Huldra Forsvant (Theodor Kittelsen)

Huldra Forsvant (Theodor Kittelsen)
Huldra Forsvant (Theodor Kittelsen)

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

A Winter Weekend

On Friday we went up to Wentworth Falls for a mini holiday, and got back yesterday. Really nice to get away and just have a change of scenery. We stayed in this lovely old house with a big fire in the lounge room, and a little one in the bedroom. I think the bedroom one was meant to be ornamental, but I got it cranking, and made a bit of a mess. I hope the people don't get too cross.

In my head these things always seem very laid back and relaxing-- long hours reading by the fire sipping my port. Extended sleep-ins and lazy afternoon walks. Deep evening conversations and DVD nights. But kids really have no time for any of those pursuits, and also seem fairly keen to halt those pursuits for their parents. Kids like other things, like not going to bed easily, or being bored, or getting tired after walking seven metres.

But I guess you have to take the good with the bad, and I especially need to learn to adjust my expectations. I look forward to things so much, and build them up in my head too much. And then I get kinda down and sullen when the inevitable disappointments come. So it makes the experience bitter-sweet in retrospect. Lots of great memories, but also a lot of regrets about how I handled situations. I wouldn't mind going back and having another shot at it. Let's try that again- this time with more patience, more grace, more love.

4 comments:

Deb said...

Oh, I hear ya. I can very much relate. Well said.

Wendy said...

Having kids has seriously altered what we call a good holiday! We've found a good happy medium in camping, where we all get to get away and relax together without (most of) the parental angst. We have been parents now for 14 years, though! It's taken a while.

Ben McLaughlin said...

Deb- glad I'm not the only one

Wendy- We've nervously planned our first camping trip- 7 nights after Christmas. We are quite apprehensive about it, but hopefully it'll be good. What is it about camping that reduces the parental angst do you think?

Anonymous said...

Maybe camping reduces parental angst because it automatically makes you adjust your expectations? Camping usually doesn't inspire images of port-sipping and DVDs; because you're already nervous about it, it has the potential to surpass all your (much lower) expectations and be the best holiday ever. Maybe.