There comes a time in your life as a parent when you have this realisation, 'shit I sound like my mother!'
As a child or teenager, how many times did you cringe when you heard those dreaded phrases repeated to you over and over again? Those phrases that made you sit there with your best eye roll face imaginable. You'd respond with things like blah, blah, blah or 'I would never say that to my child'. Well guess what, I bet you've said some of the following to your child.
1) This is your last chance (let's face it, it's never their last chance is it?)
2) Because I said so
3) If someone asked you to jump off a cliff, would you do it?
4) Ask your dad
5) I've told you a thousand times
6) It's not what, it's pardon
7) You'll take someone's eye out with that
8) You'll get square eyes sitting that close to the TV
9) Who is she? The cat's mother (What does this even mean?)
10) Don't talk with your mouth full
11) Do you think I was born yesterday?
12) Don't swallow chewing gum because it'll wrap around your heart
13) Money doesn't grow on trees
14) Don't use that tone with me
15) Eat your carrots, it'll make you see in the dark
16) There is no such word as can't
17) What part of no don't you understand?
18) Your face will freeze like that
19) Eat your crusts, it'll give you curly hair
20) Just you wait till your father gets home
21) I'm not going to ask you again
22) Let's see who can be quiet the longest (The quiet game that never works)
23) There are children in Africa starving. Eat your food
24) What did your last slave die of?
25) Back in my day
26) Get your fingers out of your nose
27) See if you can fetch me that before I can count to 10
28) Don't make that face. If the wind changes you'll stay like that
29) I don't care who started it
30) When you're older you'll understand
What phrases do you find yourself saying that you heard through your childhood?
As a child or teenager, how many times did you cringe when you heard those dreaded phrases repeated to you over and over again? Those phrases that made you sit there with your best eye roll face imaginable. You'd respond with things like blah, blah, blah or 'I would never say that to my child'. Well guess what, I bet you've said some of the following to your child.
1) This is your last chance (let's face it, it's never their last chance is it?)
2) Because I said so
3) If someone asked you to jump off a cliff, would you do it?
4) Ask your dad
5) I've told you a thousand times
6) It's not what, it's pardon
7) You'll take someone's eye out with that
8) You'll get square eyes sitting that close to the TV
9) Who is she? The cat's mother (What does this even mean?)
10) Don't talk with your mouth full
11) Do you think I was born yesterday?
12) Don't swallow chewing gum because it'll wrap around your heart
13) Money doesn't grow on trees
14) Don't use that tone with me
15) Eat your carrots, it'll make you see in the dark
16) There is no such word as can't
17) What part of no don't you understand?
18) Your face will freeze like that
19) Eat your crusts, it'll give you curly hair
20) Just you wait till your father gets home
21) I'm not going to ask you again
22) Let's see who can be quiet the longest (The quiet game that never works)
23) There are children in Africa starving. Eat your food
24) What did your last slave die of?
25) Back in my day
26) Get your fingers out of your nose
27) See if you can fetch me that before I can count to 10
28) Don't make that face. If the wind changes you'll stay like that
29) I don't care who started it
30) When you're older you'll understand
What phrases do you find yourself saying that you heard through your childhood?
16 comments
A couple of months ago we received some wonderful new Cosatto Hubbub ISOFIX car seats. We took them on a road trip to London. See how we got on.
“Mum are we there yet?”
She asked as I strapped her in,
“No we’ve not left yet”
I replied whilst thinking about Gin.
The boot was jam packed,
The snacks were ready made,
With our new Cosatto car seats,
We as parents were not afraid.
The journey would be long,
Entertainment was at the ready,
Hubbub car seats with ISOFIX were fixed in,
So, we knew the kids would be steady.
“Are we nearly there yet,”
They chirped from the back,
We strapped them in with the 5-point harness,
This anti-escape system would be a tough one to crack.
We set off for London,
The kids couldn’t wait to arrive,
Half way through the journey,
We were in for a surprise.
