Today we were invited to go with our California family (my aunt and cousins) to stay at a small cabin on the coast in Oregon for an upcoming weekend. It sounds like a dream to me...we've never been to Oregon, I love cabins and the beach, we've wanted to show the kids the ocean, clamming sounds like fun and I am sure that Lucas would get a big kick out of it, and we love to be with the family. So many reasons to go.
BUT, how would the kids handle a 9.5 hour road trip? That could be a big disaster. They have done fine with the 2 hour trips that we have taken, but this is almost 5 times as long (and that is without breaks). I suggested that we could drive at night, but then we would be so exhausted when we get there and the kids wake up...how would we enjoy our time?
Lucas was a road trip nightmare when he was about Emily's age. See here for a refresher. We went to Yosemite, which is about 4.5 hours away and he screamed for half the trip. It sucked. This is why we hesitate.
Too the cabin is small (only 2 bedrooms) and there will be 8 people staying there if we go. I don't know what the sleeping arrangements would be. My kids might not sleep at night or take their naps and will be crabby little cranks.
Anyone have any thoughts or advice on the matter? Should we go and risk bleeding eardrums and a weekend from hell or stay home and have a boringly safe, normal time where my every day looks the same? One positive if it is an awful experience, is that it could be a really funny blog or story later on.
What a dilemma.
3 comments:
As someone who travelled quite a bit when I was younger, I think you'd better start training them early. Don't let them grow up to not want to go anywhere with you...
Then again I don't have kids and I'm not volunteering for the 9.5 hour ride with two of them. :)
Good luck figuring it out. Hope to see you this coming weekend!
We've done several road trips with Katie - (from VA to NC and then from NC to FL - 10 hours) she did really well as long as we stopped and let her run around... also talk to Lucas about the special trip... maybe a portable DVD player would help with him? I've never been to Oregon either and think it would be really cool - one other thought would be to check if there are hotels nearby so that you have an IN CASE place to retreat too. I'll be praying for God to lead your ultimate decision!
Bring Duct Tape and some maps. That way the kids can read the map and give you directions (that's what I used to do). When the sun is too bright you can Duct Tape the map to the window to give them shade. Or if the screaming gets to be too much you can wrap it around your ears and hold it in place with the Duct Tape.
What did you think I was going to suggest?
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