Parents, repeat after me: "I solemnly swear that I will never again schedule a major trip for right after school is out!"
May 17th, 2006, 05:40 AM
#1
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Parents, repeat after me: "I solemnly swear that I will never again schedule a major trip for right after school is out!"
School is out on the 25th; we leave for two weeks in Italy on the 27th. I can't tell you how many hours of dance recital, choir concerts, voice recitals, talent shows, field days and success assemblies I have to attend before then, not to mention ENCOURAGING the older two to study for finals (while having a pool built!) I'm on utter overload and can't stand to listen to the "Learn Italian" CDs in the car anymore because my retention rate is close to zero.
There WAS a method to my madness...with the kids' summer schedules, the only other block of time for Italy was the end of July, which sounds a lot hotter and more crowded than late May/early June.
But please flame me mercilessly if I ever think about planning a major trip right after school is out again!
There WAS a method to my madness...with the kids' summer schedules, the only other block of time for Italy was the end of July, which sounds a lot hotter and more crowded than late May/early June.
But please flame me mercilessly if I ever think about planning a major trip right after school is out again!
May 17th, 2006, 05:53 AM
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NO FLAMING. We went right after school last year and are doing the same this year. We take a slight chance on the weather, but it's SO much nicer going places without hoardes of tourists. You can relax on the plane. Take a deep breath and keep practicing those tapes!
May 17th, 2006, 05:59 AM
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Yes, I guess I will have PLENTY of chill time on the plane! But I do feel, as a parent, that the kids' end of the year accomplishments get a bit shortchanged by having so many other things to which to pay attention. It does lead to resourcefulness, however. Last year we left for vacation the MINUTE school was out (see, I'm doing better - I have 36 hours this time!) Because I had so much to do, I delegated helping my then 8th grader study for finals to my then 3rd grader...It was pretty cute listening to her quiz him on review sheets on physics, history, etc.
May 17th, 2006, 06:14 AM
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But doesn't the trip give them some sort of head start in the "what I did in the holidays" stakes when they get back?
Just remember -
you don't have to do all the preparation for everybody
you probably don't have to do as much preparation as you think
your youngsters and you will probably be able to deal with the things you don't anticipate, will probably enjoy the trip all the more for doing so, and will learn all the more for the future.
Just remember -
you don't have to do all the preparation for everybody
you probably don't have to do as much preparation as you think
your youngsters and you will probably be able to deal with the things you don't anticipate, will probably enjoy the trip all the more for doing so, and will learn all the more for the future.
May 17th, 2006, 06:23 AM
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The 8th grader had study guides that he had completed the previous week...All the third grader had to do was ask him the questions, and then see if he was giving the answer that was on the study guide. Pretty funny to hear her asking him for chemical formulas and things like that.
May 17th, 2006, 06:27 AM
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Good luck Missy! DD in college now, but I remember those end-of-school days -- hectic enough by themselves. But, I'm sure it will all work out, and you'll have a wonderful time when you can find time to breathe again 
May 17th, 2006, 06:43 AM
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Like LLindaC, we did it this way last year and are doing it again this year. My only advice is to get your trip preparations out of the way as early as possible, so you don't have a mountain of last-minute things to attend to in addition to your recitals/assemblies/pool-building difficulties.
May 17th, 2006, 07:24 AM
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Missypie, as an empty nester, let me tell you- You will look back on these days with such fond memories. It is only a matter of time until end of school means only less morning traffic. Beginning of school means different stock on the local big box store shelves. It may seem crazy now but treasure these times. They go so quickly. (The flip side is that you will have more money available for travel 
).
I also wanted to tell you how much I appreciate all the great questions you have asked. They have been a big help to me in planning our Italy trip.
Diane
).I also wanted to tell you how much I appreciate all the great questions you have asked. They have been a big help to me in planning our Italy trip.
Diane
May 17th, 2006, 07:42 AM
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speaking of flaming you... i have to say one thing....I dont feel bad for you..."trip to italy, building a pool, kids out ofschool in may (I have to assume private school)". Im jealous actually.
May 17th, 2006, 07:45 AM
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I'm not a parent, but I can empathize with the hectic pace of life getting "in the way" of travel planning. We planned and planned for our honeymoon last year, but in the utter chaos two weeks before the wedding, forgot many of the essentials- the address of our Paris hotel, letting our Tuscan rental owner know what time we were coming (and setting a meeting location!), on and on...thank God for internet cafes, or we would have been in major trouble!
May 17th, 2006, 08:02 AM
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TarheelsinNJ, I was just talking yesterday about how incredibly stressful it has to be to plan a honeymoon in a foreign country (esp. one that you've never visited)...planning the wedding and the honeymoon, too...that could certainly put one over the edge. I planned a wedding in Chicago from Dallas (in the days before email) and a honeymoon to Switzerland. I don't quite know how I did it, except that I was 17 years younger!
May 17th, 2006, 08:10 AM
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No, the kids are in public school. The money for the pool has been set aside for a while (as with all construction projects, it was supposed to have been done some time ago.) As for the cost of the Italy trip...well, we'll deal with the bills as they come. My oldest is finishing 9th grade, so there aren't that many family vacations left. I'm very financially conservative, but I don't want to be 70 years old, regretting not building a pool for the kids and not taking the kids to Europe. (Or will I be working as a greeter at Walmart, regretting spending our money on a pool and vacations?)
May 17th, 2006, 08:20 AM
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missiepie, I have traveled with my children to Central Europe for two weeks on their Christmas break - twice! Because of my girls' particular activities, we cannot do long trips in the summers. It really was a killer: attending all of the holiday programs and assorted parties, hosting my husband's company party, celebrating Christmas (early) with family members, etc. The first time my daughters had exams right after we got back, but they assured me they would not have studied over the 2 week break anyway. With all of the last minute details I got virtually no sleep the night before departure. The upside is that it makes sleeping on the plane a lot easier! Despite all the craziness, we had a fabulous enough trip that we did it again three years later (this past Christmas).
TarheelsinNJ, we were once driving somewhere in the US for a weekend festival and I suddenly realized I didn't have a clue which chain hotel I had reserved at my destination. I had to call a neighbor to go to my house and look at my calendar!
For major trips, I usually email a backup copy of my itinerary information to a secondary email address I have. Then I can always check it on the server from an internet cafe in cases of desperation.
TarheelsinNJ, we were once driving somewhere in the US for a weekend festival and I suddenly realized I didn't have a clue which chain hotel I had reserved at my destination. I had to call a neighbor to go to my house and look at my calendar!
For major trips, I usually email a backup copy of my itinerary information to a secondary email address I have. Then I can always check it on the server from an internet cafe in cases of desperation.
May 17th, 2006, 08:20 AM
#19
missypie - my kids are counting down for the last day of school also - 7 days including today. And the end of school is a big rush of activities! I think it's great that you're planning to go to Italy now before the rush of summer travelers. By the time you land, all the "work" will be behind you and you'll be glad you planned it this way.
