Currently on vacation with our almost 3 years old daughter in Costa Rica. I feel like I haven’t really gotten to explore this country as I usually like to on my own terms. The activities that we do find for her, often are a failure resulting in a melt down and she just wants to go back to the hotel. She doesn’t even want to play on the beach or at the pool. This trip in Costa Rica she’s been a complete home body, trips outside have been a melt down. So this leads me to the main question.
Does it get easier as they get older? Please tell me it gets easier…
We’ve done a fair bit of traveling with her already. Cabo when she was 10 months old, visiting family members in NY, MA and SC multiple times per year. She’s a great flyer, so no worries there. But when we’re at the destination, everything is very much centered and catered to her. I get it, she’s a toddler.
Photography is a hobby of mine, but it’s impossible to do any sort of composition with a camera while a wiggling child is hanging off my shoulder. We have grandparents traveling with us this trip, and they’ve sometimes been helpful for an hour or two but…man kids are a lot of work. I may need to work with my partner on building in a solo vacation for myself occasionally because traveling to new places with a kid kind of sucks.
Rant over.
I’m kind of in a similar position as you, I was solo traveling and specifically for doing photos as a hobby photographer before. My wife had a 6 years old when I met her and traveling with her was no problem at all. I still could take my camera with me and take great photos, even though it had to be faster because I didn’t want them to wait for me on every corner for minutes to get my composition and the light ready.
But since the little one arrived, and he is now 2 years old, I haven’t taken a single good photo because there is no possibility to concentrate an that at all. Before he was born I even bought a new camera because I thought great, there will be many opportunities for pictures. But I’m only taking snapshots with it :D
And similar here, he hates it to sit in the stroller. What we changed is that once we arrive at the destination we rent a car and have it for the full time. This way the car is like a mini-hotel where we can go and where his stuff is with us and he doesn’t need to walk very far and when he is sleepy he can sleep in the car, there are snacks and toys and water, etc.
Seldom, but sometimes we split and half of the family does something while he and the other parent stay in the car for half an hour and listen to music, sleep or just play. This is a mini version of what you’re proposing as this solo vacation and both of us can have it while we’re already at the destination ^^.
I identify with this soooo much. I was solo traveling back in 2016 and 2017 and was taking so many pictures. Then I had a kid in 2022, figured I’d get a fancy new 25mm f2 Zeiss as well to start documenting, but my phone has been my main camera these past few years. The saying goes, the best camera is the one that you have on you at the moment.
I appreciate the perspective. Good point about the car as well! I was more just hoping to air some grievances with a toddler who’s been a home body this whole trip. I get it though, you have to meet them where they are. Just needed to vent after being frustrated at my lack of adventure these past few days.