A Day Of Nothing and Everything All At Once

We arrived to our Athens apartment-hotel at about 1:45 am. The kids were asleep in the back of the taxi-van, as they had been on the chairs of the airport baggage claim and the airplane before that. They were groggy and it had been what could be modestly described as a rough day. Matheus, our beloved au pair, came downstairs and opened the front doors of the apartment building-turned-hotel. A groggy Sennen suddenly lit up, ran into the building foyer and with what can best be described as a squeal of joy threw his arms and body around Matheus in a bursting display of affection. Ailyn's hugs immediately followed and the reunion was complete.

Yesterday was by far not our most complicated, involved or long travel days – but it was one of the most difficult in years. It's hard to put my finger on any one thing that went wrong. We arrived at the airline check-in counter a little early and they weren't checking anyone in yet – so there was some extra time in line there. However, security and passport control were both pretty quick. So was the VAT refund. Both kids had some urgent bathroom moments. But they were just unusually whiney and complaining for two kids who I would describe as hearty travelers. 

Three things come to mind: 1. They were up very late the night before for Shabbat at Ziv and Hila's house which ran on a later Israeli dinner time 2. We have never before moved from place to place the way we have on this trip –  with many days of driving for hours at a time and 3-4 activities a day plus organized meals 3. They have had no stable routine with regular free-play and downtime in more than two weeks.

As I look at it, I think #3 is the real issue. On all our prior trips with them, we have settled into either one or two locations per trip – usually a house or a condo – and kept loose-to-no schedule. They have always woken up in the morning, had breakfast "at home", played with toys and each other and then started their days – much as they do at our real home. Over the past three years, we have had help from our au pairs (first Jesper, later Matheus) or my cousin Arielle (Thailand 2017) and the kids at times stayed "home" and swam, went to the park, played out back, read stories – did stuff that mimicked home life (even if it was moderately adapted to things like playing out back with Balinese kids who they couldn't have a conversation with, sweeping the grounds with frangipani leaves, or befriending a little Malaysian girl the same age as Sennen in the condo swimming pool).

This time, the kids had 11 days of companionship with their beloved Cousins – but Cousins are also like a party-in-a-box. They adore Cousins so much that at least for Sennen – it's like being on Speed most of the time. But hotel rooms, busses, schedules – a tour – are new. And then Emily and I added a layer more with three days in Zichron Ya'akov with friends, and two days in Athens before getting to Patmos, where we can actually settle in and create a stable framework to life.

In other words, are children are very adaptable, within a structure. Take away the structure and they don't completely fall apart, but they aren't at their best – and I believe have a time window for which they can do without the structure. That may well change with age – but at four and six, that seems to be where they are.

Yesterday involved such highlights as: a double meltdown over who got to sit next to mommy on which flight, Ailyn pooping her pants because she didn't want to leave the Vienna airport playground for even a minute, an emergency run to the nearest bathroom with Sennen to avoid him pooping his pants, Sennen obsessively picking his nose, a meltdown over having to stand in line for check-in and later for VAT refund, Sennen having a night terror (talking and crying with open eyes, while asleep – and often making no sense – a result of being overtired before falling asleep) on the flight between Vienna and Athens and a lot of incessant talking.

In short, yesterday was not their finest hour – but as painful as it was at the time, I don't think it was their fault.

So, we decided to make today a nothing day. We slept until everyone awoke – at an amazing 10 am! We dawdled in the beautiful, spacious and very homey one-bedroom apartment while Matheus slept-in in his studio on the floor above. He got tons more hugs when he got up and came downstairs. When we were ready, we walked a few blocks to a very nice pedestrian-only street where we got a very Greek lunch. We sat for at least an hour as should be the case with any Greek lunch.

I felt that I couldn't spend two days in Athens and not lay eyes on the Acropolis, so we decided to take a 15-20 minute walk over there. But in the 95 degree heat, the kids wilted and asked to go back to the apartment. So, we took a taxi and made it easy. When we got there, we didn't go into the buildings and take the tour. I just got a good look from the free park below and walked around with Ailyn on my shoulders. The kids sat in the shade for awhile – then we strolled downhill to a walking street where we got gelato. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.

Although the kids had talked about returning to the apartment several times, we gave them the option to go to a playground. They jumped on it and we walked 10 minutes to the nearest public park where they played very happily on what Emily referred to as a "low-budge" playground for almost two hours. "I want to stay here for a twenty and a hundred thousand years" Ailyn said.

It was obvious they just needed some time to be kids – free of being asked to behave within certain constructs and expectations. The completely forgettable playground in Athens was somehow cathartic for them.

"I do not miss Star Lilly (Ailyn's beloved toy unicorn) or Mia (her BFF) at all! Because I have them here already – in my underwear! So I don't have to miss them because they're here – in my underwear! Sometimes I keep them in my tushy!" We texted Mia's mom to let her know.

But without breaking down any other possible alternative subtexts one could try to extract from that, it seemed a clear statement that Ailyn's world is not intact, so rather than fall apart, she put it where the sun don't shine. 

We walked back to the apartment slowly, grabbing some water along the way and settled in for an hour and a half of doing nothing. The kids played "baby", rested in their bed, played with Matheus, and walked around in their underwear. 

We plan to get a casual dinner and put them to bed at a normal hour.

It's not the emotional intensity of Bailey's Bat Mitzvah, the hallowedness of walking Old Jerusalem or the excitement of camel riding. We didn't have one of the most unbelievably lavish hotel breakfasts today. And Emily and I can't say we did or saw anything of note in Athens beyond getting a glimpse of the Acropolis and the Temple of Zeus. But for Sennen and Ailyn, this has been one of the best days of the trip.