To be thinking about this 7 MONTHS in advance

[TheSheepofWallSt]

Lone parent to a 3 year old (+ 5 months).

Have just booked first holiday abroad for the two of us. Am a seasoned solo traveller (gap year, lots of travel over the years to Africa, eg Morocco, Senegal, Cape Verde (not packages) less affluent bits of Europe, as well as fancy city breaks all over the world.
But that was before.

Where I used to decide to travel on a Friday and fly on a Saturday, now I find that 7 MONTHS in advance, I’m really mulling whether or not to take a bloody buggy for a week in Cala Bona.
Like really ruminating.

I know DS will be turning 4. I know it’s not strictly necessary - or at all necessary really- but if I don’t take it, I know I’ll be ruling out evening walks or dinners later than 6.

I don’t want to be out all night, and of course I want him in bed at a reasonable hour, but I would like to be able to eat at say, 7.30, and know DS can doze off after pudding if he wants to, rather than have an overtired tantrum all the way back to the villa. I could even have a glass of wine then!
I might want to take a stroll for a couple of miles along the promenade at 9 o clock, and take some time to just BE-and I know it’s unlikely DS will be able to cope with that without a buggy.

It’s two AIBU really-
AIBU to be agonising over such a nothing, so far in advance?
And AIBU to think I’ll use a buggy for a (just) 4 year old?!

Don't waste another second of emotional energy thinking/worrying about this. TAKE THE BUGGY. You'll be very glad you did, and I know this from experience.

I’m so relieved the overwhelming consensus is take it, I can’t even tell you.
I wouldn’t NOT take it for the sake of public opinion, but I just wondered if I had a skewed perception- and would have worried about whether I was depriving DS of an important developmental experience / life lesson the whole time.

Also- how are you supposed to hang the beach bag/ armpit clasp the parasol/ hold a tiny hand and not drop all the shells/ stones/ interesting leaves and not drop everything when you’re slick with sunscreen.

So relieved.

My DC are 10 & 8 and I still miss the buggy on holiday. Somewhere to hang all of the stuff of whilst in the airport; somewhere to sit in lengthy passport queues or waiting for baggage; somewhere to put all of the paraphenalia you need for the beach; something to put the groceries in/under when you go to the shop to get a few things. And this must be even more the case if you're a single parent and so have fewer arms than a couple and one of those arms probably has to be used for holding DS's hand.