In theory, it sounded like a perfect plan: head to Back To School Night and then hit the road for San Diego after 7 p.m. The kids would be fed and exhausted, and were sure to sleep the whole way. Not to mention the absence of traffic.
Reality brought our jam-packed vehicle to a screeching halt just 3 minutes into our drive when we were corralled into one, yes ONE, southbound lane as we pulled onto the traffic jammed highway. Seething and cursing, we inched southward while the kids whined and cried in unison.
"Are we there yet?" they asked.
It wasn't until after 10 that the girls finally fell asleep, but it certainly wasn't devoid of interruption. Ana squealed on cue every 30 minutes throughout the drive and when we had to stop for gas just 45 minutes from our destination, BOTH of them awoke and refused to go back to sleep!! We pulled into the hotel parking lot just before 1:00 a.m. Exhausted, and fearful of the next hour with both girls wide awake and brimming with excitement.
"It's the middle of the night ladies," I warned, "Don't think you're going to stay awake when we get to our room. It is bedtime and the whole world is asleep!"
Bedtime was 1:35 in the morning. And yes, this was a pertinent circumstance in what proved to be a cranky, uncharacteristic performance for the entire weekend. No amount of mandatory naps or time-outs could snap them (or us) out of our 1 a.m. arrival.
We paid for that late night travel for three days.
Never again.
Reality brought our jam-packed vehicle to a screeching halt just 3 minutes into our drive when we were corralled into one, yes ONE, southbound lane as we pulled onto the traffic jammed highway. Seething and cursing, we inched southward while the kids whined and cried in unison.
"Are we there yet?" they asked.
It wasn't until after 10 that the girls finally fell asleep, but it certainly wasn't devoid of interruption. Ana squealed on cue every 30 minutes throughout the drive and when we had to stop for gas just 45 minutes from our destination, BOTH of them awoke and refused to go back to sleep!! We pulled into the hotel parking lot just before 1:00 a.m. Exhausted, and fearful of the next hour with both girls wide awake and brimming with excitement.
"It's the middle of the night ladies," I warned, "Don't think you're going to stay awake when we get to our room. It is bedtime and the whole world is asleep!"
Bedtime was 1:35 in the morning. And yes, this was a pertinent circumstance in what proved to be a cranky, uncharacteristic performance for the entire weekend. No amount of mandatory naps or time-outs could snap them (or us) out of our 1 a.m. arrival.
We paid for that late night travel for three days.
Never again.
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