Blogging Babies and The Bayou

Bayou Living with Latin Flare

  • Home
  • Who Am I?
  • Why I Blog
  • Disclosure
  • Media Kit
  • Travel
  • Kid’s Travel Printables
  • New Orleans
  • Latina
  • Food
    • Recipes
    • Gluten Free
  • Buy Our E-Book
You are here: Home / Tourism / Family Travel Fails – Travel Before and After Kids

Family Travel Fails – Travel Before and After Kids

November 12, 2013 by Maria

Tweet
Share

Like this post? Please share!

Travel Before & After Kids #MotherFunny #Shop #Cbias

I was a “perfect parent” before having kids and then it happens: I became a parent! When my kids were first born I did everything right. I read every book, double checked everything twice, sometimes three or four times before leaving the house. Some new moms handmake everything that went into their child’s body or wore on their body.

Then it dawns on you.

I’m not perfect, in fact I’m not even that great of a parent! And sometimes, you even fail in parenting 101.

But that’s okay. I don’t want to be perfect. I try my hardest to make sure they are not in harms way, don’t eat too much sugar and if I’m really doing my job, I try and keep myself (and the kids) out of jail! I do not look good in stripes or orange!

Honestly, I just don’t want to screw up too terribly. Want to know what helps? I surround myself with mothers who are just like me, not “perfect moms”. I also feel better after watching Nickmom when the kids got to bed. It’s a perfect reminder that I’m not perfect and that is OKAY!

But life has changed for me since having kids. Since I focus on travel and tourism on my blog I thought I would illustrate how we traveled before and after having kids. First off you have succeeded by not forgetting to BRING the kids. You don’t want to pull a Home Alone memory for the little ones.

Travel Before and After Kids

Before having kids, we planned travel revolving around key element: Relaxation, Adventure and Experience. When you have kids travel revolved around theme parks, how long you will be in a vehicle with your kids and will they (or I) be medicated while we are driving to our destination?

Traveling with Kids #Shop

Traveling before kids meant you only traveled 1st class! Traveling after having kids means smelly feet, hoping for no vomiting or peeing in pants. Please dear God, do not forget the charges and earbuds for you the kids.

Beach Fun Before & After Kids

Remember scuba diving in Hawaii or para-sailing in Mexico? Those were the best day of our lives. Now we build sandcastles and look for seashells on the beach. Yes honey, you can bury me in the sand….again!

Travel Amenities Before & After Kids #Shop

Traveling before kids meant spending an entire day at the golf course, having a complete spa day or shopping day all to yourself. After kids: arcades, carousels and a 2nd round of putt putt.

Travel food before & after kids #shop

Food? Top local restaurants, food crawls and celebrity chef dining is out of the question. Instead, it’s from the kids menu, wrapped in paper or you get a completely overpriced $15 kid’s meal!

Travel Before & After Kids #Shop #NickMom

Have you ever purchased local art in New Orleans, fine wines from a winery in Napa or had an African artifact shipped to you as a souvenir? Now it’s pressed pennies, stuffed animal of your favorite mouse and the dreaded local t-shirt.

Travel Photos Before & After Kids #shop

We love our kids, but traveling before and after kids is night and day. The experiences may still be rewarding, your pockets have less jingle when you return home and of course, you need to drink more than usual (due to necessity). But look on the bright side, you REMEMBERED to bring your kids on vacation and brought them home in one piece! Joy….

How has life changed for you since having kids?

Tweet
Share

Like this post? Please share!

Filed Under: Tourism Tagged With: Cruise, family cruise, parenting fails, road trip, tourism, travel, Vacation

Comments

  1. Bohemian Babushka says

    November 12, 2013 at 2:57 am

    JU SO FONII!!! After my trio, let’s just say BB’s developed a true taste and addiction for pressed pennies. ; ) BB2U mujer.

  2. Mama to 5 BLessings says

    November 12, 2013 at 12:48 pm

    Oh yes so true! We have 5 kids and when we travel I feel like I am taking everything but the kitchen sink with! No more quite places to visit, it’s all about the kids!

  3. Tiffany says

    November 12, 2013 at 12:55 pm

    So true, lol. So much changes after we have children.

