10 Things I learned from my first Holiday with a Toddler

Like most of us post-2020, I was chomping at the bit for our first proper holiday in more than a year.

We'd booked our traditional holiday spot, and the whole family was attending. I spent weeks leading up to it basking in nostalgic bliss. Recalling the many relaxing beachside holidays we had as kids and young adults. Dreaming of lazy afternoons with a bowl of chips and a glass of bubbly on the balcony. Listening to the gentle crashing of the waves hitting the beach while losing myself in a good book. Occasionally taking a break to soak in my surroundings and enjoy another picturesque sunset.

What's that saying famously misattributed to Shakespeare? Expectation is the root of all heartache? Yeah, I feel that.

We snuck away to the coast for 3 nights when our daughter was about 7 months old. It was a mini-break more than a holiday, and she was only just sitting up on her own and thanks to COVID, had been nowhere. So it was easy enough to sit her on the beach in the shade and let her take in her surroundings. Not quite the beach visits we were used to, but relaxing all the same.

This holiday was our first big family trip. A whole week away, we left the day after our daughter's first birthday. Did I mention she walks now? Or rather sprints, full pelt, wherever and whenever she can. We've affectionately nicknamed her Turbo because she is always in turbo mode.

I was totally unprepared for the experience of holidaying with a toddler. Don't get me wrong, it was amazing to get away and we had so much fun, but it was very different to the holidays I've come to know.

Here are 10 things I learned from my first holiday with a toddler:

1. The Car Trip is way longer. Factoring in all those additional stops, plus stopping long enough to try and burn enough energy to make the next stint bearable is a strategic feat and not to be underestimated. I used to love the road trip part of the holiday, kicking back, taking in the scenery while listening to my perfectly curated road trip playlist. Now I find myself wondering if there will, in fact, come a time where I don't have the Wiggles on repeat in my head.

2. Toddlers have an uncanny knack for identifying every hazard, everywhere. I used to look at my surroundings and take a little time to soak it in. Now, everywhere I go I see one of those obstacle training courses from superhero movies with the big pendulum axes... It's like they just know how to find the most dangerous corner of the room, and go straight there.

3. Eating out is stressful. Long lunches and bottomless bottles of rosé are no more. The high chair is lava. Basically. One cannot be expected to sit still at one year old when there is a big world out there needing to be explored. Much easier to get take away and enjoy it at the park, beach or back at the accommodation.

4. Many hands make light work (well, lighter work). We were lucky enough to be away with my parents, sister and her 6 month old. To be honest, I'm not sure I'll be looking to holiday without the grandparents on board anytime soon. The only thing resembling a rest were those precious moments when Nanny & Poppy were on duty.

5. Toddlers sleep like logs on holidays. 3-hour afternoon naps? Ok, it only happened once but the whole sleep thing went pretty darn well while we were away. All that stimulation, beach visits, park plays and equated to one very tuckered out toddler. No complaints here.

6. Relaxing? What's that? I did not enjoy a leisurely afternoon with my good book on the balcony with a glass of bubbly. And I did not sunbake on the beach for hours. I did, however, manage to down a glass of rosé and enjoy a little adult conversation before collapsing in a heap and preparing myself for another day of toddler-chasing.

7. Watching your toddler explore your old haunts is very cool. I've been holidaying in the same place for the last 25 years, both with my family and with my husband as we got older. This year, it was like visiting somewhere new. I took it all in through the eyes of my toddler and it was with an entirely new appreciation. I was her, once. And my mum was me. And there was something special about being able to experience that.

8. Tantrums. Let's do all the things that you want to do! For real though, the entire holiday was spent navigating toddler-appropriate activities and factoring in naps. Otherwise, it was full-blown meltdown time.

9. Sunrise, not Sunset. Early to bed after busy days also meant early to rise. I'm not mad though. Sure, sunsets are pretty, but I got to experience some of the most epic sunrise's I've ever witnessed. And the best thing about an east coast sunrise is that it happens over the water. Amazing.

10. You'll leave more exhausted than you arrived, but boy, will your cup feel full. I didn't leave feeling that renewed sense of energy you usually get after a well-deserved break. In fact, a break is something I've decided you don't seek on a holiday once you have kids. But I did experience full-hearted content. I didn't write a single word while I was away because, for the first time in years, there was no melancholy. My brain wasn't racing at 100 miles an hour. I was content in my right now and my head felt... empty. And that feeling of content made up for the lack of rest. It filled my cup in a way I didn't think possible.

So, my holiday didn't meet my expectations. It exceeded them. Toddlers are hard work but they are also Fun City. I learned a lot. I was forced out of my comfort zone and old habits. I had a blast. 10/10, would recommend.

Plus, I'm realising now, more than ever, that this part will be over and done with before I know it. I'll get my lazy afternoons on the balcony back, but it will be bittersweet. As for right now, I'm just strapping myself in for the ride.