Family vacations can be fun, but can also be full of family drama. This was true for one family whose sleeping arrangements threatened to ruin their entire vacation.
One mom thought her brother and his partner should give up their room so her toddler could sleep there.
A man took to Reddit to discuss the issue he had with his sister and her family. The drama was related to the family vacations they take every year.
“My … mom … has a little lake house in the middle of the forest about six hours from our home city,” he explained.
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Recently, the family had cause to celebrate. “Three years ago, my sister and [brother-in-law] had my niece, so we resurrected family vacations, and they have been something we’ve all looked forward to for the past three years,” he said.
“The sleeping situation had been as follows,” he continued. “My sister, [brother-in-law] and niece in the larger bedroom, my partner of 20 years and I in the little bedroom with bunk beds and my mom on the pull-out in the living room.”
Recently, his sister repeatedly mentioned the need for more space. It turned out that was because she was pregnant with her second child. Now, as they plan to take their first family vacation with two nieces instead of one, his sister suggested some changes.
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“Yesterday, I get a text from Mom saying, ‘You can sleep in [neighbor lady I don’t know]’s camper or the pull-out couch in the living room. [Three-year-old niece] needs the bottom bunk so [four-month-old niece] doesn’t wake her up throughout the night.”
“Obviously, the camper was offered, so you won’t have to be cramped and have to get up early on vacation with little ones. I always offer our house to the neighbors for company comfort,’” he wrote.
The man has not taken to this idea very well.
“Don’t get me wrong, I love my nieces, but I’d be lying if I said I’m not feeling some type of way about all of this,” he shared. “I get that it would be easier for my sister and her family if they had all the bedrooms, but I don’t think it’s fair that 25 pounds of little girl gets two beds and a private room while two adults are exiled to the neighbor’s camper or three adults [are] crammed into an already cramped common area of the house.”
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Now, the man and his partner are considering other options they may have beyond the family vacation.
“Now I’m feeling like I’ll be resentful the whole time if my niece gets the room, or my sister and [brother-in-law] will be all pissy if their kids can’t sleep and we’re in their usual room,” he said.
“I suggested to my partner that we ask them to watch our dogs, and we can schedule a last-minute trip to Vegas and the Grand Canyon (we’ve been talking about it since COVID) with our time off from work.”
If it’s too difficult for someone to go on vacation, they don’t have to.
Katherine Goldstein wrote for the parenting newsletter The Double Shift about how hard it can be to travel with young children.
“I am here today to give you loving permission to not travel with your small children,” Goldstein said.
“Maybe the unique burdens of having twins have made us succumb to this absolutist stance, but it’s also allowed me to step back and question why traveling with young children has become such an unchallenged norm in middle-class and above social circles,” she continued.
In Goldstein’s opinion, it might actually be easier to travel without children, something this man’s sister could take note of. But, even if she chooses to still go on the family vacations, her brother certainly doesn’t have to. If he feels he will be uncomfortable in any way, he’s better off doing something else.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer for YourTango who covers entertainment, news and human interest topics.
