Do parents really take kid-specific trips?
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
Goodness I can't type. Meant to say the "key is to set expectations" and "i always tell everyone that our vacations..." |
Anonymous
+1 We have four kids. Back when we only had one, we easily globetrotted and stayed at luxury hotels or cool boutique places. As we added more kids to the mix and the older ones developed personalities and interests, our travel changed a bit. We do a mix of trips to make sure everyone has their needs met. And yes, Disney World and other amusement parks are fun for most kids and families. I’d argue that a Disney cruise is both fun and relaxing, and most of my family would agree. We aren’t big on planning an entire trip around national park. Seems really boring imho. We don’t camp either (unless you count staying in a luxury cabin on a lake near civilization). I suspect the comments the op received about Joshua Tree had more to do with being off the beaten path and away from creature comforts and medical care. It’s easy to schlep a toddler almost anywhere. Once they can vocalize, “I’m bored,” you need to be prepared to up your game. |
Anonymous
We do the same. Typically pick places we all enjoy with something for everyone. Most of us (probably all of us) have ADHD and some things that would be fun for some families like disney, would stress us out immensely. Lounging at cape Charles for a week isn't our cup of tea either; we can handle it for like 2-3 days lol. I get my kids involved in the planning, we also set realistic expectations, and sometimes some activities are more focused around one person's interest, but we try to not make that activity an all day thing and my kids do well...ex: then 4.5 yr old LOVED the peppa pig afternoon tea bus tour and peppa pig wasn't my 7.5 yr old's top choice, but he enjoyed it still and I also had fun and they even had champagne for the grown-ups lol (mama was having fun too). We have gone to several museums that are more focused around my older child and my younger just tolerates it, but we then do something like visit a playground to burn off energy.....it's all about balance! |
Anonymous
| My kids were bad sleepers when they were young, co sleeping, sleep training: we did it all and it took till they were 1 and 3 to become decent sleepers, so we stuck closely to visits to grandparents and a few long weekends at the beach. Then the older kid was awesome at traveling and the other kid was a complainer. We still traveled but we didn’t “make” this kid a complainer, we shut it down as much as we could, but since we aren’t rich we decided to wait to spend our hard earned money later when he grew out of it. And thankfully he’s there now and traveling with them is lovely. But we don’t have as much money as other dcum families so we do as much budget as can. |
Anonymous
What I am getting from you is that you only think about what you want. You dont consider the interests of others. Every kid wants to go to Disney even if just to see it. If your kids tell you otherwise it is because they know you will disapprove of them if they express interest and they don’t want to disappoint you. |
Anonymous
| It isn’t a binary thing. We go to Disney and to Paris and to Yellowstone. You can do things you like a lot and things you might not love but want to experience. Just doing the same things that you know you like is kind of boring. |
Anonymous
| Sorry, don't get this. Travel is for adults, not kids. If you don't act like a trip will suck for kids, they absolutely will not know any better. |
Anonymous
Personally, I didn't go on the trips I wanted when I was a kid. Now you're telling I can't do them as an adult? Yeah, no. PS - my kids hated Disney and spend the whole week asking why we hadn't gone to Kennedy instead. |
Anonymous
Is this OP? Why wouldn’t kids want to travel? Why wouldn’t their interests matter. Is this JUST occurring to you now? Because the defensiveness seems to be a sign that a guilt is bubbling up. You thought only low brow poors took their kids to Disney and did things that kids like and you’ve been schooled and now you are digging in. We’ll have fun, I go to Disney 2-3 times a year, go to my beach house, going to Breck this weekend. Back to Europe in August. Kids go with us everywhere. Wouldn’t chasing a thing. |
Anonymous
Sounds like you should just leave them home! Sure you can take your 5 year old kid on a 25 mile day hike or plan a 7 hour guided tour of an ancient history museum in a language they do not speak but why would you? We plan around everyone's interests and ability to enjoy...the trip is for all involved. |
Anonymous
Yeah. I bet. You probably suck the life out of every occasion. |
Anonymous
Because they learn to enjoy new things? This is not rocket science. |
Anonymous
But why is it for adult? Why can't travel be for the entire family? |
Anonymous
You didn’t. You basically said your parents took you places you didn’t want to go and not it’s your turn. You don’t look back in those trips with joy or fondness at all the things you learned. And there are half measures. We did a different trip to the Netherlands with our kids than without. When I ski alone, I do blacks but when I ski with my kids I do blue and green and it’s good. When we go to NYC we visit things we’ve done before to share it with them (Statue of Liberty) and things we haven’t and it’s good. |
Anonymous
| Bottom line OP. You sound pretty selfish |