Anonymous wrote:It might work if you help with the six year old and stay out of dealing with the younger ones. I think DH is just trying to argue and make you look like the jerk.

x10000 to the latter part. Eff that.

Anonymous wrote:Are you friends with the woman? I think the two of you need to join forces in opposition. I’m sure it sounds like a nightmare to her, too. Both of you should tell these idiots how this is not happening.

+1

Amen.

The word mooch definitely jumped out at me!

OP, we went on vacaw with a family with lazy parents and ended up trying to entertain their kids, while trying to enjoy ours, all freaking week. To say it wasn’t a vacation is an understatement. Made me see the other parents in a new light.

Go on your own vaca, and enjoy your nuclear family. that is what vacation is really about, especially when you have limited vacation time like we do!

Anonymous wrote:Mom of four little ones here. I do want to add that since our kids were up early and young enough that we got up with them, we often took all six kids out of the house for breakfast and time at the beach while the other couple slept in. We didn’t just mooch off of them the entire time.

I would NOT want to travel with OP though. If you go into it looking for ways for little kids to be a nightmare, they won’t disappoint.

Nobody asked you did you want to vacation with OP. Quit being defensive about your kids and stay on track. If you didn’t have 4 little kids would you really want to spend what otherwise could be a relaxing vacation with other people’s 4 little kids?

Are you renting a gigantic beach house and hiring a full time nanny for the week? Then yes. Otherwise, helllllll no.

No dice. Never.

Why does he want to bond with them?

Never

Are you friends with the woman? I think the two of you need to join forces in opposition. I’m sure it sounds like a nightmare to her, too. Both of you should tell these idiots how this is not happening.

Mom of four little ones here. I do want to add that since our kids were up early and young enough that we got up with them, we often took all six kids out of the house for breakfast and time at the beach while the other couple slept in. We didn’t just mooch off of them the entire time.

I would NOT want to travel with OP though. If you go into it looking for ways for little kids to be a nightmare, they won’t disappoint.

Your husband obviously has no idea how much work young kids are. Probably never helped you with your kids when younger. You will be stuck in the "mom" zone taking care of the kids while he is thinking about drinking with his buddy.

We once did this when our children were 4 and 1.5, theirs was 3. Shared a house and cooking, and the dads helped plenty. Even then, the moms were pretty tired at night after putting kids to bed to “bond”- we’d stay up at most one hour. The dads didn’t have evening childcare duties so they chatted away while we wrestled the overexcited whiny kids to finish their dinner (you know how long it takes to get kids that age to finish a meal), fight the brushing your teeth battle, fight the Why do I need to go to bed now battle. The other couple were very Type B, and so is my husband, and there were enjoyable moments no doubt (especially seeing the kids so happy playing with sand and water), but it was still so.much.work.

NOPE. Unless its an all inclusive and you drop all the kids off at child care. Keep the 1 year old and pass them around.

Anonymous wrote:This “vacation” will be your kids learning all about being a mother’s helper.

The dad’s will probably try to drink beer and hang out while the moms handle the kids. It already sounds like the dad’s are the driving force behind these family friends.

Personally, I wouldn’t sign up to babysit for my vacation.

Yup, this.

Anonymous wrote:DH forgot what an all consuming childcare nightmare it is to hang around a 1 year old and 3 year old, especially when having to care for them out of the easier routine setting of home. Kids are harder to care for while they are excited or grumpy in an unfamiliar environment. That mom is going to have her hands full so OP will be pressured to help out with the 4 year old and the 6 year old. A half day is doable. Making a vacation out of this is nuts. DH is delusional if this will be a vacation for OP. Just tell him the guys can go on an overnight trip somewhere to bond. Or have the husbands spend all day during the day out doing something like golf.

Adding to the above that each mom gets to stay home doing their usual routine.