STRESS +doubts

[bankgirl05]

I am leaving in 3 weeks and sorta freaking out!!!* I am stressing myself out over all that I need to pack since I am travelling with 2 toddlers. I mean there's the suitcases (of course) the 2 car seats, the (enormous) double stroller, and the pack and play. I am stressing waaay way way too much about this, I am just picturing this being a giant nightmare lugging most of this stuff through the airports...* I am also worried about the damage the airline might cause my pack and play, but we need it since we are spending an extra week visiting various family members in Tampa and Port Charlotte. and I need the car seats for the same reasons and the double stroller too...
PLUS, to top it off my DD14 is being her normal teenage self and making me want to leave her at home, with her attitude and her eye rolling... Everytime I think abou our upcoming trip I say to myself: "WHAT WAS I THINKING?" and I know that before we get on the plane I will probably be clicking my heels together and repeating " there's no place like home"
AND.. ( as if that weren't enough complaining, ya'll are so good for listening to me whine) I will be working 49-53 hours a week between now and our trip so I just don't know when I am going to find the time to get organized and pack...

AHHH, now that I have that off of my chest it al seems, well SO MUCH WORSE!

Yikes help me please!

 

[Hannathy]

Just keep telling yourself you aren't going into the wilderness! It isn't Surviverman! What ever you forget you'll live without or can get. We take way too much junk.

As far as the 14 yr old and the eye rolling I have come to the conclusion that if our teens muscles through out their bodies were as strong as their eye muscles must be from all the eye rolling we would have the most fit generation ever! and take gold in all Olympic events.

 

[drinkme]

While you're working, constantly have your packing list going. When it's about 6 days before your trip, get the laundry done. When it's about 4 days before the trip, get the suitcases out. Spread them all out in your dining room (or some other room that doesn't get used daily), and start packing.

Are you driving yourselves to the airport? If not, when you get to the airport, do curbside check-in. Get one of those carts and put everything on that. Is it just you & the kids? Or is your dh going with? If dh is going with, make him responsible for all of the carseats, carryons, etc. You can just deal with the kids and the stroller. If you are going without another adult, then grab one of those guys (skycaps???) and ask him to help you to your gate.

As long as you don't forget your kids and your credit card, then you will be fine! lol. You can buy whatever you forget.

Have fun!!

 

[dormouse72]

First...breathe!! In and out...slowly...

Packing is stressful and aggravating. I'm in the middle of it as well. I have suitcases open all over the place, laundry for the next week of school as well as for when we get back (my personal nightmare is to come home exhausted from a week at Disney and find my children have no clean underwear so I have to immediately do laundry; the alternate version involves having no milk in the fridge so I have to immediately go food shopping).

It's easy to say "don't let it get to you" but much harder to do.

You have three weeks - haul out the suitcases now and (if you have room) leave them open. As you do laundry, start throwing clothes that are no longer weather appropriate to wear you live in the suitcase. Don't worry about outfits or anything, just start getting stuff in there. It sounds like you're going for at least two weeks if not longer. So make sure you have 10 days worth of clothes (at least 10 shirts, 10 bottoms, and 3 sets of pjs for the kids).

As you walk through your house and you think "Oh - I'll need this..." IMMEDIATELY throw it in unless it is something you need to use at home before your trip. If you're like me you'll say "Oh I have to remember to bring X" and it will promptly float out of your head until you're on your way to the airport.

Socks and underwear go in last and if you run short, well...I budget in an "oops" fund (I forget things a lot - usually underwear, which may explain why my kids have so much of it...)

As for DD 14, well...I have one of those myself. When the grumping and attitude got to be too much I called in my sister and she "agreed" to stay at my house the week I'm gone with my 14 year old because "maybe you all need some breathing room and I'd hate to see you, my beloved niece, be stuck at the happiest place on earth, away from all your friends and activities with people who make you so unhappy". That shut DD # 1 up REALLY quick. But then again, my sister is fiendishly clever - makes me glad she's on my side!!

 

[Tiger926]

I have sent good packing vibes your way!

Just remember, you aren't going into the jungle, you are going into a major urban centre, where you can pick up or order something should you forget it.

I find that most parents pack way too much stuff - so I would prioritize with the little time that you have left. The car seats, and pack n' play, are a priority, so go from there. You may be able to consolidate stuff together, or even leave some stuff home. I would also have the 14 year old be in charge of packing her own stuff, with you offering some assistance, and then perhaps having a final once over.

Best of luck. Hope you have a happy, healthy and safe trip, Tiger

 

[AmyBWV99]

I have 2 & 4 yr olds I start right at about 3 weeks. Getting the suitcases out and baging up outifts especially for the kids. It helps when we travel on off seasons since i can pack all the summer clothes super early and no one misses them. Everywhere offers laundry facilities so you can always wash if needed. I also pak any toiletries possible, I use the Huggies preloaded wash clothes on vacation, sunscreen, etc that can be packed ahead.

We also visit family in St. Petes every March and rather than paying the airlines $50-60 to haul our P&P and potenially losing &/or trashing it we ordered a Graco one for under $50 online from Wal-Mart and did at store pick which is free. We had a family member pick it up for us and it was such a relief to not have to haul it thru the airports and trying to wedge it in a rental car. You could always bring it home but it's wonderful to not have to worry about it before you get there.

 

[dis-happy]

I've traveled with a pack-n-play coast to coast several times and one thing that makes it easier to lug through the airport is a luggage carrier. Unless you are planning to do curbside check-in, which would be an excellent way to go too.

 

[deva]

We also visit family in St. Petes every March and rather than paying the airlines $50-60 to haul our P&P and potenially losing &/or trashing it we ordered a Graco one for under $50 online from Wal-Mart and did at store pick which is free. We had a family member pick it up for us and it was such a relief to not have to haul it thru the airports and trying to wedge it in a rental car. You could always bring it home but it's wonderful to not have to worry about it before you get there.

I was going to suggest the same thing. Ask your family to pick up a PNP for you (or better yet have them borrow one from one of their neighbors with young kids). If you buy one, leave it there for your next trip or donate to charity when you are done.