USVI-On-Line

Hey there folks! I finally have a new ticker, just 290 days out (ugh). Anyway, I have a couple of questions about traveling this time, as it will be much different with a 9 month old:

1. We are considering flying my MIL down for 4 of our 8 nights to assist with childcare. She lives close to Charlotte. For those of you who fly USAir out of CLT, what type of rates are you accustomed to seeing? Right now, it's just shy of $500 to fly her Weds-Sun in the lowest of seasons.

2. On-Island Childcare. For those of you who have little ones, do you find it preferable to bring along a family member or use on-island child care? We plan to do a full day to the BVIs w/o the baby and a dinghy day, so to me it just seems easier (albeit more pricey) to bring along my MIL. BUT - if we want a sitter for one or two of the nights when she isn't there, anyone you can recommend? PM me if you have details. I believe there was a teacher on here quite a few months ago who was interested.

We took grandparent(s) along for the first three kids trips.

I know people use on-island care and have had great experiences. It is something I would have thought "why not?" until I actually had my child.

For us, there is no way we could have let a stranger watch our baby. I should have know better based on how particular we are about the cat sitters. Everyone is has a different comfort level-just saying you may feel different about using an unfamilar sitter after birth.

So we found it preferable to bring someone along. For the most part, it worked out well. The only problem/annoyance is that the grandparents refuse to drive, which frustrates me to no end. The non-driving part resulted in me needing to making sure they had food in the house for the nights we went out sans kid and for the days they stuck close to the villa.

Rournd trip out of CLT for 500 sounds good to me. When we went in June and I watched it for several months and I didn't see it get much lower. I think it we paid around 600, but that was in the summer.

We will be traveling with a 9 month old next year and we are bringing along the grandparents. I could not leave my baby with someone who I don't know, but to each his own.

We plan on using Christies next month to watch our four year old. I haven't used them before but someone on the forum has and recommended them. Our son is in bed by seven so I will have them come after he goes to bed. I have also had women babysit for me in the DR and in Turks and Caicos who came into our room to watch our son. The girls have always been wonderful. We have never had a problem.

We fly CLT non-stop to USVI and Aruba.

I don't pay more than 400 to either place but it takes patience..."the chase" (for low fares) isn't always fun, as you probably know...but the lower fares are there to be had.

We fly out of Charlotte all the time. My husband watches the fares a lot. He said that is a pretty good price. It might go down 50 or so dollars, but there is a pretty good chance of it going up also-as high as $750 or more.

He says he would buy if it were him.

Thanks for the info on airfare. I will keep an eye on it for a little while. We've got 290 days (10 months or so), so I feel comfortable waiting until spring to get serious about the airfare hunt. If necessary, she can always fly out of ATL, where the fares to the USVI tend to run around $375 consistently.

I appreciate the input regarding babysitters. While I generally agree that leaving kids with strangers is not preferable to family, we are talking about a situation where we'd go out after the baby was asleep and be gone a max of 2-3 hours. With a solid recommendation, I feel comfortable with doing that for one night. I think grandma is the best bet for the longer days though. Thanks!

We have also done both - brought gramma or a relative along and hired on-island services.

Both have worked out beautifully. I think it really depends on you and your relationship with your MIL. Sometimes you feel more guilty with a relative than you would a "hired" hand.

My mom is an IMMENSE help whenever we travel so both hubby and I try to take her along as often as we can. That said, the ladies from Christy's are awesome and my kids absolutely adore their night with the sitters. They have always been very nice and attentive. I don't know if I'd do it with a tiny baby, but with bigger kids (2 or so and up) I wouldn't hesitate.

Is that all we mothers, mil's and
grandmothers are good for... ...to be
drug along to babysit? What about
a trip that is just for us to enjoy? Do
our children ever offer to take us
somewhere for that??? NO...NO...No!!!
Yes someday we will be gone (dead you know)
what is everybody gonna do for a drag along
sitter then....you kids will miss us
then...maybe.

Thank you for letting me vent...please don't
take it personal. There was a very unpleasant
episode today with one of my daughters and it
has left me FRAZZLED.

I need STJ before May ... but not happening.

Sorry but that was way out of line. Not that I owe anyone any sort of explanation, but my husband and I did pay to take my in-laws on a Caribbean vacay back in January 2007, just the four of us. Take your frustration out somewhere else, because I am not the one.

Yeah, if you asked my mama she would tell you she is more than lucky to have me as a daughter and I KNOW I am very lucky to have her as my mother! I am hyper vigilant about it too being a vacation for her and that she needs her downtime. That said, she adores her grandkids & is more than happy to give her daughter and son-in-law a night off or a day in the BVI to keep us all happy and to get a trip to STJ in the process.

Its what we call a win-win. She loves to travel, loves her grandkids and loves being with our family. The reason I especially love having my mama along is that she just gets it, I don't have to ask her to help me with this or that she just steps in and does it. My husband is great and will do anything I ask him to do to help out, but sometimes it is just bliss to have someone step up without a second thought or without even being asked. Add to that, she is someone my kids just ADORE and are 100% comfy with. It is my favorite way to travel!

I make it practice to not engage in the negative stuff but yeah, that comment intentionally negative, out of line and has nothing to do with the OP's question.

There are grandparents out there that love being able to spend time with their children and grandchildren, in paradise and sometimes they are fortunate enough to be able to do it as a guest.

If you aren't one of them, don't go along. Go on your own vacation instead but don't expect your kids to pay for it.

Just my opinion but Phil is just a stressed out Mom, like we all are sometimes. Sounds like she has a child who is not as respectful or kind to their Mom as we all hope our children will someday be. So I think we should let her vent a little without reproach. She admits she just had a run in, so how about we try to empathize. We might be in her shoes someday!

Thanks Arooba girl for your thought. It is
very much appreciated. Yes...it was a very
upsetting episode.
PAgirl...we do take vacations by ourselves
a lot. We would love to take our only 2
grandchildren along everywhere. They are twins,
a boy and girl 7yrs. old. They also are the
sun and moon to Tom and myself. They spent the
first 5+ years living with us, along with
my daughter and sil. The problem is the daughter
will not let them go...without her and sil.
That's all fine and good, except...they always
expects us to pay for everybody and everything.
Which we have done quite alot thru the years!
This is hard now when hubby has lost his job of
23 years and I am now on permanent disability.
Make no mistake...we love our grandchildren...
they love us...for anyone to suggest otherwise is
very hurtful.
I read this forum daily and many times I have
read as people "vent" frustrations. I don't judge
or criticize because I don't walk in their shoes.
I just needed a little vent time too.
Sorry to offend you...will keep reading and
stop posting.

God Bless,
Sherry