  4. Cinny says

    November 12, 2013 at 1:16 pm

    lol, funny but true…hahaha

  5. Have Sippy Will Travel Mommy Blogger says

    November 12, 2013 at 1:47 pm

    travel definitely changes when you add kids into the mix

  6. LisaLisa says

    November 12, 2013 at 2:14 pm

    OMGoodness, what an Awesome post and all so true! Life surely changes when you have children….love this post!

  7. cindy b says

    November 12, 2013 at 5:15 pm

    Oh boy, yeah i’m sure that changes a lot! Looks like your managing well! Thanks for sharing!

  8. Heidi Bee says

    November 12, 2013 at 5:19 pm

    So fun and yet so true! They change your whole life,for the better!

  9. Ellen Christian says

    November 12, 2013 at 7:41 pm

    Before kids certainly was much easier!

  10. Angela @ The Southern Fried Bride says

    November 13, 2013 at 2:20 am

    This is a great post. Thank you for sharing!

  11. Robin (Masshole Mommy) says

    November 13, 2013 at 1:05 pm

    So funny and so true. It used to be so easy, but I wouldn’t want it any other way :)

  12. Terry says

    November 13, 2013 at 1:31 pm

    All our kids are grown, so traveling has become easier…. and then the Grandkids came along… back to square one. The good thing about that is the parents have to worry about what goes traveling and what doesn’t.
    You got some great pictures on your travels.

  13. Pam says

    November 13, 2013 at 2:47 pm

    This is so true. I was a perfect parent until I had kids too. I didn’t realize how much they would change my life! :)

  14. Globetrotting Mommy says

    November 13, 2013 at 3:21 pm

    This is soooo, soooo true! Somebody said to me recently that when you are with kids its a trip, not a vacation. Exactly!!

  15. Pam says

    November 13, 2013 at 6:18 pm

    What a funny post! I love it and so many of those things rang true for my family also. Now that my kids are grown and out of college we are doing the before but many times now with our adult children.

  16. Amberlee Cave says

    November 13, 2013 at 7:24 pm

    I totally agree. Traveling has totally changed since we had kids. We need a vacation!! :)

  17. Michele says

    November 13, 2013 at 8:06 pm

    I don’t have any children and I am single-and I am not much of a traveler–but this I do remember–before my friends had kids-we went places and did things far different then after said kids were born! Heck-it was fun anyway!

  18. Debi says

    November 13, 2013 at 9:05 pm

    The differences between traveling with ids and without them is so different.

  19. Theresa says

    November 13, 2013 at 9:07 pm

    Oh, how true is this! I actually find that I love traveling more with my kids though. It’s fun to relive childhood activities through their eyes!

  20. Amanda says

    November 13, 2013 at 9:30 pm

    Oh how right you are! However now we hardly ever travel :(

  21. Jennifer Williams says

    November 13, 2013 at 9:54 pm

    I needed this, I could not stop laughing. It is quite different the difference between the two, but I bet you would not trade it for anything.

  22. Karen says

    November 13, 2013 at 10:01 pm

    So true how it changes before and after kids.

  23. Rachee says

    November 13, 2013 at 10:57 pm

    So, so, so true!
    Bwahahahahahaha!
    Your family is beautiful so it seems worth the trade.

  24. Annie says

    November 14, 2013 at 2:56 am

    Oh the joys of parenthood! Part of it is sacrifice right? But it still likes y’all have fun, just more family friendly šŸ˜‰

  25. Tough Cookie Mommy says

    November 14, 2013 at 3:28 am

    This is so true and it definitely was easier to travel before having kids. I love being a mom so it doesn’t even bother me that it is a mission to go anywhere with the kids.

  26. Robyn says

    November 14, 2013 at 3:30 am

    This is such a great post. Too true!

  27. Sarah Bailey says

    November 14, 2013 at 3:48 am

    Haha I don’t have kids but I have to admit both sets look and sound good :) x

  28. Family Travels on a Budget says

    November 14, 2013 at 2:10 pm

    My kids are older, 19, 16 and 9. When we travel, each family member gets to pick an activity or attraction — even the grown-ups. We start vacation with the youngest member’s selection so she knows her voice is heard (unless weather makes us switch up the routine). Another rule, we NEVER eat chain restaurants at our destinations! My kids have become foodies and look forward to the culinary adventure as much as I do. We’ve eaten slimy critters in China, patĆ© in Paris, and spicy chiles in Mexico. They grew into the adventure through the years and that attitude has enriched all our lives.

