Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Family Road Trip to See the King Cousins!

Road Trip!
We went on a road trip for a 8 hour drive, it took 12 hours.  We went with my kids a 2 year old and a 9 month old and stopped many times. They did fantastic!  I am pretty impressed.  Grandma and I took turns driving, or playing with the kids in back. Having our minivan helped a lot, we had room to move and have activities close.  By the time we hot to Idaho and home again we were ALL exhausted!  I could not imagine doing this on my own.

My sister said to me at lunch one day, "You know, Sara you're spoiled with Grandma living with you. I did most things on my own with 5 kids." To that I say, more power to you! 

Then I explained grandma helps may not nearly as much as most people think. She hasn't been able to help, because of her two jobs. But now hopefully she will have more time with us.  Not needing her to just babysit, but enjoy just being Grandma more!

My sister Roanne is much stronger than I am when it comes to chaos, multitasking and organizing. She had kids young without knowing any different.  I chose not to do it this way, thus me having kids at a later time in life and being prepared.

I would NOT have planned a road trip without help.  I don't want to hate the trip, yell at the kids or get sick from being exhausted. I know it sounds selfish, but I have waited this long to be a mom, and vacations should be relaxing not suicidal.

So to plan for this road trip I needed grandma to help us! I had kids later in life and feel having another person to help makes me happier, the kids happier and we feel better all around. Being trained as a preschool teacher, mom compliments me in doing activities and making it exciting for the kids.  She reminds me how to be a kids again, it is great to have her help.  Is that being spoiled, or just prepared?
I don't know..... I look at parents out there with mulitple kids, and the craziness and ruckus that happens.... it makes me so tired and overwhelmed! I get over stimulated from just watching it all.

As I get older I am getting more stuck in my ways. BUT my ways are planned, prepared and flexible. I want to have fun, enjoy myself, not be exhausted, and just let the kids have fun. So I prepare, and have someone else with me and my kids whether it is daddy, or grandma helps the situation immensely!
This road trip was planned with grandma to help, and then daddy was going to meet us here for the weekend. He got sick and stayed home. So a little harder, but we managed to be consistant and visit with our family without ripping our own hair out.

I also have a bad back, so back and forth out of the car, or eating, playing and sitting too long is very hard on me physically.  Having another person help that is supportive in the way I parent, really made our time more enjoyable.

I wish Andrew could have gone with us, but on the otherhand I think having grandma there was a perfect compliment for me and the kids really enjoyed themselves! 


So if you are planning a road trip... it pays off to plan and recruit help that will ease your trip!  Plan activities, excercise and healthy food options for everyone!  Everyone will enjoy themselves more and feel better in the end!


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