Perhaps a bit tongue-in-cheek, but in all honesty, if you’re going on vacation with your family, there’s probably a mother around to thank for it. I only realized how much work went into vacations once I had my own family and had to start thinking about all the logistics of vacation planning and execution. I know it’s not always moms who do everything and dads help get things sorted out, too, but today I want to thank moms.
Here’s to the moms who pour over internet listings trying to decide where to go, who email vacation rentals for more details and try to strike bargains or understand options. It’s not easy doing the legwork months in advance, and sometimes things fall through, but the mom who forges ahead and sets up a nice vacation is one I’m grateful to.
Here’s to the moms who research all the locales for places to eat, experiences for kids and adults, shopping options, and so much more! I find myself impressed when someone lists off four different places they’re planning to eat and three events they’ll attend. It takes time and effort to find quality stops when you’re on limited time and don’t want to waste money on poor quality food and entertainment. That means spending time going over reviews and looking into what other people – sometimes dubiously – recommend.
Here’s to the moms who list and wash and fold and roll and pack and repack. Did that exhaust you just reading it? Now that I have kids, I have to make multiple lists of what we’ll need on vacation, how many of each clothing item we should pack, and what foods I need just to have for a snack box on the way (thanking my granny for the valuable snack box idea!). Then, it’s a matter of washing all the things, and in my case, I like to wash more than what we’re taking with us just in case! And if you’ve ever folded tiny baby and kid clothes, you know it’s a real chore, but then add packing them into small spaces and making sure everyone has what they need? It’s a lot.
And while I’m on the subject of packing, maybe you’re the mom who makes lists of what everyone has to pack including all the miscellaneous items, like the white noise machines your kid can’t live without, the most special stuffed animals and blankets so there are no nighttime meltdowns, your pillows for comfort, and every conceivable type of charging cable known to mankind so that–heaven forbid–the various devices don’t die on a rainy day.
Here’s to the moms who lug out boxes and bags and playpens and umbrellas and beach chairs to the car. Sure, it’s more often than not a team effort, but when you’re doing the packing, you’re the one who knows exactly how many things should make their way to the Jenga pile that becomes the trunk of the car. That way you don’t get halfway to your destination and suddenly have to ask if the toiletry bag made it into the car.
Here’s to the moms who have it all together: from breakfast and dinner plans to rainy day rescues to all things sunscreen and first aid. It takes a lot to get it sorted out, and some of us have to keep our lists handy that we made in advance so we know what the day will hold. It can be fun to do things impromptu, but even that takes a lot out of moms who have to switch gears and try to “go with the flow” when some of us struggle to “flow” at all. (Sometimes I flow about as quickly and smoothly as partly crystallized honey, which is to say, not very well!)
And finally, here’s to the moms who know they’ll need a vacation from their vacation and plan ahead. Maybe for you that’s washing up all the linens so you have fresh sheets to crash on after a week away and the subtle scent of freshness goes a long way to revive you. Or maybe you set up a grocery pickup/delivery part way through your trip so fresh food is ready when you get back and no one has to climb into a vehicle again with achy, tired bodies in order to get dinner. Sometimes for me, that looks like a GrubHub or pizza delivery just to make it through the first night back home. Moms who plan ahead for a long soak in a tub to relieve sore muscles or an evening of vegetating in front of the TV for everyone who’s been stuck in a car all day are all heroes in my book.
I never knew how draining vacations could be until I became the mom in the equation. So today I want to thank all moms who make vacations so memorable for their kids that they don’t even realize all the effort and time spent making dreams come true. And especially thanks to my own mom who made it look so easy when I was a kid!
