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Friday 21 October 2011

Things I know about our first family holiday (little kids included)

Good morning world! Back from our first family holiday, 5 days in Launceston, Tasmania. We wanted to go somewhere by plane to see how the kids would go with that (since I want to take them to Italy next year and thought I might get them used to a plane before hitting them with a 24 hour flight...), so we chose somewhere close where we'd already been (we went to Tassie back in '03 when we were childfree...) so we knew our way around a bit.

So here are a few post-holiday things I know:
  • we had a nice time but it was sooo challenging
  • Sosi actually enjoyed the plane: I was expecting Sosi to stress out because of the air pressure (remember her hearing "issues"?) or maybe throw up (the child is blessed with random bouts of motion sickness), but she actually enjoyed the whole experience (even if her ears were hurting a little after 1/2 hour)
  • Casi enjoyed the plane... after the first 5 minutes when he was screaming at the top of his lungs "MUMMY GET OFF PLANE". Thank goodness for D putting on a show with finger puppets on the way there. And thank goodness for Talking Tom on the iPhone which stopped the screaming on the flight back....
  • kids used to living in a house with garden really struggle confined in a small holiday apartment for 5 days: cabin fever started early on day 2... I have never had to break so many fights between the kids as on this holiday
  • the holiday was 1 day too long; Sosi started day 4 asking "when are we going home?" and D and I wishing we didn't have that extra day to go...
52 holiday activities: squeeze daddy's face when bored
  • Casi particularly struggled being out of his home environment; he had 2 of the most massive meltdowns he's ever had (you cannot call them tantrums, he was like a crazed banshee)
  • it's not really a holiday if you're the parent, it's much more fun if you're the kid and there's someone else doing the organising of the whole thing...
  • taking young children to a cave tour was a dumb idea
  • there are so many beautiful spots in Tassie, it's always so nice going there
near Mole Creek caves
City Park in Launceston
blue gum honey ice cream, yum!


Sosi zooming down the middle slide
  • Sosi summed it up well on Wed when she said "going on holiday is nice but it's nicer being home"
testing marble run I whipped up during breakfast...

marble run has become car ramp:
ambulance just rammed school bus....
So, what do you all know? Share your wealth of knowledge with the lovely Shae at Yay For Home and all the other lovelies over there :)

10 comments:

  1. I so know what you mean about challenging. Miss A was totally feral during our holiday, which was 10 days in a room in Fiji. 4 days of rain! Any wonder she was feral. We are definitely doing something a bit more low key next year.

    That play centre looks amazing!

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  2. Holidaying with children is definitely hard. My eldest is my biggest whinger. At 13, she still says 'are we there yet?' And acts as though we're ruining her life :))

    The farms in any incarnation are always a hit though.

    I echo Sosi's sentiments. I love coming home after a holiday.

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  3. Yes indeed challenging for parents. We go to visit family in QLD every year and it is enjoyable but hard work.

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  4. Playcentres are the bees knees ! I love Tassie. We went there for our first family holiday too ! Great pics !

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  5. I hope you don't mind if I don't show the Grumpy Old Man this post, hahaha! We haven't been on a family holiday (that didn't involve staying with my parents for a few days) and I've been trying to convince him for a few years that it would be GREAT FUN! I won't take them into caves though, thanks for that advice! Coming home is always good!

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  6. Glad you enjoyed your holiday even tho as you rightfully say when you have kids it's not quite the restful holiday at all is it!Lots of good memories for you tho & I bet tons of photos xxx

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  7. You're absolutely right, parents don't have holidays.. it's just a different location to deal with the same challenges of looking after children! Still, a change of scenery is good - and it looks like your kids enjoyed the stimulation of new surrounds at least. I'm thinking that next holiday we take that I'll be hiring a nanny to accompany us!

    Lovely reading about your summary of your holiday here! xx

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  8. There's nothing like your own bed and own space! Definitely! Glad you enjoyed some of the attractions though. And definitely off to check out the honey farm soon too!! :)

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  9. I don't know how parents travelled without iPhones!!

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  10. Calling by to say hi to my latest follower on News From Italy. I hope you will find it interesting especially with your background and the fact you are planning a trip here next year. Children are so much more adaptable than many people will have you believe, they will cope fine with the journey if you are well prepared.

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