Traveling with Kids
Tips, Trips, and fun little clips exploring the world with kidsImpromptu adventure
Sometimes the best plans are the ones unplanned.
Now as a general rule, I don’t take unplanned trips with my kids. I’m adamant about preparing, thinking, writing, re-thinking, analyzing, and then hitting the road. Spontaneity with a toddler sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. If I had to pick one thing I miss about my single life I’d have to say it’s that spontaneity, that unplanned get up and go, walk out the house without telling anyone, not deciding on a destination until your key is in the car kind of spontaneity.
I don’t know if the endorphins from my early morning workout are responsible or the fact that I had to drive my husband an hour to work that caused me to decide on the fly that I’d just keep moving after our drop and take the kids to an unfamiliar amusement park. It was a little scary yet remotely invigorating at the same time as I drove an hour through parts of the state I had never been through. I’m glad that I did it.
All of the necessities were packed along with some basic snacks. I jumped on line quickly to write down directions and find out if there was an eatery on site. Now I have to mention this because it’s a small detail that could have easily made me a nervous wreck and made me drive right back home after dropping off my husband. For some reason, I could not find the amusement park in my Tom Tom. We entered the address referenced on its website, changing the name of the town to nearby locales but to no avail. The address wouldn’t come up. Luckily I had my sticky note with the directions I had copied from the internet. After picking a nearby city and driving in that general direction until I got to the freeway that was listed on my sticky notes, I was able to get to our destination without too much stress. The children were engaged in their learning DVD (car players are a must have in my opinion if you’ll be driving in the car alone with your kids often).
When we arrived at the amusement park I was pleasantly surprised that it was a light traffic day. Many of the schools in the area had reopened so I didn’t have to worry about crowds or lines. I stopped to get my oldest something to eat before we entered the park and fed my 19 month old and ate something as well. I had no idea what the foot traffic would be like but I was definitely preparing myself for the worse. I standby this crazy saying that I think I got from 90210 back when I was in the 9th grade – “expect the worst, that way you’re not disappointed.” It’s not very optimistic but at least it keeps you on your guard.
Well, my children were able to play freely without being bumped and pushed. We didn’t have to wait in one line. My toddler was able to ride on of the younger kiddy rides although he was too small for it. We didn’t have to wait for the family/handicapped bathroom stall. The race car machines were readily available and we were able to buy our tickets in less than 5 minutes. Talk about “score!”
The whole day was one big adrenaline rush for me. I was even prepared to be deflated by impending early rush hour traffic on our way back home but yet again, the traveling-with-kids-alone gods were looking out for me. And I thank them for it. We made it home safely and quickly and enjoyed our day of improvisation.
