Last week the family and I went to stay at a resort up the coast for Lacey’s birthday. She was desperate for a birthday party, and I wasn’t so enthused about throwing one, so I bribed her with a stay at a hotel instead.
Yep, I am going for mother of the year.
Now don’t go thinking we’re fancy, because the resort that is in your head right now is not the resort that we experienced. It was a resort for kids. There was no sipping cocktails by the pool in silence. It was more ‘dare to swim in the pool and you might get attacked by a stray band-aid’. Just quietly, that kinda freaks me out. Shudder.
Lacey was in heaven though. It was all about the kids. Non-stop kids activities. Lots of noise. LOTS of noise. Everyone had kids, except for the childless Asian tour group who looked deep in regret for booking the wrong hotel.
For Hubby and I, it was an eye-opening experience. We didn’t have to worry about the kids making too much noise, which is something we worry about often being the parents of two high-pitched squealers. We feel for our neighbours. Sorry Trev.
On the first day, we were hanging out near the climbing frame with the kids. You know the one where the kids have to wear socks, and it’s like a maze inside. And you spend most of your time praying they don’t get stuck, because you REALLY don’t want to be that parent who has to squeeze through the sections and retrieve the hysterical child? One mum wasn’t having it, and refused to go up and get her child, instead screaming, “Ruby-Rose, F**K ya! Get out now!”
Parents of older children made good use of the bar. We’re not big drinkers but the environment certainly made us consider starting.
The pool closed at 9pm, so you’d hear the staff yell “Pool’s closed! Out you get!” and the kids departed and ran for their rooms. Not quietly, because kids are never quiet {well, not resort kids anyway}. Outside our room one kid yelled for 4 minutes non-stop, “MUM! MUM! MUM! MUM!” until the guy in the room next to us came out. “Is this your room?” he asked the kid angrily. The kid must have gestured a yes. We could hear all of this through the walls.
The man knocked on the door, and the mum poked her head out and begged the kid, “Just give us 5 minutes more!” and closed the door.
One guess at what she was doing. Or who.
But our stay was fun. Lacey and Luella turned into wrinkled prunes from swimming non-stop. Lacey had her hair braided. There were magic tricks at the table at dinner time, and copious amounts of hot chips to keep little tummies satisfied. Kids tantrum-ed often, and even at dinner time. Usually we’re that family with the kid that won’t sit still, spills their drink and screams because they want to play. No one bats an eyelid, because it happens. It’s life with kids.
As we packed the car and drove home, Hubby turned to me and said, “You know what? We’re not doing so badly.”
And I know what he meant. We live in a quiet neighbourhood where our kids seem to be the noisiest, and we have our moments where we think we’re not cut out for the parenting gig. But we’re all doing our best, and two days at the resort for kids was comforting, making us see that we’re all going through the same stuff. Kids have tantrums. Kids are noisy. Kids are cheeky. Kids can be brats. Kids really just want to have fun.
And just quietly, so do parents.
Omg…5 minutes more?! Hilarious!!
I know, right? SO FUNNY.
Ha! We are just back from one of those kid club resorts overseas. Thought we were going to get some much needed kid free time but it was just like your resort. Forever in the pool, loads of other kids, buffet breakfast nightmare….. But we could see we are doing pretty well with our meal time non-sitters, food hating, loud kids
Yeah, it’s a nice serving of perspective… isn’t it?
Your hubby took the words right out of my mouth. x
Are you for shizzle?!?! That mother opened the door and said to her child and a stranger trying to help her screaming child “5 more minutes!” No. Freaking. Way. I get we all want some privacy in our relationships but please?! If your child is screaming in the halls of a resort… kid resort or not…. you don’t ask for 5 minutes more and lock them in the hallway… especially in front of a stranger!
I have been to the shops and birthday parties and left feeling like I am not doing such a bad job after all and that our kids are going to make wonderful future citizens…. other days I think I should be putting money away for their future therapy and not university funds…. thankfully they will never say that Mummy locked them out of the hotel room begging for 5 more minutes with Daddy!!! 😛
Ba ha ha! Yes, some days I think I’m doing OK, and then others I want to go and rock in a corner. But never done the 5 minutes more thing EVER.
It takes five minutes? Huh. Who knew?
Oh god. I’ve been a Mum for two years and I still struggle with this!!! I love kids…but in large numbers and at high decibels? Not so much. As the parent that left her kid outside for an extra 5 mins?! Ewwww! Haha that poor kid!!! We are planning to avoid a 2 year old birthday party this year too…I can’t deal with a mass gathering of toddlers.
It’s so funny because I always felt like there was such a big gap between Lulu and Violet – because in those early days a week feels like such a difference.
But they’re not that different in age at all, are they?
I hope you had a blast in Hawaii. xx
5 minutes more, for realz? Sounds like Lacey had the best birthday ever! I think you’re hubby nailed it. You guys aren’t just doing not so badly, I’d say your doing super fricking great!
Awww, spanks. xx
That sounds horrific and excellent. One of the hard things about being a parent seems to be the other parents. x
But that’s the best thing too. 🙂
Sounds horrific but at least children are able to be just that, children! I often worried as a mum if I was doing the right thing or not with my children, then I watched other parents and that always puts things in perspective! Hugs xx
Yes, sometimes it can feel like everyone knows that they’re doing, except you… and then you really look and realise we’re all just winging it.
We are doing a weekend at Seaworld Nara Resort (is it even called that now?) next month with unlimited theme park entry. It’s a cross between a baby moon at 36 weeks pregnant & a special treat for our 2 year old before she is forced into becoming a big sister lol
I saw a distant relative at the pool the other day and realised she may have just caught me slightly rising my voice to my four young children, none of whom wanted to get out despite turning into blue prunes. She (also mother of 4) told me that it was ok because is was demonstrating ‘educated’ yelling. You know. As opposed to ‘kmart screaming’. Hmm….
Sometimes a bit of a healthy comparison is just what we need to make ourselves feel better!
I love reading your blog….and it looks like you are doing a fabulous job! As a ( single, widowed ) mom of three, now 18, 15 and 12, we seem to never be able to shake that “doubt” about the quality of our parenting. I think the fact that we “think” about it at all shows that we are… Now you deserve a weekend away at a mom and dad resort, without kids…then at least you have more than 5 minutes! 😉 Huge kudos from Canada!
We took my nieces and nephews to one of those resorts last year – I never realized how often I told them to be quiet (also squealers) until we were somewhere I didn’t have to. It was liberating to just let them make their kid noise and have fun. Deafening but liberating. Glad the girls had fun x
Love it! I bribed Maddi with a trip to Wet n Wild and it was fabulous, no stressful party to organise and lots of fun in the water! x
I smiled while reading…my sweethearts are now 21, 19, and 16! I remember those days and thought I was the only one that had unruly kids at the time! Trust me, there will be many more and you will wish to be swallowed into the ground! Now days, when I’m shopping, ect…and a child is screaming, crying, etc…I just smile and know they are testing and learning their limits, a part of the growing process. It’s good that we have social media now, so that we can connect and learn from each other. That’s one of the many reasons why i love PAD so much!
Aside from all that…I busted out laughing with the 5 more minutes! No further comment other than, poor kid!
It looks to me and sound’s like you do great! As I am a grannie now, I laugh at hearing all this stuff because it seem’s like you’ll never get your life back, but it comes around too quick. I smile when my grandchildren are doing the same silly, naughty, exhausting thing’s that my own children did, and find it reassuring that the ‘circle’ keep’s turning.
5 minutes more!! Poor kid!