“Are we nearly there yet”
She shouted with desperation,
“Will you stop asking that annoying question”
Daddy replied with much frustration.
“But I need a wee”
“I need to go right now”
We raced to the nearest service station,
By the sweat of one’s brow.
“It’s too late, it’s too late”
She shouted on endless repeat,
With removable washable covers,
We didn’t worry about the seat.
“Are we nearly there yet”
She was fed up of sitting still,
“mummy I’ve got something to tell you”
“The smell of my sister’s nappy is making me ill.”
“OH NO” I cried,
“It looks like a poonami”
Another pit stop it is,
The journey was driving us barmy.
We pulled in at the services,
Could we get her out slickly?
But with the quick release harness,
She was out pretty quickly.
We continued our journey,
Along the long m4,
The girls were clearly comfy,
Because they started to snore.
Two sleeping bunnies,
All safe and secure,
In their fab, new car seats,
They looked so innocent and pure.
“Are we nearly there yet”
She asked for the last time,
“Yes we’re in London,”
I replied with a chime.
We unpacked the car,
But didn’t have to take the seat,
They were fitted with ISOFIX,
Not having to carry them was such a relief.
We had a fab time in London,
The kids were easy to please,
Back into her happy stars car seat,
Littlest thought she was the bee’s knees.
Thank you Cosatto,
The car seats were great,
They’ll last them for years,
More adventures await.
*A big thank you to Cosatto for kindly sending us two car seats for our journey. All opinions are our own*
I survived my first term at being a school mum. I'm not gonna lie the first day was awful after a nasty encounter with a fellow mum. People tell you about the different types of mums at the school gate and I honestly thought it was a load of bulls**t but actually they are there.
1) The Super Involved Mum
There she is, super chatty, super smily and she can make you sign up to volunteer for the next disco or fair quicker than you can run out of those school gates. She's the first one baking cakes and she's always on the school trips. She's on first term names with the teachers and of course she is on the PTA. Watch out for over use of the phrase 'for the good of the school'.
2) The Always Late Mum
I'm sure we've all been late, in fact I'm normally sprinting to the gates at least once a week. However, there's always that one mum who arrives after the bell rings looking red faced, stressed and harassed. You always see her after you've dropped your kids off and you're half way home. When it comes to picking up, she has always just 'lost track of time'.
3) The Fitness Mum
There she is in her gym gear shoving that peachy, pert bum in your face (yes we're jealous). With a book bag in one hand and a water bottle in the other, she looks incredible and manages to make you feel like shit. How does this woman get to the gym every single day??? You're left drooling thinking 'I wish I could be her, perhaps I should go to the gym everyday!'. Haha.
4) The 4x4 Mum
Watch out for the 4x4 mum, she'll run you over if you get in her way. In fact, she's parked her car right outside the school on the double yellow, no parking zone, just because she can. She's in the wrong but no one dares to tell her.
5) The Dad Mum
Who's that I hear you say? Well it's actually a Dad. Yep there are dads there too but they'll have a whole blog post of their own.
6) The Fashionista Mum
There's always one mum who walks through the gates looking like she's on a catwalk. Not a pair of trainers in site and sunglasses glued to her forehead all year round. How does she manage to scrub up that well and still arrive on time looking so glamorous?
7) The Multiple Mum
How does this mum do it? She has a buggy, a lively toddler in tow and a few kids of various ages at the school. She is rocking motherhood whilst the rest of us can barely get one child ready.
8) The Wing It Mum
This one comes to school in her pyjama bottoms with not a care in the world. She'll have a messy bun on her head, no make up on and she couldn't give a t*ss.
9) The Mean Girls Mum
Yep there's one bitch that still think she's in high school. She's a sour faced, nasty piece of work. Looks down on you, gossips about you and goes out of her way to make you feel like a piece of crap. Grow up!
