Few days away with a toddler..no car!

LadyMayBelle

Love if anyone can help... desperate for a break as a family.. Have a great 16m old who is walking, but I'm holding off on shoes, and he loves the sling. I'm aware that going away is hard work but I just need a break .. I work full time and his daddy cares for him in my absence, but whenever there's a weekend or bank holiday, it's full one having to meet family and stuff. I don't get a break. Unless we actually go away I don't know if there's a way around it! We don't have a car and don't want to spent forever on public transport.. anyone have any suggestions on a nice place to go? Galway based at the mo x

Irish Gunner

Hi

We brought our son to the Newpark Hotel in Kilkenny. You can reach it directly by train from Dublin not sure from Galway ?

Very family friendly and petting zoo out the back and pool for Junior. Also plenty of spaces to run around and nice short walk into the city

Just my 2 cents

seamus

Do you need to bring the child?

Sounds like you should book yourself in for a night away somewhere on your own for your own sanity. Get there at lunchtime, bring a book and just do nothing for the guts of 24 hours.

Going away with a mobile toddler is super hard work. Nothing is baby proofed. Your routine is out the window. The child won't sleep the first night.

In all seriousness a night away on your own - or if you want both of you to go, get a babysitter - sounds like what you need. A night or two away with a young toddler is not a holiday at all.

LadyMayBelle

seamus wrote: »

Do you need to bring the child?

Sounds like you should book yourself in for a night away somewhere on your own for your own sanity. Get there at lunchtime, bring a book and just do nothing for the guts of 24 hours.

Going away with a mobile toddler is super hard work. Nothing is baby proofed. Your routine is out the window. The child won't sleep the first night.

In all seriousness a night away on your own - or if you want both of you to go, get a babysitter - sounds like what you need. A night or two away with a young toddler is not a holiday at all.

Oh I do! We absolutely love spending time as a trio- it's actually what we need, to have time together with no expectations of others! I breastfed so yup, baby comes but totally ok with that.

LadyMayBelle

Irish Gunner wrote: »

Hi

We brought our son to the Newpark Hotel in Kilkenny. You can reach it directly by train from Dublin not sure from Galway ?

Very family friendly and petting zoo out the back and pool for Junior. Also plenty of spaces to run around and nice short walk into the city

Just my 2 cents

Actually hadn't thought of that, will look up train options.

shesty

Also put the foot down.Don't spend the whole of your free time chasing around after family.Let each family take a turn if needs be, one each weekend.And designate one day of the weekend for your family, the three of you.You need to put those boundaries in place if family won't.

PhoenixParker

Train to Dublin, stay in the Ashling, take kiddo to the zoo, the kids playgrounds in the phoenix park, collins barracks museum and into town. You'd probably want a buggy as it's a lot of walking.

Athlone and Limerick would be other decent options. They're big enough that youll find a few things to do and a 16 month old doesnt need much entertaining as everything has novelty value.

LadyMayBelle

Thanks! We actually moved back from Dub 6 months ago so part of the adjustment. I think on reflection it's as much boundaries. Incredibly hard when you live 15mins from each set of grandparents. All lovely but it's been our choice to manage the childcare ourselves for the forseeable and we have been doing well! Just like you say shesty, keeping that one day for ourselves is hard, whether we want to go away for a day or have a jammies day, it's hard to do it without visitors etc! Thanks for suggestions folks

Milly33

Oh it is important to take yer time!! We have had two weekends free for the first time in a long time and it is just loverly not to be rushing, while we love the family and friends still time for us is good too....

In the west too, and would say the train would be the best the line of transport also with a kids... It would be so much easier and there are plenty of changing -spot and that on the train.. You could book online and have your seats booked and all, just watch if you are going from Athenry as the station is a bit slowish...

Would ye like to go someplace close enough in same the same County or travel on a bit

whiskeyman

LadyMayBelle wrote: »

but whenever there's a weekend or bank holiday, it's full one having to meet family and stuff. I don't get a break.

This bit struck me.
Are all your weekends taken up going places / seeing family / them coming to you?

You need to schedule time for you / yourselves if so.
Clear your diary for a weekend and plan only things for you / your family if thats what you want.
Don't invite people over / don't go seeing other people. Lie that you are going away / are sick if you need!

Don't underestimate a nice lazy weekend at home. Get some good food (easy to prep) in and relax as best you can, while enjoying time with each other.
And do your best to avoid routine housework.
Either see if you could so some of the cleaning etc.. on the thursday beforehand or even get a cleaner in for a couple of hours. That'll give you more time to relax.

Sometimes it's better than any trip away.

LadyMayBelle

whiskeyman wrote: »

This bit struck me.
Are all your weekends taken up going places / seeing family / them coming to you?

You need to schedule time for you / yourselves if so.
Clear your diary for a weekend and plan only things for you / your family if thats what you want.
Don't invite people over / don't go seeing other people. Lie that you are going away / are sick if you need!

Don't underestimate a nice lazy weekend at home. Get some good food (easy to prep) in and relax as best you can, while enjoying time with each other.
And do your best to avoid routine housework.
Either see if you could so some of the cleaning etc.. on the thursday beforehand or even get a cleaner in for a couple of hours. That'll give you more time to relax.

Sometimes it's better than any trip away.

Yeah I love it. I find it hard being so close, grateful and all, but my partner and I are both people who need our own space individually and then as a family. I find it hard to say no when family say 'we are passing can we pop in/drop something in!' .. because they can get offended. But I'm learning! And keeping it balanced. I've Friday, Sat Sun and Mon off, I've purposely arranged to meet one fam Friday for the afternoon/eve and the other for the Sunday afternoon eve. Taking me-time on the sat for a morn and Monday for ourselves.
Thanks folks. Deeper issues at play here I think x

shesty

Definitely.And they forget, the novelty of having a grandchild around makes them forget that you aren't running a hotel!!And the child needs time to chill, or get out with you guys.And you need time to catch up on your washing, do a bit of cooking, catch up on cleaning etc.My OH would have the house like a train station some weekends with people coming and going the whole time, I have to put the foot down on occasion and say no, we need that morning and that afternoon free.I can't work all week, and spend the weekend entertaining people and our kids need the break too.

Milly33

Oh i hope ye are ok... Plenty to talk to here if not a good old rant does wonders sometimes.. Sounds like a nice plan you are suiting everyone but just make sure to suit ye also...As ye are the new family it is ye who are the important ones..

The Aquarium in Salt Hill is supposed to be loverly for kids,have'nt gone ourselves yet but it comes highly recommend it might be nice for a day out or if ye wanted someplace nice and child friendly with lovely food that isnt laced in salt, the Menlo Park hotel was quite the find.. Some of the characters in there look a bit like a love hate episode but the food and staff, we found was the best we have gone to yet..

Spanish Eyes

Take the train to Athlone. Only an hour or so journey. Stay in a nice hotel. Get a babysitter for one or all nights!, Hotel will arrange. Take a cruise on the Shannon and wander around.

https://www.theriverrun.ie/schedule/

Wish you the best. Time out is time paid back.

CheerLouth

LadyMayBelle wrote: »

I find it hard to say no when family say 'we are passing can we pop in/drop something in!' .. because they can get offended.

Might be no harm to say something along the lines of "oh we're just heading out the door but we'll back around X time" - sometimes a little white lie is ok.

We live next door to one set of grandparents so I get the feeling of no space/time to yourselves. I have, in the past, avoided going into the my kitchen so they wouldn't know I was home :P