Before I had a child, I adored summer because it meant vacation time. I could explore historic towns, go camping in the woods, or just relax by the water.
My husband and I didn’t need much comfort and two hours before the train departure we could arrange an impromptu vacation. However, we have found that after the birth of a child, the journeys are more complicated. especially in the family.
My name is Mary and I would like to discuss why, like maternity leave, family leave is not relaxing at all.
However, this does not prevent us parents from taking our children on various adventures.
Do you want to rest for a while? Unthinkable.
As any mother knows, you can never take your eyes off your baby for even a moment, or they might get hurt, eat something they shouldn’t, or disappear altogether. My three-year-old child and I once got divorced at the station. Inside were crammed with suitcases, trains, and people. My heart sank.
Then I witnessed the woman turn around and take my son’s hand. My son ran to me as I followed them and caught up. The woman turned out to be harmless; she only accompanied my son to the information desk. I breathed a sigh of relief.
This is how holidays with children work: you have to be constantly on the lookout so that your little one doesn’t get lost. With a newborn who can only eat and sleep – not yet crawl or walk – it’s easier. When you have children between the ages of one and eighteen, it’s impossible to relax: the younger ones are constantly trying to drop, run away, or destroy something, while the older ones are constantly embarking on other adventures.
We choose places where we know our child will be happy rather than going where we want to go.
Taking young children on a trip can be difficult and challenging. Without a reliable pediatrician nearby, parents may wonder if it’s worth sending their child to the other side of the globe when they’re not sure how they’ll handle a long trip, a new environment, unfamiliar food, or a possible illness.
Shorter paths lead to similar problems. For example, until he was seven years old, my child would get seasick on any type of transportation and could not take any medication due to allergies.
After thirty minutes in a car, boat, or train, he went from being a happy child to being unhappy, which would be stressful for everyone.
Parents’ tastes are less important if they have children. Whether dad wants to go camping or mom wants to fly to Goa, even a simple trip to the nearest park takes more than a day to plan.
Children are more susceptible to infections than adults.
It is no longer the case that children seem to have all kinds of diseases. My parents took me and a large group of adults and children to the beach when I was a small child. The first day we all swam until our lips were blue. The next day my mom and I ended up at the local hospital because I had a fever of about 104°F.
We spent 12 of our 14-day holiday in hospital because I had angina (mum had to pay extra to stay with me). I only saw water once during the entire trip, but I got to know the hospital very well.
Since becoming a mom, my first aid kit has taken up half of my luggage because now I have to pack some medications that aren’t always available and an inhaler. My son has already contracted the flu, rotavirus, and conjunctivitis while on vacation. He also suffered a forehead injury on the field. And that particular case wasn’t so bad. For example, our neighbor’s daughter came back from the sea this year and last year with a cast on her arm and leg.
Unlike me, my child does not want to go on vacation.
Everyone has a different taste for vacation. For example, I enjoy spending hours at the zoo in each city where I can learn interesting details about the animals, but my son is not so enthusiastic. The sight of giraffes or elephants bores him easily, and the rides he sees nearby attract his attention more. Although he does not grumble, walking with a melancholy toddler is not pleasant.
I give in and trade gazelles and otters for merry-go-rounds.
The holidays are no exception to the rule that parents must sacrifice their own interests for the interests of their children. My kid gets sick in the car so we didn’t go to the lake in the woods. Since the baby can’t walk for miles in the direction I want, I don’t plan long walks in the old towns, which I enjoy. Kids will grow up of course, but I’m not sure when things will get easier.
There are times when I think those trips are completely unnecessary.
Children’s holiday experiences are often different from what parents expect.
I remember when my son was three and a half.
It was his first significant vacation by the sea; we traveled by train and plane and saw everything – mountains, waves, etc. His mother asked him, “What is your favorite memory, granddaughter?” when we arrived home. Without hesitation, my son replied, “Mom and some kid had a funny fight over a watermelon.”
We got the wrong watermelon, which was a terrible situation. I tried to get the seller to consume it but he said it was just ripe! Although it looked funny from the outside, I was furious because there was no reason to take a child that far for this kind of experience when we could have experienced the same drama at any nearby grocery store.
Parents are often discouraged by these memory reversals in their children. Such remarks shock parents who have invested a lot of money and anxiety in their children’s holidays! Even though their children’s primary memory may not be what their parents expect, they still pack their bags and go to new places to show them the beauty of the world after a year or two.
Holidays with children are great but despite the difficulties.
It’s been eight years since I became a mother.
Over the years, I took five vacations with my child and accepted them as another form of relaxation. Although traveling with a small child is never the same as traveling without one, it does have its advantages.
