I’m in the middle of booking our summer vacation, so I’m partly excited to be escaping and partly frazzled from searching site after site coordinating flights, multiple accommodations, car rental, and ferries, and trying to match them with my husband’s and my calendars. But we’re going, and that’s all that matters.
We want to mix some city sight-seeing with a few days in a cottage, away from everything, somewhere where we can pad to the kitchen for coffee in our PJs and sit on our own balcony looking out at a view and not much else.
I found some great places, but there were a couple that were absolutely ideal, except for one thing: Kids Welcome! Any place that had “family-friendly” or “babysitting service” listed in their amenities was immediately struck off the list.
Part of my decision may be because “peacefulness” and “kids” don’t generally go together. I don’t want to risk showing up and finding someone else’s family playing Frisbee outside my window. I want to spend my vacation with my husband; I don’t want to spend it with other people’s kids. And because I don’t have kids of my own, I don’t have to. Peace and quiet, here we come.
I completely understand. When booking our winter escapes, the resort HAS to be adult-only. I am not paying thousands of dollars for a stress free and relaxing holiday only to be serenaded with screaming children in the restaurants, kids peeing in the pool, and brats kicking sand all over me at the beach.
For a little more privacy, maybe try renting a cottage rather than staying at a resort?
Thinking about it, even if I had kids I think I’d still want to get away somewhere quiet. Maybe I just don’t like people. 😉
mmmmm… sounds heavenly. You’ll have to tell us where you went once you get back! Have fun!!
Salt Springs Island, BC. Will defnitely report in. 🙂
Well, there is a new “No Kids, No Clue” item out. A friend just posted this at FB. http://www.examiner.com/x-1320-Motherhood-Examiner~y2008m12d17-If-you-dont-have-kids-you-have-NO-idea I’m deeply hurt.
Hope you have a lovely vacation with your hubby. 🙂
Kathryn,
My only consolation here is that the advice columnists do seem to have a habit of choosing the most clueless person to “help” so the rest of us can shake our heads in dismay. I don’t have kids (as you know) but I know exactly what my friends with kids are doing with their days. I don’t wonder why they never have time for me; more often I am in awe that they even make it through each day.
Unfortunately, this kind of article tars every childless woman with the same brush. I’m trusting that my own friends know me well enough to know that I undersatnd what it’s like for them and am still a good friend. That’s about all we can do.
@Imanterfield: of COURSE! That’s called “sensationalism”, my friend. Do you REALLY think Jerry Springer just picks anyone? No, they screen everyone else out in favor of the slummiest, sluttiest, retardiest *lol* people they can find and they milk it for every second of “entertainment” they can. Watching it long enough, one might generalize that lots of people are like that, when in reality, it’s a thinner margin of society than they make it appear. Similarly, with printed media, when featuring a childfree, oftentimes they pick the kid-nazi’s over the more agreeable/likeable ones. Because “agreeability” isn’t sexy and doesn’t sell. Conflict does. It’s stimulating a human instinct as old as time itself, and people play right into it…Or should I say “sheeple” play right into it? *rolls eyes*
the reactions to that article made me wonder if some parents ever even heard about babysitters?
Having a kid might not be an excuse to “relax and enjoy” but it seems to me that it could become an excuse to stop thinking about your social contacts or about your friends needs. O well i’m childless and clueless, who’s going to listen to me.