Once upon a time, vacations were carefree, spontaneous and relaxing. Pack a bag, hop a plane, sightsee, then stop at a cafe or dance ‘till dawn. The world was my oyster. Now, there is no oyster. Now, there is a toddler … and I am her slave.—
We all know traveling with toddlers can be tough–as soon as I clicked “confirm” on our Jet Blue tickets to Barbados, a knot began to form in my stomach. What if my daughter has a tantrum on the plane? What if she hates the sand or the water, or both? What if I don’t apply enough sunblock and my baby becomes a lobster? My mind was reeling. But the thing that amplified the level of mystery and fear was that there would be four other toddlers on the trip with us. Had we parents lost our minds? Maybe a little. Vacationing with four of our favorite couples and, subsequently, our five toddlers was a lot to take on–both individually and as a group–but what came to pass was an incredible, sometimes exasperating, but 100 percent rewarding adventure that I will never forget.
The kids kept each other company from the moment we boarded the plane–”Hey, let’s go visit Koby in row 15!”–and every moment thereafter. They shared Elmos, beach balls and germs; and between the group, we had enough games, books and snacks to keep ‘em entertained for the entire weekend. Some liked the beach more than others, so while a few toddlers splashed in the water, others played happily in the shade or took naps. A nearby ice cream truck made for a pleasant afternoon distraction, and a rum punch stand helped provide us parents with well deserved “no-no juice". So, it was good. It was great. But …
Vacationing with five toddlers can be a lot like watching a nervous breakdown through a kaleidoscope. Instead of one screaming, wriggling, picky eater, there were five. Mealtimes were a major test of our endurance as parents. Breakfasts, lunches, and dinners were spent chasing the kids around (my kid, your kid, his kid–didn’t matter) with a handful of carbs, fruits or veggies, just begging them to bite and swallow. God, how we missed the confinement of high chairs! No matter what was happening, there was an instant chain reaction. If one child fell and started to cry, soon the others sensed panic and chimed in. I always thought I knew my daughter’s specific cries, but when there are four more in unison, it is near impossible to tell. It was a madhouse! Literally, it felt like an insane asylum.
Five days in Barbados with an army of toddlers was just about the most hectic and hilarious undertaking of my life. Our days were long and jam-packed, but after the kids finally fell asleep we were able to enjoy dinner and adult conversation. My social life was better than it had been in 18 months! And the best part for Trixie was being able to spend so much time with kids her own age. She has plenty of play dates in Brooklyn, but this was so intensified. Every child had their specialty, whether it was talking, counting, sharing or hugging. My daughter picked up a lot of new tricks and I am having the best time watching her put them all to use!
So, when all is said and done, I highly recommend traveling in groups. At times it was like a house of werewolves during a full moon, but for every tantrum there was a giggle, and for every tear there was a kiss. The parents were able to bond and commiserate and remember what life is really about–cocktails! Just kidding. I mean friends and family.
And on the plane home, Trixie said “Love Mommy” for the first time! Totally. Worth it.
