Travel with 3 under 3.5

[MaypoleLeaf]

Next summer my brother is getting married in Chicago (where he lives). My DC will be 14m twins and 3y3m.

Ordinarily (and when we just had 1 DC) we would use the wedding as an opportunity for a big holiday in the States but I just think it will be shit with 3 toddlers. We have been over twice before and done this and it was much harder when we last did it with 18m DD compared to when she was 5m.

If we fly in for the wedding and fly straight back (4 days away) then we can afford a cheap and cheerful European holiday as well in a villa somewhere more kid friendly with sunshine and safe pool etc. But I feel like it’s a waste of a transatlantic trip?

WWYD?

I don't even know how you would manage with 3 toddlers on long haul flights. Sounds like a nightmare.

I would do brief trip to brother's wedding alone. Then make family holiday plans completely separately, probably avoiding anything that involved aircraft!

Could you leave the kids and just go with DH, or even go alone? Three kids that age on a long flight sounds like my idea of hell. Can you even fly direct?

Can’t go just me and DH. Only babysitters would be from my family and will be at wedding. No one suitable from DH’s side.

Hadn’t thought of going on my own. Ideally I’ll still be breastfeeding so 4 days away wouldn’t really be compatible but not impossible. DH would be delighted at 4 days solo parenting I’m sure.

What about somewhere like Cape Cod for a family holiday after the wedding?

Children can swim in the sea/pool, you could take your 3 year old whale watching, there are lots of activities for families etc

I can't think of anything worse. We had to visit family in US when my twins were 1, 2 and 3 and the flights were hell. Reduced me to tears.

They're 8 now and love it but I can't imagine doing it with three.

I’d think you’d need some time to recover from the flight, time change and wedding before you could face the flight back.