10) The Super Mum
Oh to be the super mum. The one that looks good, has the kids' lunches ready in perfect boxes, the children look immaculate, she knits, she crafts, she works, she's super organised and man do you just want to be her. The homework is always done above and beyond expectation and she never forgets anything. She's like a walking calendar.
Now i've written this in more of a piss take of myself as quite frankly, I could be any one of these mums depending on the mood i'm in when I wake up in the morning. I'm on the PTA, I have a 4x4, I go to the gym and quite often i'm late. The moral of the story is never judge a book by its cover. You are all mums after all and who knows you may end up having a blossoming friendship with the mum you feared the most.
1) The Super Involved Mum
There she is, super chatty, super smily and she can make you sign up to volunteer for the next disco or fair quicker than you can run out of those school gates. She's the first one baking cakes and she's always on the school trips. She's on first term names with the teachers and of course she is on the PTA. Watch out for over use of the phrase 'for the good of the school'.
2) The Always Late Mum
I'm sure we've all been late, in fact I'm normally sprinting to the gates at least once a week. However, there's always that one mum who arrives after the bell rings looking red faced, stressed and harassed. You always see her after you've dropped your kids off and you're half way home. When it comes to picking up, she has always just 'lost track of time'.
3) The Fitness Mum
There she is in her gym gear shoving that peachy, pert bum in your face (yes we're jealous). With a book bag in one hand and a water bottle in the other, she looks incredible and manages to make you feel like shit. How does this woman get to the gym every single day??? You're left drooling thinking 'I wish I could be her, perhaps I should go to the gym everyday!'. Haha.
4) The 4x4 Mum
Watch out for the 4x4 mum, she'll run you over if you get in her way. In fact, she's parked her car right outside the school on the double yellow, no parking zone, just because she can. She's in the wrong but no one dares to tell her.
5) The Dad Mum
Who's that I hear you say? Well it's actually a Dad. Yep there are dads there too but they'll have a whole blog post of their own.
6) The Fashionista Mum
There's always one mum who walks through the gates looking like she's on a catwalk. Not a pair of trainers in site and sunglasses glued to her forehead all year round. How does she manage to scrub up that well and still arrive on time looking so glamorous?
7) The Multiple Mum
How does this mum do it? She has a buggy, a lively toddler in tow and a few kids of various ages at the school. She is rocking motherhood whilst the rest of us can barely get one child ready.
8) The Wing It Mum
This one comes to school in her pyjama bottoms with not a care in the world. She'll have a messy bun on her head, no make up on and she couldn't give a t*ss.
Yep there's one bitch that still think she's in high school. She's a sour faced, nasty piece of work. Looks down on you, gossips about you and goes out of her way to make you feel like a piece of crap. Grow up!
10) The Super Mum
Oh to be the super mum. The one that looks good, has the kids' lunches ready in perfect boxes, the children look immaculate, she knits, she crafts, she works, she's super organised and man do you just want to be her. The homework is always done above and beyond expectation and she never forgets anything. She's like a walking calendar.
Now i've written this in more of a piss take of myself as quite frankly, I could be any one of these mums depending on the mood i'm in when I wake up in the morning. I'm on the PTA, I have a 4x4, I go to the gym and quite often i'm late. The moral of the story is never judge a book by its cover. You are all mums after all and who knows you may end up having a blossoming friendship with the mum you feared the most.
When I first became a mum, I had visions of being a real life Mary Poppins, practically perfect in every way. I had great hopes as a family. I thought we would sing, we would craft, we would bake and basically live in a Pinterest bubble where everything is exactly as it should be.
I used Pinterest as my main form of inspiration. I imagined myself as Wales' answer to Martha Stewart. There was going to be no craft I couldn't do, no cake I couldn't bake. Turns out i'm more like Martha during her jail conviction phase rather than the epitome of Pinterest mum that I longed to be.
