Spring Break is Coming! Or, as I call it: Spring Extra Work and Probably No Sleep!

I love to sleep. Always have, always will. When I was in grad school, my roommates were incredulous that I could routinely “sleep in” until 1 or 2 pm. Naps? Oh yes. Dozing off on the couch watching a movie? No problem. Passenger in the car? Heck to the yes – I’d gladly take advantage of that sleep-portunity.

B.C. (Before Children), the only two reasons I would voluntarily wake up early in the morning were: to get a good bagel sandwich, and to spend time laying out in the sun on the beach. I could throw on a bathing suit, slather on a little sunscreen, pop in a pair of headphones and blissfully spend the next 10 hours sun worshiping. 

Then along came our children. My lazy days of enjoying the beach with my towel, water bottle and a pair of headphones drew to an abrupt close. 

Have you tried bringing three toddlers to the beach? It is positively exhausting. The sunscreen,snacks, beach toys, tent for shade. Someone needs a nap. Someone doesn’t like the sand, someone else is eating the sand. And, someone is trying to deep water dive in the undertow. The crying, sweating, and utter lack of relaxation. Are you tired just reading this? 

Let us not forget the added complexity of figuring out sleeping arrangements in a hotel room for two adults, two toddlers and a baby. Will the pack n’ play fit in the bathroom? Can the 2-year-old sleep on a bedside cot? Can the 4-year-old manage to sleep by herself on the pull-out sofa? Will the kids be quiet so they don’t wake each other up in the middle of the night? Will our hotel room neighbors be banging on the walls for us to quiet down? Thankfully, I was blessed with (normally) good sleepers – but all sleep training and routine is thrown out the window when we travel. 

Traveling with toddlers and babies can be exhausting, and not at all vacation-like. That being said, I do think the benefits of traveling with kids far outweigh the difficulties. Some of my most precious memories from childhood are family trips that I’m sure were not at all relaxing for my parents! Teaching your children to become comfortable in uncomfortable life situations is a precious life skill to acquire.