Latest news with #KellyHubbell
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Yahoo
She left the family vacation five days early—what happened next reignited a parenting firestorm
As a mom of five, I've evolved my strategy for 'vacations' with kids over the years—mostly out of survival. Because let's be honest: when we're traveling to a faraway destination or staying in someone else's (non-babyproofed) home, it's rarely a break. The nap schedules disappear. The snacks run out. And somehow, you're doing the same parenting hustle you do at home… just in another time zone, without your support system, and usually with more sand involved. We've learned to adapt: taking one-on-one trips with our kids to places we're excited to visit, bringing a babysitter when we can (even if it costs more), and setting expectations with extended family ahead of time. But still—traveling with kids rarely feels restorative. So when one mom shared she tapped out of her family vacation five days early, it felt instantly recognizable. Related: 8 Signs of Mom Burnout & Tips for Self-Care – Motherly The breaking point at the lake house Every summer, Kelly Hubbell packs up her three kids and heads to her in-laws' lake house. This year, she left five days early. The internet had plenty to say, especially about the deeper truth her exit exposed: the invisible weight many mothers carry every day. In a now-viral Instagram post, with over 20,000 likes, Hubbell explained how illness, disrupted routines, and a chaotic lakeside BBQ with three kids under six pushed her beyond her limit. She and her husband packed up and headed home on day 12 of the trip. The response? A split screen of support and outrage. Payalforstyle: 'The difference in comments from men and women on this post tells you everything you need to know. Men still wish they married their silent suffering moms and pissed when that are held accountable to be being an equal parent.' Titusvdu: 'Cannot imagine my wife embarrassing me by leaving a family trip early and then seeing her post a book about it acting like it's acceptable behavior.' Nancyshuba: 'Maybe just keep family stuff to yourself. Not everything needs to be public.' Scmarta: 'What kind of child care were you expecting to be at this BBQ?' Chayes3200: 'Sounds like you don't communicate well. Why didn't you have support? Probably bc u didn't ask.' Some parents praised her boundary-setting. Others accused her of overreacting, embarrassing her husband, or, predictably, 'making it all about her.' Hubbell's story captured the quiet strain so many mothers endure: the emotional labor that builds with every unseen task and unspoken expectation. The myth of the 'relaxing family trip' Let's be honest: family vacations with young kids is often just like regular life at home, just with fewer routines and more wet bathing suits. Instead of rest, many moms find themselves in overdrive—responsible for everything from swim diapers and sunscreen to bedtime routines and emotional regulation. Family trips often magnify the responsibilities moms already juggle, especially when routines vanish and support systems are left behind. Research backs that up. A Gallup study found that 81% of working mothers report feeling burned out from the strain of 'managing it all'—from juggling meetings and school pickups to answering emails late at night. Add the pressure of being the 'chill mom' during family gatherings and it's easy to see why Hubbell's story struck such a nerve. These trips tend to expose an unspoken truth: moms often remain the default parent, regardless of how many adults are around. They're tracking swim diapers, sunscreen, snacks, and bedtime routines—while trying to smile and soak in the lake view. Related: 81% of working moms face burnout while 'managing it all,' Gallup study finds What happens when the default parent taps out Hubbell chose to leave—a quiet but powerful decision during a moment that demanded more than endurance. She didn't storm out. She just quietly decided to leave—before things got worse. Her decision resonated with thousands of mothers who are increasingly vocal about the unsustainable pressures placed on them. The idea that moms should simply 'make it work', often at the expense of their health, joy, and peace, is being questioned more than ever. These moments of refusal reflect a growing shift: mothers speaking out against the expectation to silently shoulder every challenge alone. Hubbell's takeaway: when the parent doing the most is running on empty, nobody wins. The kids suffer, the marriage strains, and the 'fun' family vacation becomes a countdown to meltdown. Related: Why every mama needs a weekend to do nothing When personal choices reveal a deeper cultural truth We're long overdue for a reimagining of what partnership, parenting, and rest should look like. That starts with questioning why it's still controversial for a mom to say, 'I've had enough.' Real support goes beyond surface-level self-care. Mothers need systems that share the workload and recognize the mental toll. And moms deserve real rest, not just 'trips' that somehow make motherhood even harder. Related: Mom of four shares genius road trip tips for all your summer plans The bigger picture Hubbell left because she was drained—and because staying any longer would've come at the cost of her well-being. Society rarely questions why she's carrying so much—it just critiques the mom who breaks the script. Vacations, like the rest of family life, reveal the architecture of our households. And if the default parent is crumbling while everyone else enjoys the lake view, it might be time to leave. Related: Go away, working mom guilt: I didn't have kids (or a career) in order to feel inadequate Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Yahoo
Burnt-Out Mom Leaves Family Vacation Early—and Sparks a Debate
