What do you mean, vacation?

We told the kids recently that we’d booked a holiday to France. I didn’t get the excited reaction I expected.

Instead the almost 15 year old was worried about missing out now his friends were getting back from holiday, and my almost 13 year old was worried she would pack the right stuff for the time away.

I think I’ve a pretty good memory of growing up, but I can’t remember being reluctant to go on holiday with my parents. Although, I do remember being particularly excited when they thought I was responsible enough to be left behind to look after the farm.

However, given I was in New Zealand, I wasn’t being “dragged” to another country.

I thought we’d reached the acceptance stage but the kids managed to quietly and not so quietly show their reluctance. One dragging their feet packing, and the other dragging it out at the other extreme!

Similarly, I’d thought we’d largely left the twilight zone behind as the kids moved off to secondary school, but there is something about getting out the door on holiday that brings out the worst in everyone. So much so, that the cloud hung over us til we arrived 12 hours later at our destination (thank goodness for noise cancelling headphones).

That said, as we arrived the clouds lifted. Sun, sea, and sand worked their magic and as digital roaming was not switched on, some actual roaming was carried out – after 11 as they’re both (almost) teenagers after all.