Would you do this? re: vacation
My parents own a timeshare in Cancun. We used to go with them every summer, but haven't been in several years due to moving, new baby, etc. This year is really the first year I've considered it, but I want to know if I'm crazy.
DH wouldn't be going with us. It would just be me, DD, and my parents. My dad has early onset Alzheimers, so he doesn't remember things very well. I think once we got there it'd be OK (except for that DD is a horrible sleeper while traveling). I'm concerned about the flight. When we've traveled with DD before, we've used her car seat and the GoGo Kidz with no problems. I handle the baby and DH puts the carseat in the plane. But this time, I'd be on my own and I'm not sure how it'd go.
There's obviously a lot more logistics involved, but I don't want to think about it a lot unless we're for sure gonna go. I guess I'm just wondering if I'm crazy for considering taking a 2 year old out of the country by myself. Would you do it?
Re: Would you do this? re: vacation
Married and it feels so good!
I think we all know I am down with solo international travel with a kiddo!
Honestly, I'd be more concerned with your dad's health than taking the munchkin
Would you be completely solo or would you be flying with your parents? How much help would your parents be able to give you once you arrived at your destination?
If you're essentially going to be on your own the entire 2 weeks, I probably wouldn't do it because it just sounds like a lot of hassle for not a lot of reward. But even if your parents will only be able to help out with DD once you're in Cancun - giving you a break so you can lounge by the beach, having some time to sleep in, etc. - then I wouldn't hesitate to go.
Well, I probably would only go 1 of the 2 weeks, so going down there I'd probably be with my parents, but coming home I'd probably be on my own. That in and of itself (now that I think about it) makes me really nervous. As far as when we're down there, since it'd just be us 4 for that week, we'd do everything together so they'd be with her (us) almost all the time. My dad would take her swimming both in the pool and probably in the ocean, etc. The resort has a kids area too where she could do crafts, etc. But my parents are used to doing pretty much nothing while they're there, so I'm not sure how much they'd want to entertain a toddler, KWIM?
I go to Sweden w/ H on my own. That's a lot of flying, but really he doesn't use all that much "stuff". I don't know how old your daughter is, but H pulls his own luggage with it own toys in it and change of clothes etc. I have a carry on that I put an empty tote bag in and I fill that with what I'll need once I'm at the gate so I can put that under and leave the bigger bag over head unless _I_ need a change of clothes etc.
International flights (at least for me) have never charged for baby/kid stuff. We don't usually use the car seat on the plane since US car seats aren't legal to use in Sweden. We just rent one from a babies r us type store or the fire department.
We did take his seat this last trip, just to see if the plane ride was any easier/different, but found the cars don't have the locking seat belts we have here and our latch is different from their latch system, so it was moot.
It could just be my personality, but I find as long as I give myself plenty of time, flying isn't a hassle at all. H is patient and good at waiting in lines. We talk a lot about what we see etc. When I'm not pregnant, I can still wear him easily with the babyhawk.
If you will have fun, then go, but if you are just going to be worried and thinking of all the stuff that could go wrong or just being generally stressed about it, then I wouldn't go.
I totally agree with this. Is it absolutely necessary for you to bring the carseat? Will you need it at your destination? We went to the Bahamas last summer and knew we would be taking public transport everywhere so we left DD's carseat at home. I wore her in the Ergo to haul her around the airport (and in the taxi/bus so she was "rear facing") and it was really no problem.
can i chime in about your dad travelling? (i'm a flight attendant). does he have a wristband or something on him to identify him and contact info?
i was in the airport (long story, but i'll keep it brief) and discovered a lost elderly man. it took almost an hour, but i figured out who he was and where he was supposed to be going. how did he get lost? he went to the bathroom in the airport and for a brief second his wheelchair attendant turned her back.
by the time i got him back to his wife, i was choking back tears. all i could think is what if this was my dad? what if someone not so nice had found him? ugh.
just something to think about.
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This is a hard call and everyone has already made some good points. FIL has alzheimers and it has progressed very quickly in the last year. I'm not sure how progressed your dad's is, but I know I would not want to have to depend on FIL to watch my LO's at all, especially not in a foreign country - but that has a lot to do w/ FIL's specific case (i say this b/c you mention him watching her in the pool/ocean). I've been reluctant to go places alone w/ him and my DD recently b/c I feel like at some point I'm going to have to choose between FIL and DD and I don't want to have to make that choice, nor do I have any idea how to do it (like if one or the other wandered off). You know your dad and the situation best though. I agree that you will possibly regret not going b/c of the lasting memories that would be created, but if you feel like you are going to be super stressed the whole time, you might want to reconsider.
Another thought though - what about leaving DD at home and going w/ your parents by yourself? That might be a little more relaxing....?
Thanks for everyone's input. You all bring up some very good points.
My dad is only 56 and he does really well for the most part. He has his good and bad days, but he really just has terrible short term memory problems. (he'll call multiple times in a short period to tell you the same thing, he'll repeat stories umpteen times, etc.). I would never just leave DD alone with him, but, like I said, if we went, we would do almost everything together, so he wouldn't really be with her alone.
I guess I just assumed that it was FAA regulations that the car seat had to be used. Is it not? Can she just sit in a seat with the seatbelt on her? I didn't even know that was an option.
What's exactly is that? I know I could goo gle it, but why do that when I can just ask you?