So you've decided to go "home" to see your family and relatives for the holidays.
You'll pack up all your kids, perhaps take off time from work and make plans for travel.
You look forward to seeing your family but at the same time dread the whole experience.
Things were different when it was just your spouse and you.
You could crash at anyone's house for the holidays, but now with the kids in tow, it feels overwhelming.
Who will take on your "gang"? Will they have adequate room for the lot of you? Can your family stay at a relative's without overwhelming them? I know how this goes.
With four children, staying at a relative's house can feel like we've invaded a small country.
It isn't long after we're in the door before our six pairs of shoes, coats, and bags have taken up every square inch of the foyer and front room.
Once we've settled in, I can't help but notice our stuff in every room of our host's house.
Since it's hard to pack six in a vehicle, I try to limit the amount of things from home each child packs.
But no matter what they pack, once it's out of their bags, they're bored with it.
The kids then begin to prowl around the host's house looking for something to do, getting under foot.
Many times our host's house does not have the entertainment equipment we have at home and the kids resort to watching hours of TV in the basement family room.
When we visit, I try to move things that might be broken with kids moving around.
I try to get loads of towels done so my host isn't overwhelmed.
I try to do a little grocery shopping since my kids are picky eaters and to help with meals.
But you still can't help feeling like you're a burden and imposing on your host.
An easy way to give everyone a little space is to book a hotel room over the holidays.
Booking a room solves a lot of little problems and makes a visit run so much smoother.
When you book a hotel room you can set your kids' bed time to what you need it to be.
Often when visiting relatives, there are cousins and other kids running around and it makes it hard to wind down at the end of the day.
A hotel room gives you a separate place to wind down and get everyone ready for bed.
Not to mention someone else to wash all those towels.
A hotel offers many other benefits.
A hotel room also relieves your host of making breakfast since many hotels offer free breakfast.
Book a place with a pool and you have several hours of wearing the kids out after a big holiday meal.
After you've left for the hotel for the night, you'll give your host the chance to take a breath and reset the house for your next appearance the next day.
Booking a room for the holidays might just save your sanity and who knows; maybe you'll enjoy the holidays even more.
You'll pack up all your kids, perhaps take off time from work and make plans for travel.
You look forward to seeing your family but at the same time dread the whole experience.
Things were different when it was just your spouse and you.
You could crash at anyone's house for the holidays, but now with the kids in tow, it feels overwhelming.
Who will take on your "gang"? Will they have adequate room for the lot of you? Can your family stay at a relative's without overwhelming them? I know how this goes.
With four children, staying at a relative's house can feel like we've invaded a small country.
It isn't long after we're in the door before our six pairs of shoes, coats, and bags have taken up every square inch of the foyer and front room.
Once we've settled in, I can't help but notice our stuff in every room of our host's house.
Since it's hard to pack six in a vehicle, I try to limit the amount of things from home each child packs.
But no matter what they pack, once it's out of their bags, they're bored with it.
The kids then begin to prowl around the host's house looking for something to do, getting under foot.
Many times our host's house does not have the entertainment equipment we have at home and the kids resort to watching hours of TV in the basement family room.
When we visit, I try to move things that might be broken with kids moving around.
I try to get loads of towels done so my host isn't overwhelmed.
I try to do a little grocery shopping since my kids are picky eaters and to help with meals.
But you still can't help feeling like you're a burden and imposing on your host.
An easy way to give everyone a little space is to book a hotel room over the holidays.
Booking a room solves a lot of little problems and makes a visit run so much smoother.
When you book a hotel room you can set your kids' bed time to what you need it to be.
Often when visiting relatives, there are cousins and other kids running around and it makes it hard to wind down at the end of the day.
A hotel room gives you a separate place to wind down and get everyone ready for bed.
Not to mention someone else to wash all those towels.
A hotel offers many other benefits.
A hotel room also relieves your host of making breakfast since many hotels offer free breakfast.
Book a place with a pool and you have several hours of wearing the kids out after a big holiday meal.
After you've left for the hotel for the night, you'll give your host the chance to take a breath and reset the house for your next appearance the next day.
Booking a room for the holidays might just save your sanity and who knows; maybe you'll enjoy the holidays even more.