That's were I slept a time or two on year trips as a kid. |
Anonymous
+1 million. Jeez. |