Why Family Vacations Are Never a Vacation for Mom

In this episode of Hot Mom Shit, I'm taking you through the family trip to Florida that I thought was going too smoothly and then, of course, it wasn't. Matt and I had been in a rut, ships passing in the night with his travel schedule, and I went into this trip already touched out and running on empty. Then add two stepdaughters, a toddler, and an eight-month-old to a solo airport run, and somehow it still wasn't the hardest part of the week. I talk about the guilt of feeling like I couldn't enjoy myself while everyone else was catching shrimp at backyard hibachi, the moment I finally lost it in a bathroom because I just needed five minutes alone, and full on family meltdown the night before our flight home with a screaming baby, a feverish toddler, a stepdaughter in tears from an earache, and an alarm set for 3:15 AM. And I wish that was it. But, I also share about the cement pole I hit in my husband's SUV, and what my mom said to me in the car that snapped me right out of my spiral. In this episode I get real about: Why I went into this trip already running on empty  Traveling solo through the airport with two stepdaughters, a toddler, and an eight-month-old, and the plan I had to pull off to make it work Crying in the bathroom because I just needed five minutes to myself, and why moms are so bad at asking for help The resentment of holding a screaming baby through backyard hibachi while everyone else got to enjoy the night The last night of the trip: two ear infections, a spiking fever, and a baby who would not settle until 2:30 AM The 3 AM Uber chaos trying to get two kids, two car seats, and a mountain of luggage to the airport Denting my husband's SUV in the parking garage, hiding it for days, and what my mom said that snapped me out of my spiral Urgent care, amoxicillin, and the sweetest thing my toddler said about his ear drops that made the whole trip worth it If any part of this show helped you feel seen I invite you to join my community of moms who get it. Join the Snatch Chat community to get first access to new episodes, behind the scenes content and so much more. New episodes of Hot Mom Shit drop every Tuesday. Follow along wherever you listen to podcasts.  Follow me on Instagram: @theleahvandale Join the Snatch community: snatch.co Follow Snatch on Instagram: @snatchforher  "Top Tier Matriarch" — written and produced by Quantum Plectrum Episode Production by KNWN