  29. Ashley Gill says

    November 14, 2013 at 3:06 pm

    I know about this all too well!! The rare occasion that you get to leave the kids with Gma, and you get a glimpse back into the “good life”!!! Thank you for sharing NickMom.. I’ve never heard of it.. just a quick look at their site and I am in love! Helps me validate a little more on how I am getting through and we all don’t have to be perfect!

  30. Teresa Mccluskey says

    November 14, 2013 at 3:14 pm

    I have yet to travel with my children but I can imagine it would be something like this!

  31. amanda says

    November 14, 2013 at 4:34 pm

    SO VERY TRUE! love the photos and how you show your personality here. :)

  32. Melanie a/k/a Crazy Mom says

    November 14, 2013 at 5:53 pm

    Oh My.. I haven’t even thought about it.. I’ve been a mom for 18 years SOOO don’t remember how things were “back” then..looking at yours.. I can totally agree to most of them..hahahah and none of us are prefect… we all just do the best we can

  33. Bobbi Renee Hass-Burleson says

    November 14, 2013 at 6:12 pm

    Your post seriously made me laugh out loud!! It is so true in so many ways. I absolutely love you in the astronaut pic!!

  34. Growing Up Madison says

    November 14, 2013 at 7:26 pm

    hahaha I can certainly agree. I did a LOT more travel before the kids. I still try and do something once a year with them but I oh so wish I could go to the places I did before. :)

  35. patricia says

    November 15, 2013 at 12:20 am

    We rarely get to travel but when we do its all about what the kids want to do. The wonderful life of being a parent :)

  36. Summer Davis says

    November 24, 2013 at 1:39 am

    OH my gosh, this is so great, Maria! I totally agree with you. I’m getting ready to embark on a drive from North Carolina to Florida without my spouse, but with my 3 kids, and I’m freaking the freak out. It’s just not as easy traveling with three kids as it is traveling alone. Kids. Are. CRAYCRAY! #client

Travel is my passion! Whether I am camping nearby or on a cruise ship, my heart wants to travel and discover the world! From coast to coast, I strive to encourage others to see the world and live with a suitcase always ā€œhalf packedā€. I’m ready to travel, are you? Contact Email: BloggingBabiesandtheBayou@gmail.com {read more here}

EMail Subscription


Tweets by @jeffmarias2001

Random Travel Posts

Flood One City To Save Another

TweetShareLike this post? Please share!We’ve been hearing about flooding for weeks now. From Arkansas to Louisiana, the Mississippi River is swollen. Last week it was one state destroying dams but in turn flooding another state. For the second time ever, the Corp of Engineers have opened up the Morganza Floodway to divert water from the […]

Travel Tips: Where To Find WiFi in Mexico #BayouTravel

Travel Tips: Where To Find WiFi in Mexico #BayouTravel

TweetShareLike this post? Please share! A few years ago finding WiFi in Mexico would have been pretty nonexistent. These days it seems that most towns have an internet service available. Finding WiFi in Mexico can be as simple as grabbing a Corona at an outdoor cantina or purchasing a WiFi USB modem from TelCel. Here […]

Chris Rose & The New Orleans Magical Musical Mystery History Tour + Photo Tour Recap

Chris Rose & The New Orleans Magical Musical Mystery History Tour + Photo Tour Recap

TweetShareLike this post? Please share! There is nothing like visiting your favorite city! In my case, it’s a short 42 miles away and adult only weekend away from the kids! New York Best Selling author and local writer, Chris Rose has joined the ranks of local NOLA tour guides with his “New Orleans Magical Musical […]

Follow Maria Sinclair's board Let's go on a Cruise! on Pinterest.
Follow Maria Sinclair's board Travel -Family Travel Across the U.S & Abroad on Pinterest.
Follow Maria Sinclair's board Mardi Gras on Pinterest.

Site Archives

Site Categories

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries RSS
  • Comments RSS
  • WordPress.org

Copyright © 2025 · Beautiful Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in