That’s it—vacation is finally here! The one you’ve been waiting for all year. The one you worked so hard for, putting in all those hours. And yes, 2,000 hours of work for this well-deserved two-week break. Your expectations are high; after all, this is bound to be the best time of your life!
Don’t get too carried away just yet—a vacation with the kids is almost always unpredictable. But yes, it can be enjoyable, as long as you let go of the routine you’ve established throughout the year. Because routine and vacations go together about as well as kids and a clean house.
The first thing to go out the window is your little one’s sleep. Yet you’ve timed every car trip to coincide with nap time. You’ve armed yourself with the super stroller 2.0, in which your baby will be so comfortable that he’ll have no choice but to drift off to sleep. And of course, the baby carrier is never far away either. Even so, no matter how well you’ve planned everything, chances are high that the usual 1:00–3:00 nap will turn into a 30-minute micro-siesta. And anyway, come what may, they’ll sleep when they’re tired…
All year long, you’ve been going all out in the kitchen! Healthy meals (for the most part), homemade snacks and desserts, pre-cut vegetables—always within reach. You might feel a little guilty after the fifth day of eating out, when you realize your child has eaten nothing but chicken nuggets and spaghetti Bolognese. Hey, don’t feel that way! You’ll have 50 more weeks to get back on track. For now, you don’t have to cook—and that’s what matters!
Okay, your routine might be a little turned upside down, but at least you’ve planned the best kid-friendly itinerary. Your kids won’t have a choice but to be smiling and in a good mood. Well, I’m sorry to break it to you, but there will be tantrums! Don’t take it personally… you’ve probably cooked bacon in a Gaspé Peninsula national park yourself at some point.
In short, let go… Unwind. Enjoy. Savor the moment.
Accept that it’ll be full of surprises—and sometimes, a bit of a mess! This vacation certainly won’t be perfect, but it’s by accepting that fact that it can become memorable.