Two days into vacation, and I’m realizing we have big kids now. They are more independent and less needy which makes it easier. On the other hand, they all have big opinions and more needs that they tend to vocalize over and over again, which makes it harder.

I like to just go with the flow, especially in Hawaii; to have a general plan, but one that can change. The kids want to know what’s coming when and to have a say in the process and decision making. That’s probably ok with one kid, but when three kids are barking orders and I’m trying to please everybody, including my husband who hates the sand and being hot, it’s a bit more challenging to make everyone happy.

What I learned very quickly, is that I need to manage their expectations a little better. They just want a little bit of control over their world and knowing what we’re doing for the day helps them to feel more at ease. Duh… I’m the same way. It helps me to help them too and then we’re all happy.

So today we decided to spend the entire day on Waikiki beach without getting in the car. It was wonderful! We rented umbrellas and chairs, paddle boards, a paddle boat and a raft. We brought our lunch and a cooler with drinks and relaxed all day. It was perfect and we all had smiles on our faces!!