Getting back into a routine after being on vacation is really hard. Transitioning from four days of lounging around, not worrying about the time or responsibilities and not having to leave the house to a work week can be really difficult. Your head isn't totally into your work on Monday mornings, getting up to an alarm is jarring and trying to fit all of those "mommy tasks" into your morning before leaving for work is a real challenge on a normal day, let alone when you're not really feeling all there.
So, imagine how hard it can be for your kids.
We just got back from a really great long mini-vacation. We stayed in a cabin in the mountains with two other couples and their little ones who are the same age as the wee one -- the kids have known each other since birth and are great little buddies.
With no blackberries, no cell reception and no television, we had time to color, play both inside and outside, go out for lunch and watch the kids run around together. It was a blast. My son totally got a kick out of having his pals around, especially when he woke up in the morning. He thought that was just a riot. I was proud of him -- he did a great job sharing (except for that one battle over his push-along lion but we handled it pretty well!), bath time was much more fun with someone to play ducks with, and they collectively ate enough for a whole classroom of kids.
Let me tell you, the first three mornings after returning home were pure hell unlike anything that I've experienced with my 19 month old (my God, he's getting old!). He didn't want to get dressed in the morning, he was asking for his friends by name -- wondering why they are not there to play with him when he woke up, he didn't want to eat breakfast and he certainly did not want to leave my side when it's time to get into the car to go to daycare. UGH!
We've never had this issue before and we've traveled a lot with the wee one. I can now see that as he gets older and can comprehend more, he's going to have an even harder time transitioning from vacation life to home life. Whew! We're going away again in a few weeks and I'm already dreading the return home. Not enough to cancel our trip, of course, but more than I'd like.
How do you soften the blow for your kids? What can we do as parents to carry over those feelings of relaxation and the emotional bonds that are strengthened while we're away from home as a family? Email me at WOTW@WyndhamWorldwide.com and let me know what your tactics and solutions are. Like I said, we're going away again soon and I need some help!
