Before I got married 4 years ago, I was always on a tight budget as a single mom. And by “tight,” I mean there usually wasn’t five dollars to spare after paying for a bunch of shit like the electricity bill and food. But every year, I planned a Mother & Daughter trip, even if I had to be really creative. And by “really creative,” I mean cheap.
The year she turned six, I took Cal on a 3 days/ 2 nights Mother & Daughter trip to Las Vegas. For $238. Other parents take their kids to Disneyland or the Kennedy Space Center. Me, I took my kid to Vegas. You’re very welcome, Cal. We drove from Los Angeles and stayed at the Rio ($49 a night midweek special). Aside from a splurge to see the Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay ($30 for 2 tickets), we spent most of our trip walking around The Strip and enjoying the free attractions. We oohed and aahed at the Bellagio fountains, walked through the M&M store, admired the talking statues inside Caesar’s Palace, and waved at the newly-married couples riding the gondolas in the Venetian.
I may or may not have saved on the cost of food during our trip by lying to the cashier at the Rio buffet and telling her that Cal had already eaten beforehand, so there would be no need to charge for her meal. I may or may not have spent the rest of the meal sneaking food to my kid, hoping not to get caught. I’m only going to admit I actually did this if you promise not to call PETA. Wait, PETA is for animals. There is only a one letter difference between “Cal” and “cat,” so I can see how you could be confused. Okay, so don’t call CPA on me. Hold on, that’s for accountants or something. Just don’t call the people who come and tell you you’re a shitty parent, all right?
I did make up for the buffet lie though. I let Cal order a $6 grapefruit through room service the next morning. She still talks about her first room service experience. For $6, I hope it was an excellent piece of citrus.
This year, as a family of three, we’re taking a vacation in July. There’s a good chance we won’t be doing a Mother & Daughter trip.
I’d still like to show her a good time, even if we can’t go away, just the two of us. I’m already out of ideas. Clearly, it’s poor planning on my part. On Tuesday, as an activity to get out of the house, I took Cal to get a donut…30 minutes away. It took longer to drive to Krispy Kreme and back than it did to sit and enjoy our donuts and milk.
So, I need your brains. I’d love some ideas on what to do with a tween. And if you suggest Six Flags, all I have to say is: Well played, my friend, well played.
