Holiday travel is stressful. Holiday travel with kids is even more taxing. And holiday traveling with two kids and a husband who has to work at home is practically torture.
Just kidding. Kinda.
This was my reality during Thanksgiving. Schlepping my kids from Louisiana to Colorado with only my two hands gave me anxiety from the moment the tickets were purchased. I put on my game face as I carried car seat parts while wearing a backpack and three month old baby while simultaneously dragging my seven year old away from the Hudson News. I fully expected to be greeted with eye rolls and groans, but something amazing happened.
People … helped me.
After security, a kind woman with a British accent brought me our bags while I struggled to tie my shoes.
The college student let me go ahead of her in the bathroom line since my seven year old “couldn’t hold it.”
The fellow teacher we sat next to was more than accommodating to my little family.
Finally, the family from Port Vincent held my baby as I packed up tablets and books and then carried said baby’s car seat and base until I met my sister.
These were all strangers, and initially when they first offered, I declined.
But they saw something I was too reluctant to see. I was struggling.
Why do we do this? Personally, I didn’t want to inconvenience anyone. Or wants them to feel used. They were traveling too and I didn’t want to look like I didn’t have this down to a science. But the truth is, if I didn’t have all of that assistance, my whole experience would have been altered.
Y’all. We need to take the help.
Whether it’s someone you trust to watch your baby while you take a nap or accepting the employee from Trader Joe’s offer to take your groceries to the car, we need the help!
The world may have you fooled thinking that there are no kind people left, and the ones that are, are an anomaly. This flight to Denver, Colorado was crawling with nice people! I bet you even know some nice people that have offered help and you haven’t taken it. I know I have and it’s something I need to work on.
Next time, I’ll cut the nonsense and just say please and thank you when the help is offered.
Moms have so much to deal with, and let’s face it, we need all the help we can get it.
