Taking a 3 year old to Hawaii for birthday (to buy, restaurants)

[ClaraC]

Movingmom, it sounds like you really want to do this 3 year old's birthday up big.

But honestly, having raised 3 kids, what he wants most is a day with you where he gets to pick everything to do. Eat what he wants, go to the park, games, maybe grandma and grandpa, etc.

He doesn't want a very long plane trip.

[NDak15]

Wait until he's about 18 and will remember it and know how to behave on a plane. For your sake and your fellow passengers rethink this.

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

OP, if you are still living in Tennessee when you take this trip, it will be very hard on a three year old. Tentatively it could take something like three hours to fly to LA, where you'd have a couple hour layover, then another 5-1/2 hour flight to Hawaii. As a parent of two children, I can say that trip is nothing that I would have ever contemplated with a three year old.

If you want to take him to the beach, go to the Gulf of Mexico. If the Hawaii trip is for your enjoyment, then go with a friend. A three year old won't know one beach from another.

[Sydney123]

You're going to vacation in Hawaii and... taking your 3 year old. Sweet! Lol

[lvmensch]

Don't let them annoy you. My children, who are now approaching 50 have no memory of not flying on airplanes and they liked first class when they were teenagers. I once ended up with 15 females between the age of 17 and 45 having dinner in Lahaina on Maui. A 3 year old would have filled it out.

My advice though is ignore the role of the three year old...he or she could care less about Hawaii. And he or she will likely have a good time. My kids always enjoyed long flights. And your kid will likely as well.

[GracieKarm]

No, you are not taking your 3 year old to Hawaii for his birthday. You are taking YOU to Hawaii for his birthday.
Get real.

[LarsMac]

All he will remember is the long plane ride home where you made him sit still so you could get some sleep.

[hotzcatz]

Dunno as if the kid is gonna be old enough to remember much of it, but take lots of pictures so he can look at them later when he's old enough to remember. If you're starting out on the East Coast, taking a several day break on the West coast might be an idea. It'd break up the really long trip somewhat.

He wouldn't know calendars and dates, you could throw a big birthday bash for him somewhere at home and then let him vacation at grandma's for a week while you vacation in Hawaii?

[mr.magoo]

Originally Posted by LarsMac

All he will remember is the long plane ride home where you made him sit still so you could get some sleep.

Well, he might remember his first Mai Tai....

[WannabeCPA]

Originally Posted by GracieKarm

No, you are not taking your 3 year old to Hawaii for his birthday. You are taking YOU to Hawaii for his birthday.
Get real.

Haha, yeah, does the poster really want us to believe it's for her kid.