to take 3 DC's to NYC for a short break...?

[Miren]

I'm currently looking at short break options for me and DH (another thread!) and have had New York suggested a few times, we fancy something a bit closer to home, but it got me thinking, and I would love to take the DC's close to Christmas.

There are 9, 6 and 4 - is the flight/jet lag too much just for a 4 night stay?

For a 4 night stay I would say yes... You could possibly get away with it.. Butted make it atbleastb7 night stay.

I would have said it'd be far too much for all your children to be honest, and really not worth it!

What about Paris? Or go with your DH as planned, then go on a family holiday next year, do you ski?

It isn't a particularly long flight and the time difference isn't huge. However I would wait a couple of years if I were you so that they remember the holiday. Our children don't remember the holidays we took them on before they were 8, even pretty amazing trips!

Would just love them to see NYC with the Christmas twinkles... we couldn't go directly over Christmas as we have too many family commitments and pinching more than a couple of days from term time isn't really an option - else we would do a week...

We have a family holiday booked for next year -and this year. This was a little extra special treat.

Really Cerisier - my 6 year old remembers clearly nearly all of his holidays (maybe he's unusual!)

I would wait until they are older. When I went I was barely able to hold on to my own handbag, whilst trying to take in the sights, let alone hold on to three children.
Agree that Paris might be better.

I think it may be a bit much. Not just jet lag but there is a lot of walking too, so the combination may be pretty tiring. If it was longer, I'd say YANBU.

The flight isn't too bad, it's not that much longer than flying to turkey/Cyprus/Greece and even the jet lag could be minimised be adjusting their bedtimes slightly for a few days but I think your 4 year old would probably struggle with all the walking.

I don't think so no, I think somewhere like Marrakesh is far more interesting and exciting. NY is great but its just a big city, its a long way to go for a big city,...for four nights.

I'd go. It's a five hour flight - walking depends on what exactly you do, nobody has to see all the sights on one trip, and finally NYC is amazing, the Christmas atmosphere is incredible.

Can I come?

Depends where you live, but from Manchester it's a 7.5 hour flight.

I took my DS at Easter and the flight was fine. The first night, you have to just try and stay awake until about 1am English time, so that you don't wake up at 4.30am NY time. I struggled with the time difference more than my DS, but I wouldn't have taken him when he was 4.

On the way back, we arrived in Manchester at 7am, but out bodies were still telling us it was 2am. We did sleep when we got home for a few hours, but that then messed our sleep up on our first night home.

It's only my personal opinion, but my DS would. to have coped with the time difference at the age of 4, but then he does tend to winge and he gets very tearful when he is over tired.

I wouldn't do that to a 4 year old to be honest. He'll be miserable for 4 days and so will you!

8 hour flight katie

NOt couting getting there 3 hours early delayed flights... coming out the other side on customs getting in to a hotel..

We have been twice now,both times over thanksgiving and the start of the holiday season. I would recommend at least a week. 4 days are doable but if you haven't been before,you may not see everything.

And yes there's lots for children to do. You have Central Park zoo,toys are us,which is huge and has a Ferris wheel instore. FAO shwartz,Bronx zoo,all the landmarks,tour buses,food tours ...

See a show on Broadway?

We've taken ours (aged 4 and 2 at the time) for a short break to NY at Christmas time, it was lovely! As you say, it was all twinkly - we went ice skating in Central Park, saw Santa at Macy's (massive queue) and spent a lot of time drinking hot chocolate and looking at the lights. That said I knew that my then 4 year old coped really well with jet lag (it barely seems to bother him - coming back is the harder way anyway), and my then 2 year old is a dreadful sleeper wherever he is! However DH and I do always get a little frustrated when we take the children to NY (we've been 3 times with them as we have family there), because we used to go without them, and we realise what we are missing out on being restricted to the more child-friendly things.

I'd definitely do it, so long as you can build a day or two jet lag time into your schedule when you get home.

NYC is amazing, you'll have a wonderful time, it's a great place to take kids. You won't see everything in a week let alone 4 days though, and the queuing to get in (and then to get a cab) can be BRUTAL. So you should time your flight carefully.

MrsW it can be not much more than that, if the wind is in the right direction. There's quite a bit of variation.

I've been on transatlantic flights with kids aged 3, 5 and 7 and it was murder. It's a bloody long day just getting there and the jet-lag will probably mean they will be up at 4am and absolutely exhausted by about 4 in the afternoon and grumpy with it.

The phrase "glutton for punishment" comes to mind. For four days I reckon a 4-hour flight max and no time-zone change.

Thanks everyone - will wait until they're older I think. Looking into Disney Paris for NYE instead - but then I worry the littlest is too little even for that (memories!) Gaahh. As soon as he turns 8 we'll be off round the world to squeeze everything in before the eldest is too old! I'm grateful for the small ish age gaps now never thought I'd say that

You have Central Park zoo,toys are us,which is huge and has a Ferris wheel instore

Long way to go for a zoo....

I'm torn because I really want to go, but would feel awful if we went without the kids - I really want them to experience it too. Ah well - 4 years to save up means extra spends