If you look at my Pinterest you'll realise I am the master at deception. I have endless Pinterest mum boards. There's Christmas crafts for kids, Christmas children's recipes, handprint craft, homemade gifts, party inspo, the list goes on. I'll spend hours looking for the perfect crafts to do with the kids on a rainy day or princess party ideas. On the surface I look the real deal.
If you visit the craft area in my house (yep i've got a dedicated section), you would think you'd stumbled into your local HobbyCraft. I have drawers full of creative gear. Stickers, glue, sequins, paints, pretty patterned papers (soooooo many of these), stamps, various washi tapes, scrapbooks, you name it i've got it.
How about my baking cupboard? Well there's food colouring, shapes, cutters, icing sets and endless baking tins and supplies.
Unfortunately, no matter how much I look the part, I just don't fit in.
So what went wrong......? Truth be told, i'm shit at it.
I always thought I was a creative person, turns out that doesn't quite transpire into any of the qualities needed be a Pinterest mum. To put it bluntly, I can't draw, I can't paint, I can't bake and I sure as hell can't make things look pretty.
I also have a bit of a confession. Not only am I shit at it, I actually think I secretly hate it. Nothing stresses me out more than the thought of the mess that baking with the kids creates or the idea of being up to my elbow in glue. The thought of the paint all of the kids hands and feet practically sends me into a nervous breakdown. In fact, I don't just hate it, I loathe it! But yet I can't seem to let it go.
It's my daughter's birthday soon so what did I spend last night doing? I was busy searching for the perfect Moana party ideas of course. I've got various cupcakes, decorative displays, fancy themed food and wait till you see the cakes. But i'm left wondering why I torture myself. Most of the stuff we attempt to do ends up in the bin so why do I set myself up for failure?
It's clearly that need for perfection. The idea of being that perfect mum that can't do anything wrong. So my love/hate relationship with Pinterest will continue. I will continue to love sitting there for hours on end pinning various bits and pieces and when it comes to the crunch, I will hate taking part in the craft activity.
How about you? When it comes to Pinterest are you Martha Stewart or are you me?
Next up in my unconventional travel guide series is the horror or sharing a hotel room with young kids. I'm not gonna lie, we've had some good overnight stays and we've had some super shitty ones.
When you're all in the same room there is no downtime, no escape, you are all in together. I would personally recommend booking two interconnecting rooms but let's face it, that can be very pricey and it's very rare that we are able to do it. The majority of the time it's the 4 of us piled into one room which can feel like a jail. Think of it as a 24 hour prison sentence. You'll probably leave wondering what you'd done to deserve such an experience.
Anyway, it's not all doom and gloom and if you accept the following things then you may (just may) get a good night's sleep and a happy experience after all.
Here is my unconventional guide to sharing a hotel room with young kids:
1) Become an Expert at Escape Room Games
If your children are anything like mine then they love to explore. Every cupboard, door, drawer etc gets opened. Nothing is left untouched.
In order to prevent any tearaway kiddies running out of the door, anything getting broken or anyone getting injured then I strongly suggest you treat your hotel room like one of those Escape Room games. You know the ones that have become popular and you get locked in a room and it is impossible to get out without solving millions of ridiculously hard tasks, well that's what you need to make the room like. Block cupboards, latch the locks, put barriers in-front of exits. Make that room child proof and impossible to escape.
2) Leave Your Usual Routines at Home
Travel comes with inevitable chaos, you just have to embrace it. Don't even try and attempt any usual routines because they won't happen. The kids are far too interested in exploring their new surroundings. Sleeping is for losers after all. Leave usual bedtime routines at home and go with the flow.
3) Don't Book a Box Room
Have you ever tried to share a hotel room with kids when there is literally the beds, furniture and no floor space at all? It is hell. You will suddenly become incredibly claustrophobic.
Try and book the biggest room you can afford. You will be eternally grateful for the extra space.
Also engage in some feng shui. By that I mean, make yourselves at home and move the furniture. Make the room suitable for your family's needs and get enough floor space for the kids to run around in as possible.
