Last year, S and I went with Auntie Af to a holiday park on the coast for weekend. I was so glad to have my sister with me; at the time, S was 2 and into everything (not much has changed; now she’s 3 and into everything). She figured out how to open the door of the caravan within minutes of arriving, and not long after, she had figured out how to open the gate, run down the stairs and was gallivanting aross the grass as I chased her. If my sister hadn’t been there to keep an eye on her, I wouldn’t have been able to have a shower the entire time we were there, in case S escaped while I was washing my hair. The thing about holidays as a single parent is, there’s nobody to just watch your child while you pop over here. There’s nobody to just keep your child entertained while you have a shower. There’s nobody to babysit in the evenings so that you can go out and sample the nightlife. And there’s nobody to help carry all that luggage!
Last year I wrote a post about days out as a single parent and how hard it can be to do stuff when you’re the only adult. Holidays then, are that times… however many days you’re on holiday! I want to be able to take S on holidays, but it just seems like I would end up being that horrible screechy mother who comes home twice as stressed as when she left. To me, holidays as a single parent seem like this insurmountable thing that is just too stressful and hard to cope with.
So what do you do? Just sit at home and never go on holiday until your child is a grumpy teen and happy to sit by the pool reading all day? I found this list of tips for holidays as a single parent which has some handy tips.
For me, I think the idea of going on holiday as a single parent is just the next hurdle. I thought I couldn’t be a single parent, but I’m nailing that so far. The idea of a day out on the bus with a toddler was terrifying, but we’ve managed it several times. Going to the park without a nappy was the next thing, and now it’s going on holiday, just the two of us. Watch this space…
3 Comments
Elaine @ Entertaining Elliot · 09/05/2015 at 19:45
I take my hat off to you as a single parent because I rely on my husband too much to entertain my toddler, esp at weekends when I want to sit down and blog! I’m sure you’ll be just great on whatever holiday you decide to go on xx
Vicky Charles · 10/05/2015 at 12:16
Thanks! I’m hoping to go away later this year but I’ve just realised my passport is out of date so I need to get it renewed first…
Gretta · 10/05/2015 at 05:08
You did a fantastic job! Going on holiday with kids is hard work, even when I have someone to share the load with, well done to you Xxx #weekendbloghop Xx