Today is the kids last day of school and tomorrow we are leaving to go on a mini vacation. Yesterday we purchased a 15 passenger van. For the past three years we have been driving 2 cars everywhere we go as a family. I am so glad that is over.
As I am packing and getting things ready to go here is the list of things that I am also having to plan out for my kids who struggle with change:
-Deciding who is going to have to wear pull ups in the car for the long drive because
A. They might stress pee in the car (I have an 8 yr old and 5 year old who do this)
B. They might wait until there is no where to stop to use the bathroom to actually tell us they have to pee (I have a 7 year old who does this all the time.)
-figure out a seating chart that gives people space and keeps 1 specific child from bugging people because she bugs everyone that she sits next to
-pack puke buckets because my kids seem to puke for no reason at the oddest and most inconvenient times
-what to pack to entertain them all (which is normal), but it has to be stuff they can't destroy the car with because, if given the opportunity, they will.
-and back to the seating chart, have to keep the child who has acted out sexually away from everyone so he doesn't get any bright ideas in the car
So, to sum things up, I have to worry about people inappropriately touching each other, people peeing in the car for no really valid reason, worrying about them destroying the car, and prepare for at least one of them to puke unexpectedly.
Happy vacation to us! 😀
20 comments:
Oh man, that is a lot of strategy. I'll be sending you good, calm, dry thoughts!
how about taking a small portable potty, like toddlers use for toilet training? then you could pull over anywhere and let them use it and dump it out.
The portable potty is a good idea! A friend of mine just mentioned that same thing to me yesterday because we're about to go on a nine hour drive with my potty training 2-year-old. He's been doing so well I don't want him to backtrack, so the potty idea is perfect! GROSS, but perfect. Lol. Good luck on the drive with your beautiful, puking, peeing, destructive, inappropriate touchers! It's a good thing they're cute sometimes, huh? ;-)
We have a seating chart that we still use even though my big kids rarely ride with me anymore. Great idea.
I keep pull-ups in my car all the time. I keep big souvenir cups in the side pocket of my door at all times for puke. I keep some small towels, partial roll of paper towels, and partial roll of toilet paper, pull-ups, baby wipes and large ziplock bags in a bucket under the seat at all times. I have another bucket full of semi-non-perishable snacks under the seat at all times. I have a soft-side cooler I put in and out of my van almost anytime we leave the house. I have another bucket that holds dvds. Another bucket holds small dvd players, converter and extension cords, and chargers.
I bought the white flatish buckets with little round holes all over them (no lid)from Walmart for a few bucks and they are lined up under all the seats. They fit perfectly in my 12 passenger van.
You will likely find it is hard to get all your luggage behind the back seat, as there isn't much space. We bought a hitch-packer for the back of the van. We use duffle bags instead of suitcases and load them in big grey plastic buckets from Walmart. We then stack the 4 buckets and tie down with a strap and bungies. Super easy, water proof and easy getting everything in and out of hotel. Just load buckets up on rolling cart and reload them in hotel room.
Hope yall have a nice time. Vacation is no vacation (esp for mom) with hurt children sometimes but hoping for an uneventful travel and vacation for your family.
Kelly, I think I am on my way to being you. Wish me luck ;)
Brilliant advice has been given. You are surrounded by support. You will need it on this vacation but you will also be making wonderful family memories for the future. I shall be thinking of you daily and sending good wishes!
Now it is Friday and you are all in the car. Thinking of you and sending good wishes for lots of car napping and laughter. (Yes, I do know about reality ... but sending the wishes and support any way.)
Hopefully you have gotten to where you were going and are now settling into new temporary routines and everyone is calming down and there is laughter. At least that is how I am picturing it despite years of experience of children on vacation and because when everyone looks back years from now that is what will be remembered. We went to x and there was laughter. Cheers to you and write down everything that you need to do slightly differently on the return trip.
You said mini-vacation so am guessing you are all very close to getting in the car for the return trip. And all the washing and putting away and re-regulating to home and no school. Hoping it goes well, without pee stock piles and other excitements of large families. Hope also YOU had a good time and made happy memories for YOU. Being the adult on family vacations is very different from being the responsibility free child but good memories for you are still important.
Hugs and cheers and support...... above all SUPPORT.
Whew! Sounds like you are on top of it. Good luck!!
Hoping your vacation was good and the return home was smooth. Have a wonderful July 4 weekend, I shall be holding happy wishes for you all.
Happy 4th of July.
Sending good wishes for you all.
Thinking of you all and hoping life is calming down and the children are moving forward in positive ways. Time in hard places leaves scars but hopefully these improve and eventually have less impact.
Thank you for loving and helping all your children.
Thinking of you and all your children in the middle of July. Hoping all activities are working out well for the children. Realizing you must be looking down the barrel of back-to-school shopping and the changes of returning to routines with children going to school. Transitions are often hard but the the routines of school settle in. I hope all your school age children find this year is easier than last, that routines fall easily back into patterns and that there is a huge sale on children's shoes jut when you go into the store!
Much admiration for what you are doing today, and what you will be doing this fall. Hope the littlest baby is full of smiles and laughter and shares joy to you all.
(aka: even in silence on your part (for busy is real) you are in the thoughts and prayers and on-line supportive arms of many!
Thinking of you. Sending wishes for laughter and love and wins every day.
It is August. thinking of you staring down the gun barrel of all your children and school restarting. Sending good wishes.
Hi - Just the other day I finished reading your blog from the beginning. Days later I'm just now beginning to breathe in a normal pattern. What an amazing journey.
Your last post was in June, and I'm hoping you come back - hoping your vacation went well. Even if life has moved on from blogging - I want you to know how much I appreciate you documenting your journey. It has given me a dose of reality, so many things that I'd never thought about and were not covered in class, and tips/how to's that I've learned.
Bless you Mama Foster (and PaPa Foster) for doing what you have done for these children, and sharing it all with us. Will be keeping your family close to my heart and in my prayers.
Continue to watch for your posts. How are you doing?
Some of your children are off to school now so hopefully you have more tie with the smallest in your crew and possibly can even have some equivalent of a cup of tea for your own self. Hope things are going well and was looking back at a year ago when the fact of your youngest was just being raised. Fingers crossed that was the last sibling for your children because you have your hands very full. Sending good wishes and much caring and all the support words can share!
Now almost Oct. Your children probably have settled into the routine of school for this year. Hope so.
Also hope your world is achieving some stability and more calm and order than a year ago. Think of you often and send good wishes.
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