4) Embrace Mary Poppins and get Singing 'A spoonful of Sugar"
By this I mean make sure you embark on tidying that room before you attempt bedtime. All of those toys and busy bags etc you've packed will no doubt be in every empty space of the room. There is nothing worse than standing on some lego (come on we've all done it), in the pitch black in the middle of the night and you cannot let out a squeal for fear of waking up not just your kids but the whole hotel up.
5) The Bathtub will be your New Best Friend
You might think i'm joking here but if you're all sleeping in a room together then you'll know that it takes what seems like a lifetime to get the kiddies to fall asleep. The last thing you want to happen is for them to wake up. Find yourself a space (aka the bathtub) where you can relax and have some adult time.
Take a pillow in there, sit in it and get comfortable. You may be in there a while as I strongly suggest hibernating there until you know the kids are in a deep sleep.
P.S make your partner take the toilet. Believe you and me the tub is way more comfortable.
6) Take Wine
This is a running theme with all my unconventional travel guides. Take wine with you and drink it. You will inevitably become stressed at some point. You will need the drink! In fact you'll probably be sat in the bathtub drinking the wine.
7) Be Prepared to Share Your Bed
You know that lovely big, comfy bed you were planning on sharing with daddy (or having to yourself) well guess what. The kids are eyeing it up too. Not content with their own bed (which is exactly the same), they've got their sights set on yours. If you're children are anything like mine then you'll find yourself playing an unwanted game of 'Ten in the Bed'. Come on repeat after me...there were 3 in the bed and the little one said roll over, roll over.
8) Throw the Pillows Around
Doesn't that bed look so pretty with all those lovely cushions? You've been dreaming about this hotel bed for so long and it's everything you imagined. By the time the kids have jumped on it and thrown said cushions on the floor you'll have forgotten what it ever originally looked like.
It's inevitable that the kids will trash it so you might as-well join in the fun. Get throwing those cushions on the floor. The kids will either look at you gone off and think you're nuts or they'll either be in awe of you and your spontaneous outburst. Either way they will love it.
9) Be Prepared for Deep Conversation
Now I don't know what it is but whenever we go away, our eldest decides that 10pm is the perfect time to talk about life, the universe and everything. Quick chats are a forgotten form of communication and she engages in what can only be described as a deep, meaningful conversation. Be prepared for the Spanish inquisition as they will ask you a million and one questions about anything and everything.
10) Eat Lots of Carrots
Make sure you eat lots of carrots before you stay. Why I hear you ask? To see in the dark of course. Once the kids are asleep you will have all of the lights off for fear of waking them up, making it impossible to see anything.
If you're not into carrots then take a nightlight or some sort of blackout shade for cots etc.
11) Ring Ring - Toddler Calling
The hotel phone can provide hours of entertainment. Ok i'm exaggerating slightly but it is like a homing beacon to kids so use it to your advantage. Instead of getting stressed out at the thought of them dialling reception 2000 times, simply unplug it and let them dial as many numbers as they like.
12) Throw Adult Time Out of the Window
If you're anything like us then you'll have imagined this wonderful time away when you and your partner will be able to have some quality adult time once the kids are in bed. You'll chat, laugh, have a drink, maybe watch a film. Wrong!! Unless you book a room with a balcony then any alone time is going out the window. Refer back to point 5 - say hello to the bathroom.
13) Avoid Getting the Credit Card Out
Where did that empty can of coke come from? Nuts? I didn't drink that gin?! The mini bar my seem like your saviour at some awful hour when you're still awake entertaining the kids but it can also be the stuff of nightmares and cost you more than your hotel stay. As previously mentioned, kids love exploring and believe you and me they will find the mini bar faster than you can. Be very wary of the ones that have automatic billing as soon as something is moved or you'll pay for it! Literally. Put something unmovable or very heavy in-front of the mini bar and pray the kids don't turn into the hulk whilst you're there.
