Families who manage an early get away when going on holiday: AIBU to ask how you manage it?

[Nerdybeethoven]

2.5 hours this morning despite the fact that 3/4 of the car was packed yesterday and I made the packed lunch last night. Like this every friggin' time we go anywhere. Exhausted already.

I remember going to France in the car when dd was a baby with 2 other dc.

It took me the equivalent of a day and s half to pack😖. Never again

Next question: how long for a family of 4 to have a quick loo stop, eat a sandwich, buy biscuits and grab a coffee? Something else that takes far too long IMO.

I reckon it would take my family of 5, including 3DSs aged 8, 6 and 3, about 25mins to do all you’ve listed there, nerdy.

I cannot understand how it is taking you 2.5 hours to get ready in the morning.

As PP have said - showers/baths the night before. Everything packed - I buy duplicates of things like toothbrushes so there's less "last minute packing."

Breakfast is eaten once you are on the road.

Don't get me started on DH and the bloody greenhouse - is he trying to wind you up?

We were always so excited that we were up and out. No faffing and car was packed the night before.

30 mins. Set phone alarm in front of kids

Currently asking them to locate and put on their shoes as we approach the services. They can't hear as they have headphones on. No doubt DS 1 will want to wait until the end of his film before getting out of the car

get the kids up last. they would only be in the way
get them up when everything is ready to go.
only get them dressed.
breakfast a couple of hours into journey (or sandwich in gand if dc/you need something in stomach.

you need to approach it more like a military operation

That 30mins was about the stop. Get DH to queue for food with any males while you make a start on the queue for the ladies!

Pack everything the night before, put it in the car or by the door.
Finish cleaning the house, empty fridge etc last thing before bed.

All that should be out and accessible are the clothes your family will be putting on to leave the house in. Shower, dress, start loudly cheerleading the kids to do the same.
Breakfast bars in hand, and out.

It always helps to have a strict leave time. Usually I’ll be wailing about the taxi being outside any minute, 10 minutes before it’s due to arrive.
Strict strict time planner when we’re travelling. There is no need to take so long.

Greenhouse is his passion and had to bring in some plants that might overcook as there a few days before our friend can come and water. I wouldn't want plants to die either but ...

We are similar to others

1. Everything packed the night before or set up ready to go straight into the car.
2. Clothes laid out
3. Adults up first so we are washed, dressed and caffeinated by the time the DC appear. 4)DC up, washed and dressed. We have spare toothbrushes so we don't have to wait to pack them.
4. We do have more than one bathroom but when we didn't toothbrushes and toothpaste were put by the kitchen sink so someone in the loo didn't stop others getting ready.
5. Pain au choc or similar eaten in the car with a carton of fruit juice and then stop for food later.

Services - Allow a 20 -25 min break but see it as an opportunity for the DC to burn off some energy in a forlorn hope they might bicker less when the boredom sets in.

I only have one child who is 3 so that probably helps! We book early flights so need to leave the house at 3am which I think actually makes it easier than leaving at, say, 6am when dd would be awake and demanding to watch Bing and eat cereal.

Suitcases all packed the night before, DP and I wake 45 mins before we need to leave. Quick coffee and wash each, put on clothes which are already out and ironed. Chuck last bits in suitcase (contact lenses, dd favourite toy and phone chargers) DP chucks it in car. Get dd out of bed just as we leave so she is still in pj's and half asleep. Get her dressed at airport and have breakfast there.

I feel your pain OP. Those last bits always take ages to get ready. The kids sit around doing fuck all and DH wanders around saying “right” about a zillion times because that makes him sound more organised!

ah plant watering dh has jury rigged large (4 pinta) milk bottles with small tube to slowly water toms & aubergine & (those sodding prolific) courgettes etc out bit for recycling plastic!

It took us just over an hour this morning including breakfast and sorting a toddler out. We were on a campsite and 3/4 packed last night. We just get on with it and neither of us are faffers by nature anyway.

Everything packed the night before, and everyone showered the night before. All dishes or laundry or last minute housework done before bed.

On the morning, everyone up, dressed, brush teeth. Do the last minute packing (chargers, toothbrush etc) and then in the car and go. Breakfast to be eaten en-route (can pack croissants, brioche, fruit and cereal bars in the car the night before and just make coffee and grab juice before you leave) or stop off for it on the way.

It's because you have 2.5 hours.
The packing/getting ready will expand to fit the time allowed.

If you had to leave at 5am:
everything would be packed by the door/in the car already
no one would have breakfast at home, a coffee at most - breakfast on the way/at the airport
clothes left out by the bed: wake, pull on, brush teeth, go.

Tbh we could have been quicker, I sat down with a cup of tea before the 350 mile drive and said goodbye to family we won't see again in a while.

We got up at 7 this morning. We got up, had breakfast, packed, took the tent down and packed up the car and drove off the campsite at 8.30. We’ve got 3 kids, aged 6, 3 and 1.

You need to be a bit more regimented! No faffing, no choice!

I really don't understand how it can take that long! we recently we to Spain. Airport is 50 minutes away. I was fully packed the night before. I set my alarm, showered and dressed. made coffee and two travel mugs of coffee. Wake 4 kids, they brush teeth and get dressed into clothes chosen the previous night. We put the kids in the car and pack hand luggage around them, put wheelchair in the boot, squeeze a big case in. Grab the go bag and check bank cards, spends and passports. Grab coffee and industrial sized bag of pain au chocolate and go. Fifteen minutes max after I flick the switch on the kettle.

saying that, i end up still spending hours the night before getting everything sorted and ending up in bed 2 hours later than planned

Don't do breakfast, just a drink and tell everyone they will be treated to a fry up en route. My OH is late for everything, but this motivates him nicely, and we all love a fry up.

DH came in from the greenhouse With a big bag of cucumbers to put in the car... Have to laugh or I'd club him to death with them !

We're never late for trains / planes / appointments / school / work so it must be a case of not a strict enough timetable.