How a post-kids vacation without the kids is different from a pre-kids vacation

[bonclyde149150]

Parents make such fun blogs about vacations before and after they have kids! Like this mother here, who realizes a vacation without her kids is nothing like a vacation before kids.

Comments

[murphtang]

I always think these people just go ott on the parenting stuff. Sure, your life has to change with kids, but my parents didn't use to let me just barge into the bathroom when they were showering, and I had a proper bed time (7pm) so they got grownup time then. As a toddler, fine, I used to wake early, but by the age of four or five knew not to go waking people up just because I was up (different if I had a nightmare or something, but just because I was awake? No, sit quietly and play with toys or something...). Idk, I don't have kids, I know they are a lot of work, but damn put some rules in place so you can still function as a human being. Also, I buy lame gifts at giftshops for my boyfriend/family--do these people not do that before they have kids?? Lol XD

[trichgal76]

This.
My sister and I had boundaries/rules growing up and knew when not to bother mom or dad and follow a schedule. Some people just need to be a martyr.

[firesplace]

Same here! If we needed something from the bathroom, we could get the other parent to go in and get it if they were available. Otherwise, we had to wait.
Neither my brother nor I would barge into the parents' room at night, either. If we had a nightmare, we might cry for them to come to us, or sleep with our doors open. But the parents' bedroom was strictly off-limits at all times, unless we were expressly invited.
Maybe I don't remember enough of the details, but it didn't seem like it was that big a deal for us to be trained into these simple rules.

[visionari]

Until I was old enough to tell time, I was supposed to stay in my room until one of my parents came to get me up. After I learned to tell time (but before I was old enough to quietly prepare my own breakfast), I was supposed to stay in my room until 7:00.

And I was never, ever supposed to bother anyone who was behind a closed door - especially the bathroom door - unless it was an emergency.

[nesmith]

I think that's the result of the whole "you need to be your child's best friend" thing that so many parents interpret as never saying no and not setting boundaries because that will stunt their creativity or some shit. I certainly wouldn't wish my parents' style on anyone (I basically was an annoyance and a nuisance to them whenever I needed anything and they begrudged anything that took time or money away from their shit) but at least I learned respect for other people's space.