14) Be Prepared to be Starving
So it's 10:30pm you've given up going to the hotel restaurant for dinner with the kids as they're far too excited/tired. They finally drift off in your bed. Time to check out the room service options and enjoy that club sandwich and glass of well deserved wine.
However, it arrives only to wake the kids up who devour half of it before returning to their comatose state. Is that thunder? Nope it's the rumbly in your tummy from sheer hunger.
15) Never Ever Forget the Poo Bags
Nappies full of poo that have been left for hours have that smell that reaches the back of your mouth and makes you want to gag. Remember point 3 about staying in a box room?Well imagine being trapped in a small room with the stench of those poonami nappies. Unless you want to spend the night retching, make sure you've packed a supply of scented poo bags.
So there you have it. What tips do you have? If all else fails book interconnecting rooms, such life savers.
If you've missed my previous unconventional travel guides then catch up with them here:
The Unconventional Guide to Flying Long Haul with Young Kids
The Unconventional Guide to Packing a Suitcase with Young Kids
When you're all in the same room there is no downtime, no escape, you are all in together. I would personally recommend booking two interconnecting rooms but let's face it, that can be very pricey and it's very rare that we are able to do it. The majority of the time it's the 4 of us piled into one room which can feel like a jail. Think of it as a 24 hour prison sentence. You'll probably leave wondering what you'd done to deserve such an experience.
Anyway, it's not all doom and gloom and if you accept the following things then you may (just may) get a good night's sleep and a happy experience after all.
Here is my unconventional guide to sharing a hotel room with young kids:
1) Become an Expert at Escape Room Games
If your children are anything like mine then they love to explore. Every cupboard, door, drawer etc gets opened. Nothing is left untouched.
In order to prevent any tearaway kiddies running out of the door, anything getting broken or anyone getting injured then I strongly suggest you treat your hotel room like one of those Escape Room games. You know the ones that have become popular and you get locked in a room and it is impossible to get out without solving millions of ridiculously hard tasks, well that's what you need to make the room like. Block cupboards, latch the locks, put barriers in-front of exits. Make that room child proof and impossible to escape.
2) Leave Your Usual Routines at Home
Travel comes with inevitable chaos, you just have to embrace it. Don't even try and attempt any usual routines because they won't happen. The kids are far too interested in exploring their new surroundings. Sleeping is for losers after all. Leave usual bedtime routines at home and go with the flow.
3) Don't Book a Box Room
Have you ever tried to share a hotel room with kids when there is literally the beds, furniture and no floor space at all? It is hell. You will suddenly become incredibly claustrophobic.
Try and book the biggest room you can afford. You will be eternally grateful for the extra space.
Also engage in some feng shui. By that I mean, make yourselves at home and move the furniture. Make the room suitable for your family's needs and get enough floor space for the kids to run around in as possible.
4) Embrace Mary Poppins and get Singing 'A spoonful of Sugar"
By this I mean make sure you embark on tidying that room before you attempt bedtime. All of those toys and busy bags etc you've packed will no doubt be in every empty space of the room. There is nothing worse than standing on some lego (come on we've all done it), in the pitch black in the middle of the night and you cannot let out a squeal for fear of waking up not just your kids but the whole hotel up.
5) The Bathtub will be your New Best Friend
You might think i'm joking here but if you're all sleeping in a room together then you'll know that it takes what seems like a lifetime to get the kiddies to fall asleep. The last thing you want to happen is for them to wake up. Find yourself a space (aka the bathtub) where you can relax and have some adult time.
Take a pillow in there, sit in it and get comfortable. You may be in there a while as I strongly suggest hibernating there until you know the kids are in a deep sleep.
P.S make your partner take the toilet. Believe you and me the tub is way more comfortable.
