This will be my 3rd trip to my parents out of state coming up in June. I am concerned about trying to keep my son's sleep schedule as regular as possible. My previous trips weren't too difficult but my son was younger then. (He didn't care too much where he slept) He is now 15 months and I'm getting anxious just thinking about how he'll be. He only sleeps in his crib. He's not really much of 'on-the-go' sleeper. (It's turning out to be a good and bad thing at the same time).
My concern is that my parents are pretty loud in their house and they tell me my son won't be able to hear anything. But he did lasttime and it annoyed me and it did wake my son up a few times. They recently got a loud barking dog and I wonder if I should ask that they have someone watch the dog while we're there.
Are there other parents out there who have fairly regulated sleep schedules, yet know how to be a bit flexible? I know I'm on the 'rigid' side and need to learn how to relax when it comes to things like this. But does anyone think it's perfectly okay for me to have a talk with my parents and ask that they be more quiet and accomodate my son's sleep? Or am I being too dramatic?
I realize this subject varies so widely with families, but I'm open to hearing anyone's opinions.
I just want to say thanks for all of your input. I'm going to take your advice and just simply try to relax a little and concentrate on enjoying our visit. I had no idea I'd be this kind of mom! (So I will try to take a 'chill pill' and have fun). :)
When you are on vacation you should let your schedule laps a little bit and let him sleep when you notice that he is tired. As a dog owner I think that is it way outta line to ask them to remove there dog from the house. Even if they are your parents, I dont think that it is right. Good Luck!
Hi G.,
I keep a pretty rigid routine at home too, but find when we travel it's best to just throw it out the window. My son is a year old now and when we travel he just doesn't sleep well. It may be because of the excitement, or that he's not used to sleeping anywhere other than his crib, or just the change of scenery altogether. There's not much I can do except try my best to roll with the punches and get as much rest as possible for all of us. Just enjoy your trip and your baby will get back on schedule when you go home (after about a week of being home actually!)
Good luck!
L.
G.,
As a dog owner and a Mom, I don't think it's fair to expect your parents to remove their dog from their home for your visit. I also don't think it's fair to expect everyone to alter their lives and habits to accomodate your wishes. As for the sleeping, I'm a firm believer that kids will sleep when they are tired. If you stick to the regular nap time/feeding schedule/bed time, I think your son will adjust just fine. Our son has a very regular sleep schedule and he spends the night at my Mom's house one Thursday a month with no issues. My mom keeps him on the same schedule we have and she has 2 cats and 2 Great Danes!
I think having a talk with your parents won't hurt, but don't be surprised or disappointed if you don't get the answer you're expecting. I think you should take it in stride and just enjoy the visit and have your son enjoy spending time with his Grandparents as much as possible. If he gets a little less sleep or wakes up a few times, it's not the end of the world.
We have been contemplating a trip to my Dad's house in Arizona for sometime now. Although there is PLENTY of room in the house to stay, we will be opting for a hotel since the home is not set up to accomodate a young child. Just a thought...
Good luck and have a safe trip.
T.
3 kids later, I've found that I'd much rather have a more relaxed, conflict-free visit with out of town family than try to make others (especially folks without small kids) adhere to my rigid routine that we can maintain at home. A few days off routine aren't going to make the earth spin off its axis, but a happy, fun visit with his grandparents will benefit your son immensely. I'd especially avoid asking them to get the dog out of the house...folks can be pretty defensive when it comes to relocating their dogs.
If, when you get there, the noise really is a problem or your son isn't able to adjust, it's not unreasonable to try to tweak the situation a little to try to help him. I'm guessing that under those circumstances, your parents wouldn't want to see their grandson unhappy, out of sorts or miserable and would be more likely to try and accomodate. You might be surprised to find your little guy is so worn out from the excitement of the visit that he'll sleep through anything!
Good luck.
