Bringing along extra help... About This Page:

[DebbieV76]

When we are home, we have a home health aide (Staci) who helps us with our boys up to 35 hours per week. Honestly, I don't know what we would do without her. She's worked with our family for over 8 years.

When we go on vacation, the needs that we have at home don't really change just because we "take our show on the road." We have been to WDW several times. Most trips we 'go it alone' and come home exhausted, ready for a vacation. There have been other trips when my mom, my niece, or another caregiver has been along to help with the boys. Although we do lose some privacy, it has been great having that extra pair of hands. We've even been able to enjoy an evening out by ourselves on occasion. There is a Disney World for grown-ups!

Does anyone bring along someone to help make life easier for you when you go Disney? Who did you bring? What accommodations were required? How did you compensate them? How did it work out? What would you do again? What would you do differently?

I'll post our experiences as a reply. Can't wait to hear your responses!

Hey! This thread doesn't only apply to those with special kids... what I wouldn't have given to have some extra hands when my buddies were small!

[stonewall]

Great question,Debbie.It'll be interesting to read the replies.
Give me a call Debbie! [img]graemlins/ears.gif[/img]

[Marie]

Debbie--
I'm glad you asked about this and I will be interested in the replies. I have two boys with disabilities and have had a respite helper for the past five years. My situation is a little different since I am widowed and really could not take the boys alone on vacation.
Here is what we are doing. I am getting two connecting rooms at a moderate resort ( maybe CBR?). Through our respite agency she will be paid a per diem rate that we will negotiate. They do this instead of hourly for vacations since the helper won't be there 24/7 and will be accompying the parent. She will have her own room connected to ours. We haven't nailed down the specifics of time off since out trip isn't until next year. But I have told her she will have time to go off on her own. I will be paying for her room, park pass and the character meals she goes to with us. She will pay the rest of her own meals. We are driving so transportation isn't an issue.
This woman is wonderful with my boys and we are so lucky to have her. I could never have even thought of going on a trip like this without her help.
Marie

[Teresa]

We have taken my mother (she is an RN as well as Grandma) to help with our daughter- now 19.
That worked out really well. We have always just paid her full way and made sure that she had some time off.
Lately, we have been going by ourselves.
We leave in June for WDW again. We are taking DH's 25 yr. old daughter. She is going to help with the other kids so that DH and I can devote our energies to Samantha.
But, she only needs shower and dressing help, so it is not that hard, just time consuming.

[jams67]

Debbie, I haven't travelled with both kids since I had DS2(19mos). When I took DS1 before his tranplant, we had to travel with a nurse because he was on IV almost 16 hrs/day. I paid for plane ticket, food, and park ticket. He paid for only souveniers he wanted. I got two rooms, but they were connecting. Because the nurse had to stay up all night I made sure that we got out so he could sleep. It worked pretty well. Until he got sick and we had to come home 3 days early. The one thing I would do is check into what the policy is for early departure in case someone gets sick (I don't know if it's something you need to be concerned with). I also made sure I had the name of gastroenterologist in Orlando in case there was a problem too. I also don't know if you need to keep anything cold (meds or anything) but we rented a refridgerator. It keep his meds cool enough that we didn't worry.

I was going to take kids down in May but we couldn't make it. I'm going to shoot for next May. I'm not sure if DH will go with us but I maybe able to bribe my mother into it. My kids are easily dehydrated so I'm going to try to keep track of the temperature and humidity for the month. Not that this has anything to do with your question but maybe it'll help you anyway.

Let me know if there is anything I can do.
Julie

[dizzyintx]

Hi Debbie,
Could you just take Staci with you? It seems to me this is the most logical answer. I know when my mom or sister help us out by watching our foster adults, it makes me nervous. They don't do anything wrong, they just fuss over them way too much. Doing thing like buttering their bread, tying their shoes, fixing there straws etc. Daily task that we worked hard to teach them. This happens because there not with them on a daily basis and they want to spoil them. When you take a employee you would feel freer to do what you want.
As far as pay, I would pay what you normally would. Then pay for the trip. You probably know if she could afford to pay for her own meals or not. Most people in the service industry could not afford just the meals alone at WDW. Maybe put her on a silver plan? That way it's all worked out. To help pay for an extra person, I would just stay at a cheaper resort. Anyway. these are just thoughts. I am sending some extra pixie dust your way to help! [img]graemlins/dizzy.gif[/img] Kim

[DebbieV76]

Kim~
Thanks so much for the wonderful suggestions [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
Yes, bringing Staci would be the logical solution. The challenge is that she is single mom with 3 children and one grandchild of her own. We usually go for longer than a week and she can't be away from her own family that long. Another challenge is that she refuses to fly, so that even the possibility of her joining us for part of the trip isn't feasible. [img]graemlins/pout.gif[/img]

We found on our last trip in February, that family time with just us was really precious. Exhausting... but precious. Does anyone know what I mean? Staci certainly is part of the family...she's seen more than she probably would like, but it's really nice to have just the four of us every once in a while. When our trip was over, though, boy was I ever glad to see our good friend, aide-extraordinarie! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[ 05-07-2003, 12:41 AM: Message edited by: DebbieV76 ]

[dizzyintx]

OK, I get it now. If you didn't want to bring a family member or someone that you have used in the past, you might think about not taking anyone. Then you could (depending on you sons needs) call home heath agencies, fairy godmothers, community mhmr centers, resprite care, etc. to get names of aides that would be willing to help out when you needed a break or when you needed help. ie. in the mornings, getting them ready and at night. That way you would save $$$ and have some help too! I would schedule your alone time towards the end of your vacation after she know them better.There has got to be some agency in Orlando that does this service. Let me know, because we want to take our guys next year and we will need help. Kim

[Jennifer Fisher]

This will be our first "big trip" as a family with two handicapped children. I have taken both my kids to parks (like sea world) by myself before but we live 2mins from the gate. This trip was such a big deal that I never hesitated taking our long-time babysitter with us. I offered to pay her round-trip airfair, ultimate park hopper pass, hotel, and her dinner for the Luau the night we arrive (we were originally paying for La Nouba for her). I then gave her the proposal and asked her if she'd like to go giving her every opportunity to say no. I also told her that I wanted there to be time for her to run off and do whatever she wanted and time for DH and I to go do some "us" stuff. I think for a trip this big, I would not have made it or gotten as much done without taking along help (esp. in the airports!). I also did a dream maker package to make my life easier. The babysitter is only expected to pay for her food and souveniers. She is psyched.