Tawanna, Author at Mom's Guide To Travel

Apr 07 2010

Mommy Getaway: When Mom Travels Alone

I can’t help but feel giddy about the upcoming cruise I’m about to journey on. The cruise is a 4-day retreat for women, marketed as a Moms-cruise, complete with pampering events, self-care and self-help seminars, as well as mom-centric social time. I’m straying from calling it a mom-cruise because while I’m on that ship I will not be wearing the “mommy” label at all! For 4 short (or perhaps, long) days, I’m just going to be Tawanna.

I’m going to be a vibrant adventurous carefree young woman. I’ll have other labels for that week: networker, best friend, girlfriend, entrepreneur, adventurist, critic, writer, beach bum, Workout Wendy, whatever. I’m going to live that week to the fullest and savor in every moment of temporary freedom that I have – no schedules, no requirements, no pampers, no 3:00 pick-up line, no cooking (though I was momentarily tempted by the Mexican cooking class), no dishes, no cleaning, no ironing, no disciplining, no “no’s”. Simplicity, tranquility, relaxation, and rest -that’s what I’ll be working towards. That’s what I’ll be achieving. Do you see why I’m giddy?

Even packing is going to be somewhat exciting as I ponder how much I really should over pack. Now, I’ll still put together my handy To-Do/To-Pack List. A girl just can’t live without it. Receptions, afternoon tea, a cocktail party, seminars, a wine and cheese private art exhibition, a spa date, and simple pool side romper all warrant that list.

The trip doesn’t represent the mantra I’ve built the whole Mom’s Guide to Travel business on: “Take your kids anywhere. Just pack them up and go!” And it is definitely a departure from the role I’ve played full-time for the past 6 years, but everybody needs that departure here and there – even dads. I’m confident that it’ll be a time of rejuvenation and recharge. It might even make me greedy and more demanding that it’s repeated every 6 – 9 months. Now, I can demand it, but I’m pretty sure I won’t get it. In reality, it probably won’t be repeated for another 1 -2 years.

In the meantime, I’m going to live in the moment. No need to worry about that right now. I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it.

Mar 15 2010

Traveling to the Theatre with my Kids

I conducted a great interview with Stepp Stewart, creator of Show N Tell – A New Musical for kids. The show looks energetic and vibrant and although I’ll be “roughing it” to the theater by myself with them, I’m looking forward to the experience.

You can listen to the full Interview with Stepp Stewart here and check out the article on the Examiner.

Either way, the night will prove to be very entertaining.

Mar 11 2010

Parents without kids – relaxation or more work?

I’m always baffled @ how much preparation it takes me to get my kids straight if we’re going anywhere without them. It’s a lot of work leaving them in someone else’s care, especially during evening hours. My husband has it easy – all he has to do is show up and drive.

In the meantime, I’m:
– Planning my outfits
– Packing pajamas or clothes
– Preparing meals & snacks
– Writing To Do/To Pack lists
– Calculating departure time
– Calculating how much time we have to get ready
– Reinforcing rules
– And just overall being strategic so that we’re either a.) on time or b.) don’t forget anything

Unless the kids are staying @ home w/ a sitter, sometimes I feel it’s less work to just take them.

Maybe that’s why we don’t get out much!

Feb 07 2010

Staycation: Travel In Your Backyard

After this weekend’s blizzard in Maryland, there was absolutely no reason to think about going up to a ski resort to catch some powder. We got tons of it – 30 inches in my area to be exact. This is the time where you say to yourself, who needs to pack up the car when you can just walk outside and create your own family fun….for FREE. That’s my favorite four letter word!

Sometimes we believe the more we travel or the further we travel, the cooler we are. The funny thing about that is, kids don’t care. You can create the same experience you travel and paid for, right in your immediate environment. All it takes is fun and imagination. That’s all they really want – is to have fun with their parents and use their imagination. Who needs a car, train or plane for that?

Jan 18 2010

Travel planning sin #1 – ignoring the forecast

One of the first things I normally do when I’m planning a short family excursion is to check the weather forecast for my current location and my destination.

This weekend, as I laboriously planned our ski day trip to Pennsylvania, figuring out who would take the two-year old on the kiddy snowtubing slope and who would drop the six-year-old off at ski camp before heading for some private slope time, I mindlessly forgot to check the weather. Saturday was a beautiful, unseasonably warm January day, ripe for any winter sport your heart could desire. I chose to run errands and do some shopping, taking for granted that winter days are as fickle as old-timers.

If I completed one simple task on my list, I would’ve postponed the shopping for my choice of one of the two subsequent rainy days of the long weekend. It made all the difference for our trip – we didn’t go on it! And in a military household where “ya just never know”, wasted days are like throwing money away – you can not afford it. The experience was a lesson learned in sticking to my travel To Do list – check the weather before you plan anything. You can save yourself a lot of time and disappointment.

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