For me, the clearest option is to relive my childhood. The town where we lived was not very nice and I grew up too fast and started helping my mom. Now I can do all the things I missed with my son: go on rides, visit the “House Upside Down House” and the haunted house, and buy cotton candy. When I was childless I never went to areas where any of this was available, but now I go often and love it.
It’s no secret that children are easy to please; they don’t care about the reputation of the place or how many stars the hotel has. By a certain age, as long as their parents are present and actively involved, children will happily vacation anywhere. For example, we couldn’t travel overseas this summer, so we spent a month living in the countryside. We were forced to improvise and look for nearby entertainment.
Along the way, my son and I went to an ostrich farm, had an outdoor movie theater in a nearby town, and had a picnic in the woods with his friends. We also hid a treasure at the cottage. He was so excited to tell his city buddies about these little trips that I realized he had never been so captivated by the sea.
It’s strange how human memory works; you never know what will stick in your memory for years and what will fade after a few days. A child may immediately remember their first scoop of ice cream or a balloon shaped like their favorite cartoon character right after the trip, but what they really remember is riding on daddy’s shoulders or mommy teaching them how to swim.
Even if the child cannot verbalize them at first, I think that these feelings and sensations will remain with him forever.
Who knows what the future will bring, but happy childhood memories will come in very handy. It is quite nice to bring such wonderful moments of joy to your child, even if we return from vacation much more exhausted than before.
Yes, a trip with children is definitely not relaxing! However, it serves as a foundation for their promising future. I believe it is worth taking courage and enjoying every moment I can with my children, no matter the cost. After all, you never know if this particular vacation will go as planned.
The experiences of our readers who have taken a family vacation vary greatly.
I took my three and six-year-old girls to the beach.
Seeing them race in different ways was tiring. I felt more tired than when I was at home. My husband asked our kids what their favorite memories were when we got back.
“Mommy went to the shower and changed out of her bathing suit,” stated the oldest. Then she let out a seagull-like roar.” The water scalded my tanned shoulders and I cried out.
It was amazing to me that it lasted the sea and the whole journey in terms of memory.
When we booked a bus tour to Crete, we made a mistake. The bus was loaded with agitated little children who couldn’t keep still because of the heat and suffocation. The kids were forcibly removed from a cute cat with kittens at one of the stops, which was the worst part in my opinion, and instead went to see some attractions. Trademark Bright Side / Zlobniy_suslik
In the last eighteen months, my daughter has flown 10 years and visited eight different countries.
I recognize that we put ourselves first rather than her. However, she was happy to see a panda and swim in the Mediterranean Sea. Traveling with a child is undoubtedly more difficult than traveling without one, but it can still be done. © Bright Side / Artur Holavin Although I don’t have any children of my own, I remember spending every summer with my parents at the beach.
In life, my parents were comfortable individuals.
They rarely had any toys, warm clothes, medicine, or other comforts with them.
They told me to go to the sea and wash my chafed knees with salt water; if I got sunburned, the sunburn went away on its own; when I was cold I wrapped a blanket around me and never got sick. I spent the whole day swimming, digging on the beach, and collecting shells.
My favorite memories are yours!
I long to return to that period. © Bright Side / Maria Denisyuk
Children react to environmental changes in different ways. While some people are more restless and naughty, others are calmer and more inquisitive. I can understand why a mother’s decision to end her vacation early was prompted by her son’s terrible behavior. In addition to a change of environment, parents also want a short vacation.
Traveling with children undoubtedly turns what used to be a simple, relaxing vacation into a complex and often exhausting endeavor. Before they became parents, the holidays were a time of spontaneous adventure, relaxation, and exploration. However, once you have a child, the dynamic changes drastically. Carefree days of exploring new places on a whim are replaced by careful planning and constant vigilance. The simple joy of traveling now comes with the added responsibility of ensuring the safety and comfort of your little ones, which can sometimes overshadow the holiday itself.
Despite the challenges, the experience of vacationing with children offers unique rewards. Being able to see the world through their eyes, create memories that will last a lifetime, and share their unfiltered excitement adds a special layer to family trips. While the focus may shift from personal relaxation to ensuring your child’s happiness and safety, this holiday season will become a time for deepening family bonds and creating shared experiences that will be remembered for years to come.
The memories of these trips, whether it’s the thrill of a carousel ride or the joy of a picnic in the woods, are priceless. They provide the foundation for the child’s future happiness and understanding of the world. Although holidays with children can be more tiring and less restful than previous ones, they contribute significantly to their emotional and developmental growth.
In the end, although parents may return from these trips more exhausted than before, the joy and satisfaction on their children’s faces are often worth it. The sacrifices made for family adventures are proof of parents’ love and devotion to their children. In the end, it’s not about how relaxing the vacation was, but about the meaningful moments that were created and the lasting memories that were made along the way.