Am I crazy to travel with 2 small kids?

[nbsjcruiser]

Just got back off the Vision of the Seas in October. We, of course, had a wonderful time and now I want to plan our next trip. The thing is we have an almost 2 year old child and are trying to have another. I was thinking we could go in the Fall of 2009 but that would mean travelling with an almost 4 year old and a +/- 1 year old. Is that crazy?

 

We had a JS on Vision which worked fine for the 3 of us with my son in a crib but I am not sure if we could add another child into that room. What do you all think?

 

Entirely a personal choice but here's my .02 cents. We were on the NOS in 2006 and I remember see a couple with young children about the same age. One night about halfway through the 7 day cruise, I saw them in the Promenade. They were sitting down, Mom was feeding the baby and the 4 year old was running around like he was on uppers or something. Mom and Dad both looked like they were dragged through a knothole. Totally exhausted.

 

My opinion is unless you're prepared to go to bed at 8pm and sit in your room while baby has his nap in the day, you're likely to find it a waste.

[nbsjcruiser]

It always amazes me when people say that the kids are too young to remember or enjoy themselves on a cruise, so leave them home with the grandparents.

 

A family vacation is about the parents remembering time spent with their kids, not about what the kids will remember. It's about making memories together. It's about spending time with your kids away from the distractions of daily life.

 

The kids won't remember their parents playing with them or taking them to the park at home either, but does that mean that parents shouldn't do anything memorable with them until they are old enough to enjoy it.

 

Of course, to take a vacation with kids requires adapting to their particular daily needs, but I have never been miserable on a cruise or at Disney World or anywhere else with my kids when they were very young. I would have regretted vacationing without them, or waiting till they were older.

 

Well said

[wdwfamily]

It always amazes me when people say that the kids are too young to remember or enjoy themselves on a cruise, so leave them home with the grandparents.

 

I completely agree ;)

 

We traveled for the first time to Disney World when our oldest was 9 months (it was a family vacation with the inlaws). We had a blast. Does he remember it? Nope but my grandmother in law does and that is priceless as that is the only family vacation she was well enough to go on ;)

 

Now we are up to 4 kids :) We have taken them on many vacations near and far. Sometimes it requires taking a plane, other times we pull our camper. Are they always angels? Nope, but they aren't at home either. What works for us is going into a trip with realistic expectations. On our first trip to Disney with all 4 kids (two years ago when the kids were 3, 3, 6, 8) we didn't plan late nights, knew we couldn't "do it all", planned each day as we went etc. It worked and we had a blast.

 

I don't think the OP is crazy for wanting to vacation with her kids. I say be flexible, get a balcony room, bring a book and enjoy the view while they nap if they need to :) It will be worth the memories and worth your sanity :)

[DonnaK]

Entirely a personal choice but here's my .02 cents. We were on the NOS in 2006 and I remember see a couple with young children about the same age. One night about halfway through the 7 day cruise, I saw them in the Promenade. They were sitting down, Mom was feeding the baby and the 4 year old was running around like he was on uppers or something. Mom and Dad both looked like they were dragged through a knothole. Totally exhausted.

 

My opinion is unless you're prepared to go to bed at 8pm and sit in your room while baby has his nap in the day, you're likely to find it a waste.

 

 

A waste? How could a cruise be a waste?

 

Kids sleep in strollers, so you are not stuck in the room while he sleeps.

 

We've requested a dinner table against the wall so we could put the stroller out of the way - we fed the baby before we went to dinner, and then the baby slept in the stroller while we ate.

 

We've brought the baby to shows - the baby slept in our arms.

 

I'd advise a balcony cabin, so you have a nice place to hang out late at night while the baby sleeps.

[Onessa]

It always amazes me when people say that the kids are too young to remember or enjoy themselves on a cruise, so leave them home with the grandparents.

 

A family vacation is about the parents remembering time spent with their kids, not about what the kids will remember. It's about making memories together. It's about spending time with your kids away from the distractions of daily life.

 

The kids won't remember their parents playing with them or taking them to the park at home either, but does that mean that parents shouldn't do anything memorable with them until they are old enough to enjoy it.

 

Of course, to take a vacation with kids requires adapting to their particular daily needs, but I have never been miserable on a cruise or at Disney World or anywhere else with my kids when they were very young. I would have regretted vacationing without them, or waiting till they were older.

 

Well put!

 

About two years ago, we went on a cruise with my BIL and his family. Our DD was 9YO, their's was JUST 2YO, and we brought my father (84YO) who at that time had "mild to moderate" dementia caused by multiple mini-strokes. So we have four adults, two kids, and a "special needs" adult. We had a great time.

 

While my DN (niece) may not remember many of the specifics, she certainly enjoyed the time with her family (especially her "big cousin") and grew and developed as part of the adventure. My DF remembered not a single thing, but memories of the times we spent with him over the years certainly help me deal with the loss (he passed away this summer).

 

I've always felt that life in general, an vacations in particular, are more than just a chance to "get away from it all" but instead a chance to DO something.