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road trip hell

End7r's picture

A summary of our recent road trip nightmare with SD.  Our first destination was 4 hours away, we stop halfway for lunch.  SD doesn't eat anything but ketchup and her dad lets her have a Fanta.  Always a bad decision.  I don't allow my kids to drink pop.

 We stop at a grave site (famous dead person).  She yells and runs in the quiet chamber and a tour group glares at us.  I quickly get everyone back to the car.  SD proceeds to plow through our snacks and throws a tantrum when she cant get a fruit roll up unrolled.  SO far, not too bad.  We arrive at a science museum.  They have a rock climbing wall.  She skips the long line and just starts climbing up the wall.  The museum worker yells at her.  Her dad quickly grabs her. 

They have a video game exhibit.  she cries because she has to wait her turn.  She finally gets a turn and throws a tantrum because she can't figure out how to play.  Repeats this pattern two more times before we leave the exhibit.  We go to the outdoor exhibit and she whines because it's too hot out.  Too bad.  They have a water table.  She somehow manages to get her clothes soaking wet and starts crying because she's wet.  

We go to get pizza and she keeps standing on the booth and invading everyone's personal space.  The other kids are getting crabby and annoyed with her.  She eats half a piece of pizza.  We head to the hotel.  I make a bath with a couple inches of water for my 2 yr old to clean off a big scrape on her leg.  SD gets in the water with her clothes on and then dunks her head.  Her dad was gettting stuff from the car and comes back like WTF?  She's soaking wet in her clothes.  He tells her to get undressed and put her PJs on.  She leaves her wet underwear on and gets her PJs all wet.  Luckily he had back up pair. 

The kids all get into one king bed (3 of them)  She wont stop rolling around and my oldest gets upset and sit on a chair.  So SD gets up and asks why shes doing that and starts getting in her face.  Eventually we get all of them to sleep.  Morning comes we stop for donuts.  She eats 2 bites.  We go to the zoo and she immediately whines that she is hungry.  We tell her to suck it up and go on a train ride.  She keeps standing up on the ride and getting us in trouble.  While at the zoo she proceeds to throw 3 huge fits and scares the poor red pandas who go hiding as soon as she starts.  This is loud, top of her lungs crying that she's tired and can't walk.  Dad goes off to get her a snack for energy.  Theres a starbucks but they dont have muffins or anything so he gets her a cake pop.  She goes a little while longer before crying again about being tired.  So he has to hold this screaming 50 pound five year old while the other 3 kids- 7, 4 and 2 yrs all walk along.  She calms down for a little while but starts up again in the lizard house.  Finally get her distracted looking at lizards.  We walk around some more, she's suddenly not tired.  We get in line for a train ride but it's really long so we decide to walk instead.  Throws another huge fit because she wants to ride the train.  We decide to just leave even though the other kids still have stuff they want to see.  

We head to a park.  The kids find a grasshopper and are playing with it.  SD gives it a name and it's kind of cute.  But then she starts wailing because he is jumping away and it's her "best friend".  THIS IS A 5 AND A HALF YEAR OLD.  We go back to the car and drive to another destination 2 hours away.  She eats the rest of our snacks and cries because her tablet isn't working right.  

We get to the hotel and she throws a fit because my daughter is sleeping where she wanted to sleep. We calm her down so as not to disturb everyone in the hotel.  We play musical beds for quite a while with my kids trying to avoid her but her just following them from bed to bed.  Dad falls asleep exhausted from dealing with her.  Eventually SD falls asleep in bed with me and my middle child.  

The next morning I go to get waffles from the cafe.  We make two because SD and my middle don't eat much.  I put a little syrup on a waffle and let them share it.  SD throws a huge fit because there is not enough syrup.  Dad goes to lobby to get another packet.  SD pours it all over her side of the waffle.  She then cries because it's too gooey.  Dad goes to the lobby and they make another waffle.  They come back and she eats two bites.  The rest of that day was relatively easy until we stop for lunch with her grandparents and she can't sit still.  She grunts at them when they ask her questions and then pretty much dances around the restaurant.  Luckily they weren't busy.  We finally get to drop her off at her mom's on our way back home.  This is the 2nd trip we have all been on together and the 2nd trip she has ruined.  The first also involved her screaming, but mostly in the car and in a mexican restaurant I was pretty sure would kick us out.  She also wet the bed and cried all night before we had drive back.  

Comments

Chmmy's picture

Take your kids on a mini vaca since your husband will probably wonder why you wouldnt want to take SD on your next family vaca

CLove's picture

sounds terrible. I have taken Munchkin SD to many different festivals and sometimes shes ok, and sometimes she get pouty, because we need to buy her something. But generally shes pretty appreciative...

That sounds just horrid. I got a sore head just reading that. Im so sorry this happened to you and kiddos...

Trying to Stepmom's picture

I agree with the other posters that you should go on a mini vacation with the other kids or don’t take SD on anymore until she behaves better. 

My SD hasn’t joined us on a major vacation for just over a year, and we travel any chance we get. We’ve given her chances to come along but she ultimately decides other things are more important. Then she realizes what she missed out on. Granted, my SD is 13, but after meltdowns and snide comments, my DH (and me) were over it and didn’t want another vacation ruined. 

Exjuliemccoy's picture

Good grief, I'd be tempted to make her ride in the trunk! j/k

Does he EVER discipline his kid?

Tell your SO he's 0 for 2, and that if you don't see improvements in his parenting and skid's behavior, you won't be vacationing together again.

ndc's picture

I'd strike while the iron is hot and the memories of SD's poor behavior are still vivid in your husband's mind.  Let him know that the vacation was ruined by SD and that you do not wish to include her in vacations you take with your children because she ruins the time for them.  

Have the two of you done a post mortem on the vacation?  What are his thoughts.

End7r's picture

I haven't but I probably should.  He's quick to forget things when she's back at her mother's.

Steppedonnomore's picture

If DH can not or will not discipline his child, then I would leave BOTH of them home on the next vacation.  SD is 5.  She acts the way she does because there are no consequences.  Why was no one supervising when she ate all the snacks, skipped the line, got in the bath with her clothes on, etc.?  And if she does have developmental issues and DH is just choosing to ignore it, then he is worse than just a Disney Dad; he is a neglectful dad.  

End7r's picture

I don't discipline her because we don't have much of a relationship so I've been disengaged from the start.  I guess I don't even know how I would because my kids don't do those things.  I mean the 2 year old does some impulsive things, but shouldnt a 5 year old know better?  I think he just assumes she's Ok with a little freedom, but she is clearly not!

Harry's picture

She grows up.  Your DH is allowing this to happen.  He did not pit her in her place.  Sitting quietly, if not eating meals then no snacks, ect.. DH ows you and your kids a vacation that is fun. Because his DD destroyed that vacation.  That’s ASAP