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Okay, all you parent friends who have said it gets easier when the kids are a bit older: hello yes, I understand now.
We got a little suitcase for 3yo a few months back, just by chance. Saw it at the 2nd hand store when we were looking for something else and 3yo latched on. I told him he'd have to roll it himself and handle it all on his own and he was just so stoked. Cut to Saturday, and I get it out of his closet and tell him it's time to pack it and he just lights up. I still wasn't completely convinced, but you know what? He rolled that suitcase like a champ through three airports yesterday. He handled it on the plane himself, too, rolling it down the aisle behind me. Little sir! Growing up!
My mom has mentioned a few times that traveling got a lot easier once my brother and I could handle our own stuff and I see it now. Not only does it take the burden of carrying everything + a child off the parents, it also gives them a Job, which keeps them out of trouble that much longer.
I had started to notice it with Cabin Girl when she was around 3, but COVID hit before we could take advantage of her increased self-sufficiency and then we had Toddler (almost child!! what will we call him here!) so I never really got to experience it. Now CG is 100% self-sufficient (can even go off to the bathroom herself) and 3yo can handle his own suitcase. We've arrived.
I really wish I'd gotten a picture of him with his little suitcase, but I didn't want to interrupt his flow. Maybe on the way back.
I, on the other hand, have been stuffed up for weeks and was nervous about getting on the plane. My molars started hurting that morning from the sinus pressure and it only got worse as the day went on, making it even hard to open my mouth wide enough to eat or drink. I didn't have any painkillers on me so I just toughed it out, but wow, a whole day of just unceasing pain is exhausting. The change in air pressure was nauseating and I couldn't clear my ears at all on the last flight, so I couldn't hear on top of feeling like my ear drums were about to burst. Which, weirdly, meant getting off the plane was a relief, because at least the pain went down.
My SIL gave me 3 ibuprofen when we got to their house, saying that's what she was prescribed when she went to a doc for a sinus infection. 3's a lot but I was willing to do whatever at that point. It took a while, but eventually the pain like my tooth root was trying to drill out of my skull eased and now this morning there's no pain at all. So: hoorah. And a reminder to future me. 3 ibuprofen, all right??
Anyway, pain aside, the kids were great. Both insisted on sitting together on the plane and they watched a movie together. 3yo got so excited when snacks came around and watching them just happily munching and content was such a relief. I'm glad I didn't have to deal with squirming and tantrums while in so much pain. 3yo did melt down at the very end, but honestly, he'd been up all day and past his bedtime, so I kinda expected it.
But then we got in the car and left the airport and he saw snow. His little gasp and then "Snow, mama Kai! There's snow on the ground!" A few moments later, "More snow!!" Basically the entire way home, "Snow!! Snow here too! There's still snow!!"
Somehow in all of this, I'd forgotten that he hadn't been to Minnesota since he was 1yo. So of course he doesn't remember snow.
Anyway, today's plan is to put both of these southern kids in the snow before it melts. So, stay tuned. :)
We got a little suitcase for 3yo a few months back, just by chance. Saw it at the 2nd hand store when we were looking for something else and 3yo latched on. I told him he'd have to roll it himself and handle it all on his own and he was just so stoked. Cut to Saturday, and I get it out of his closet and tell him it's time to pack it and he just lights up. I still wasn't completely convinced, but you know what? He rolled that suitcase like a champ through three airports yesterday. He handled it on the plane himself, too, rolling it down the aisle behind me. Little sir! Growing up!
My mom has mentioned a few times that traveling got a lot easier once my brother and I could handle our own stuff and I see it now. Not only does it take the burden of carrying everything + a child off the parents, it also gives them a Job, which keeps them out of trouble that much longer.
I had started to notice it with Cabin Girl when she was around 3, but COVID hit before we could take advantage of her increased self-sufficiency and then we had Toddler (almost child!! what will we call him here!) so I never really got to experience it. Now CG is 100% self-sufficient (can even go off to the bathroom herself) and 3yo can handle his own suitcase. We've arrived.
I really wish I'd gotten a picture of him with his little suitcase, but I didn't want to interrupt his flow. Maybe on the way back.
I, on the other hand, have been stuffed up for weeks and was nervous about getting on the plane. My molars started hurting that morning from the sinus pressure and it only got worse as the day went on, making it even hard to open my mouth wide enough to eat or drink. I didn't have any painkillers on me so I just toughed it out, but wow, a whole day of just unceasing pain is exhausting. The change in air pressure was nauseating and I couldn't clear my ears at all on the last flight, so I couldn't hear on top of feeling like my ear drums were about to burst. Which, weirdly, meant getting off the plane was a relief, because at least the pain went down.
My SIL gave me 3 ibuprofen when we got to their house, saying that's what she was prescribed when she went to a doc for a sinus infection. 3's a lot but I was willing to do whatever at that point. It took a while, but eventually the pain like my tooth root was trying to drill out of my skull eased and now this morning there's no pain at all. So: hoorah. And a reminder to future me. 3 ibuprofen, all right??
Anyway, pain aside, the kids were great. Both insisted on sitting together on the plane and they watched a movie together. 3yo got so excited when snacks came around and watching them just happily munching and content was such a relief. I'm glad I didn't have to deal with squirming and tantrums while in so much pain. 3yo did melt down at the very end, but honestly, he'd been up all day and past his bedtime, so I kinda expected it.
But then we got in the car and left the airport and he saw snow. His little gasp and then "Snow, mama Kai! There's snow on the ground!" A few moments later, "More snow!!" Basically the entire way home, "Snow!! Snow here too! There's still snow!!"
Somehow in all of this, I'd forgotten that he hadn't been to Minnesota since he was 1yo. So of course he doesn't remember snow.
Anyway, today's plan is to put both of these southern kids in the snow before it melts. So, stay tuned. :)