Image credit: What the Redhead Said
This is a running theme with all my unconventional travel guides. Take wine with you and drink it. You will inevitably become stressed at some point. You will need the drink! In fact you'll probably be sat in the bathtub drinking the wine.
7) Be Prepared to Share Your Bed
You know that lovely big, comfy bed you were planning on sharing with daddy (or having to yourself) well guess what. The kids are eyeing it up too. Not content with their own bed (which is exactly the same), they've got their sights set on yours. If you're children are anything like mine then you'll find yourself playing an unwanted game of 'Ten in the Bed'. Come on repeat after me...there were 3 in the bed and the little one said roll over, roll over.
8) Throw the Pillows Around
Doesn't that bed look so pretty with all those lovely cushions? You've been dreaming about this hotel bed for so long and it's everything you imagined. By the time the kids have jumped on it and thrown said cushions on the floor you'll have forgotten what it ever originally looked like.
It's inevitable that the kids will trash it so you might as-well join in the fun. Get throwing those cushions on the floor. The kids will either look at you gone off and think you're nuts or they'll either be in awe of you and your spontaneous outburst. Either way they will love it.
9) Be Prepared for Deep Conversation
Now I don't know what it is but whenever we go away, our eldest decides that 10pm is the perfect time to talk about life, the universe and everything. Quick chats are a forgotten form of communication and she engages in what can only be described as a deep, meaningful conversation. Be prepared for the Spanish inquisition as they will ask you a million and one questions about anything and everything.
10) Eat Lots of Carrots
Make sure you eat lots of carrots before you stay. Why I hear you ask? To see in the dark of course. Once the kids are asleep you will have all of the lights off for fear of waking them up, making it impossible to see anything.
If you're not into carrots then take a nightlight or some sort of blackout shade for cots etc.
11) Ring Ring - Toddler Calling
The hotel phone can provide hours of entertainment. Ok i'm exaggerating slightly but it is like a homing beacon to kids so use it to your advantage. Instead of getting stressed out at the thought of them dialling reception 2000 times, simply unplug it and let them dial as many numbers as they like.
12) Throw Adult Time Out of the Window
If you're anything like us then you'll have imagined this wonderful time away when you and your partner will be able to have some quality adult time once the kids are in bed. You'll chat, laugh, have a drink, maybe watch a film. Wrong!! Unless you book a room with a balcony then any alone time is going out the window. Refer back to point 5 - say hello to the bathroom.
13) Avoid Getting the Credit Card Out
Where did that empty can of coke come from? Nuts? I didn't drink that gin?! The mini bar my seem like your saviour at some awful hour when you're still awake entertaining the kids but it can also be the stuff of nightmares and cost you more than your hotel stay. As previously mentioned, kids love exploring and believe you and me they will find the mini bar faster than you can. Be very wary of the ones that have automatic billing as soon as something is moved or you'll pay for it! Literally. Put something unmovable or very heavy in-front of the mini bar and pray the kids don't turn into the hulk whilst you're there.
14) Be Prepared to be Starving
So it's 10:30pm you've given up going to the hotel restaurant for dinner with the kids as they're far too excited/tired. They finally drift off in your bed. Time to check out the room service options and enjoy that club sandwich and glass of well deserved wine.
However, it arrives only to wake the kids up who devour half of it before returning to their comatose state. Is that thunder? Nope it's the rumbly in your tummy from sheer hunger.
15) Never Ever Forget the Poo Bags
Nappies full of poo that have been left for hours have that smell that reaches the back of your mouth and makes you want to gag. Remember point 3 about staying in a box room?Well imagine being trapped in a small room with the stench of those poonami nappies. Unless you want to spend the night retching, make sure you've packed a supply of scented poo bags.
So there you have it. What tips do you have? If all else fails book interconnecting rooms, such life savers.
If you've missed my previous unconventional travel guides then catch up with them here:
The Unconventional Guide to Flying Long Haul with Young Kids
The Unconventional Guide to Packing a Suitcase with Young Kids
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