Paris And Rome with Children in November
Aug 5th, 2011, 12:18 PM
#21
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"Well we lived in Europe until my younger child was 4 and we traveled around Europe and elsewhere as often as we could"
There is, in my mind, a big difference if you LIVE in Europe and travel around with your family - its what we do here in the States. But if you live in the states you don't have an option of short flights or driving - you need to take the much longer transatlantic flight. AnthonyGA is right - you sacrifice when you have kids. For us it meant putting on hold the kind of crazy, running around type of trips that we wanted to do and instead limiting ourselves to visiting family or going to the beach. I've sat with my 2 year old on a plane after he had been sick and suffered from diaper rash and crankiness. It was 4 hours of NOT fun for both of us and not something I would choose for him to experience. But we flew because it was the only way to see family, not because the adults wanted to go on vacation. A Family Vacation is something for the whole family, which is when we discovered the joys of long days building sand castles at a beach that was a 5 hour drive. We did leave them for 10 days with grandparents who were thrilled to have them while we did our adult vacation. EVERYone was much happier. And it was wonderful when they were old enough for family vacations to became European vacations.
If the OP has a very good reason to go to Europe in the first place - such as visiting his parents who live there, then I completely understand not wanting to leave the kids at home. In that case he should stay put in Paris instead of also trying to tack on Rome and Venice.
There is, in my mind, a big difference if you LIVE in Europe and travel around with your family - its what we do here in the States. But if you live in the states you don't have an option of short flights or driving - you need to take the much longer transatlantic flight. AnthonyGA is right - you sacrifice when you have kids. For us it meant putting on hold the kind of crazy, running around type of trips that we wanted to do and instead limiting ourselves to visiting family or going to the beach. I've sat with my 2 year old on a plane after he had been sick and suffered from diaper rash and crankiness. It was 4 hours of NOT fun for both of us and not something I would choose for him to experience. But we flew because it was the only way to see family, not because the adults wanted to go on vacation. A Family Vacation is something for the whole family, which is when we discovered the joys of long days building sand castles at a beach that was a 5 hour drive. We did leave them for 10 days with grandparents who were thrilled to have them while we did our adult vacation. EVERYone was much happier. And it was wonderful when they were old enough for family vacations to became European vacations.
If the OP has a very good reason to go to Europe in the first place - such as visiting his parents who live there, then I completely understand not wanting to leave the kids at home. In that case he should stay put in Paris instead of also trying to tack on Rome and Venice.
Aug 5th, 2011, 01:06 PM
#22
I wouldn't want to stop anyone travelling anywhere, [we took our then 1 year old DD to the US touring New England in the Fall] but I do question why you'd deliberately pick somewhere which is going to be difficult when you could pick somewhere easier where you'd have more fun.
a few days in Paris followed by the beach could be nice between June and September; but 3 kids under 5 [needing 2 pushchairs] in Paris and Rome in November? no running in the park if it rains - as it could do every day if you were really unlucky.
this is why seaside resorts exist - to enable families to have a good holiday.
a few days in Paris followed by the beach could be nice between June and September; but 3 kids under 5 [needing 2 pushchairs] in Paris and Rome in November? no running in the park if it rains - as it could do every day if you were really unlucky.
this is why seaside resorts exist - to enable families to have a good holiday.
Aug 5th, 2011, 02:19 PM
#23
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AtlTravelr, reread my post... I said we LIVED in Europe but we also traveled ELSEWHERE when our children were young!
We took both our children to N.America under age 2. Our son was just over 18 months when we spent a month touring California and our daughter came with us to Florida, Boston and Toronto before turning 3.
Incidentally, my children have always been fine on flights but do not enjoy long car rides.
As you say, family vacations are for the whole family and for some families that does NOT mean long drives to the beach which my children hated as toddlers. Diaper rash worsened by sand, knocked over by a little wave and screaming because of mouthful of salty water plus the constant need for shade; protection from the sun.
Different stokes for different folks.
We were sadly never able to leave the children with grandparents even for a weekend.
The one time we booked a weekend away and planned to leave our 3 yr old son with my mother she had a heart attack so that 'vacation' was spent at the hospital visiting her (family time we treasure even though it wasn't planned!).
We all make sacrifices for our children but for some parents that might mean vacationing in Europe or wherever with them at a slower pace and for others it might mean 'family vacations' plus adult vacations without them.
Paris in November isn't my first choice for a vacation with 3 very young children but if that's where hashmann33 really wants to go then I'll try to be helpful rather than judgmental.
We took both our children to N.America under age 2. Our son was just over 18 months when we spent a month touring California and our daughter came with us to Florida, Boston and Toronto before turning 3.
Incidentally, my children have always been fine on flights but do not enjoy long car rides.
As you say, family vacations are for the whole family and for some families that does NOT mean long drives to the beach which my children hated as toddlers. Diaper rash worsened by sand, knocked over by a little wave and screaming because of mouthful of salty water plus the constant need for shade; protection from the sun.
Different stokes for different folks.
We were sadly never able to leave the children with grandparents even for a weekend.
The one time we booked a weekend away and planned to leave our 3 yr old son with my mother she had a heart attack so that 'vacation' was spent at the hospital visiting her (family time we treasure even though it wasn't planned!).
We all make sacrifices for our children but for some parents that might mean vacationing in Europe or wherever with them at a slower pace and for others it might mean 'family vacations' plus adult vacations without them.
Paris in November isn't my first choice for a vacation with 3 very young children but if that's where hashmann33 really wants to go then I'll try to be helpful rather than judgmental.
Aug 6th, 2011, 05:00 PM
#24
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We have traveled with our children - in Europe and elsewhere - since they were infants. It wasn't easy when they were young but I have never regretted a single trip. Of course we had to accept our limitations. Only when they were 7 and 9 were we able successfully to visit museums and churches. But before then we were still able to appreciate architecture and culture. And food and wine!
I found Italy to be a better place to visit with young ones. The Italians were just so much more tolerant and forgiving of them. My boys always got the royal treatment from the nonnas even when they were badly misbehaving. Rome has a wonderful children's museum. I would not go to Venice with two toddlers, especially if you have another in a stroller - you will spend every moment worrying that they will leap into a canal.
And agree about getting an apartment. It helps.
I found Italy to be a better place to visit with young ones. The Italians were just so much more tolerant and forgiving of them. My boys always got the royal treatment from the nonnas even when they were badly misbehaving. Rome has a wonderful children's museum. I would not go to Venice with two toddlers, especially if you have another in a stroller - you will spend every moment worrying that they will leap into a canal.
And agree about getting an apartment. It helps.
