Additional Coverage:
- Being self-employed means working during vacations. Being a single mom means I have to do it with my toddler around. (businessinsider.com)
Local Mom Finds Her Work-Life-Vacation Balance, One Kids’ Club at a Time
**Ever dreamed of working from a sun-drenched beach, laptop glowing under a palapa? For many, the idea of a “workcation” sounds like paradise.
But for one local single mom, turning that dream into reality with a toddler in tow proved to be a hilarious, albeit exhausting, adventure of trial and error – until a surprising solution emerged. **
Our intrepid mom, who works for herself and cherishes the flexibility of remote work (even if it means no paid time off), has been a workcation veteran for over a decade. But the game changed entirely when she became a single parent. What she envisioned as tranquil work sessions by the sea often devolved into a frantic juggling act of deadlines, diaper changes, and desperate searches for baby medicine in unfamiliar towns.
The Great Workcation Experiment: Eight Attempts and Counting
Her first foray into working remotely with her daughter, then just 8 months old, involved a trip to Hawaii. The plan?
Work during naps and after bedtime. The reality?
A week of hard lessons, including unplugging hotel phones to protect precious naptime, trekking through stores for cold remedies, and burning the midnight oil while her little one (and presumably, she) slept.
Over the next few years, through eight different workcations, our mom remained ever-hopeful, convinced each new trip would finally be the one where she cracked the code. Instead, she consistently found herself with three full-time jobs: her actual work, full-time parenting, and the relentless logistics of keeping it all together away from home.
Kids’ Clubs: A Rollercoaster of Hope and Disappointment
Resort kids’ clubs seemed like the obvious answer – a predictable block of child-free time to focus. She booked hotels and even a cruise, lured by glossy brochures showing smiling children.
But these programs often presented their own set of challenges. Her daughter, Via, was frequently reluctant to participate, and facilities often fell short of their online promises.
A promised nap room might be “out of order,” or operating hours wouldn’t match the website, forcing early pickups and disrupted work.
The $95 Solution: When You Pay for Peace of Mind
On her most recent six-day trip to Club Med Cancún, a new strategy was employed. This time, instead of relying on complimentary kids’ clubs, she decided to invest in a paid program.
While the kids’ club for older children was included, the “Petit Club Med” for 2 and 3-year-olds came with a $95 daily fee. Initially apprehensive after past experiences, she booked Via in for just one full workday.
What a difference a structured program makes! Unlike the “drop-in playrooms” she’d encountered before, Petit Club Med operated more like a proper daycare, complete with a dedicated nap room and a well-planned schedule.
The transformation was immediate. Though Via initially clung at drop-off, a sneaky peek later revealed her happily skipping to lunch.
At pickup, instead of anxious waiting, Via was engrossed in an activity, then burst into excited chatter about her day. Our mom was “stunned” – Via loved it so much, she asked to go back the next day!
Reluctantly, and with a mix of surprise and relief, our mom brought Via back. For the first time on a workcation, she found herself not just caught up on work, but actually exploring!
She took a trapeze class and enjoyed a leisurely snorkel. Both mom and daughter ended their days glowing with happiness.
The remainder of their trip was spent together, with our mom feeling like the “relaxed, carefree mom” she’d always aspired to be on vacation. Looking back, she realized her workcation dreams weren’t overambitious, just in need of the right preparation, structure, and a kids’ club that truly delivered. It seems sometimes, a little investment goes a long way in achieving that elusive work-life-vacation harmony!