Is this an unnecessary peace out, or protecting your peace? While parental stress season lasts year-round, it can really kick into high gear during the summertime. The irony is, it's often due to the very thing that's supposed to give us a recharge: family vacation. Even if you do plan the perfect trip six months in advance, the unpredictable is bound to happen—especially when young kids are in the picture. And it can cause a domino effect that sends everything spiraling. But what if you could it? Tap out. Call the game. Pull the plug. Whatever cliche you want to use to say you're leaving vacation early, you as a parent actually do have that power. One mom who was stressed out during a recent family trip with her in-laws shares how she remembered her "Eject Button" and pressed it hard. Abort Mission Kelly Hubbell, a 37-year-old mom of three (ages 6, 4, and 2), went on Instagram to explain how her family spends a few weeks at a lake house every summer with her husband's family. She writes that they love being there and spending time together, but it's "a lot to juggle." That's because they are traveling with young kids for over seven hours, including a flight, a car ride, and a ferry. But on this year's trip, Hubbell says that she was sick, which of course, depletes the energy and patience meters quickly. "Our youngest learned to crawl out of the pack + play. We were away from our usual routines. And after a 6-hour BBQ with three kids under six running in three different directions (in an extremely water safety hazard environment), I hit my limit," Hubble writes. So they left and went back home, five days early (which was on day 12 of their trip). In an interview with Today, Hubble says her husband "was disappointed and I know he felt guilty about it, but he understood.' Her in-laws? She says they're "taking it personally." Despite this, says she has no regrets about the decision, writing in the Instagram caption, "Despite what mom guilt propaganda might tell you, you ARE allowed to protect your peace." She adds that when one parent is running on empty (even during family vacation), everyone looses. "The only way your family thrives is when you do. When you are rested. When you are supported. When you have a system that actually works." Opinions Are Strong, but Mixed As for the responses in the comments, they are, of course, full of very strong opinions about this mom's decision. Granted, full context is lacking; and we don't hear any other perspectives about the trip. But it didn't stop commenters from giving their two cents. Many applaud Hubble for her agency: "12 days is about 10 days longer than I can stay with anyone. Family or Friend. You did good mom!" empathizes one responder. "On my way home now early from the same situation. Go us," writes another. "You totally did the exact right thing. Self-care then family care! If you're exhausted, then everyone else is missing out on your best you," comments someone else. But other commenters aren't so rosy about how it went down. "You're the problem," writes one commenter, bluntly. "You would never let your husband pull this stunt if it was your parents lake house," another assumes. A commenter who isn't so definitive responds in part with, "I'm on the fence. I get why you left. But from the end result I'm assuming there was no game plan between you and your husband before you left." Continue To Count the Cost As parents and as adults, we're constantly counting the cost of our actions—even when we don't necessarily have options to weigh. While it can be a really hard for some of us to put ourselves first (mentally, physically, and emotionally), the cost of not doing so will eventually catch up with us. This is especially true for those of us who feel obligated to please others. I can't say that's what this mom was feeling when on this trip, but she certainly didn't have enough in the emotional bank account to stay. So I can't blame her for wanting to leave. However, I do wonder if there could've been a more cost-effective way to handle this with her husband, either before they arrived or before they left. Not knowing exactly how the conversation went down or what other options were on the table, it's tough to draw too many conclusions like those in the comments. Twelve days is a long time, though. Was the length of stay discussed between mom and dad? Did other family members offer to ease some of the burden? Was mom accepting of help? These are answers we likely won't get. But having been in somewhat similar situations with my own family in the past, I can say there is often at least some compromises that can be made with good communication. Either way, it's absolutely true that self-care is important—for you and for your family. And getting there might require making a quick withdrawal. Read the original article on Parents Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
20-07-2025
- Yahoo
Tired mom leaves vacation with in-laws early to ‘protect her peace' — and doesn't have any regrets
Kudos to this mom. Spending too much time with in-laws can drive anyone bananas — let alone for a few weeks. One woman took to social media to share that while on an annual family vacation with her husband's side of the family, she decided to leave early and never look back. Kelly Hubbell is a mom of three children, all under the age of seven. The 37-year-old and her family recently trekked up to a lakefront home in upstate New York — which required a 5-hour flight, 2-hour drive and a ferry from Oregon — to spend time with her husband's family. Everyone was all under one roof — which meant Hubbell and her family of five were crammed into one bedroom for what was supposed to be 17 long days. The scene sounded just as chaotic as one would imagine — hyper kids running all around, dealing with in-laws of all kinds and being far away from home. By day 12 — Hubbell had had enough and it didn't help that she was also feeling under the weather. 'I was just feeling really overwhelmed,' Hubbell told So, the 37-year-old packed up her kids and decided to leave the family vacay a few days early. 'And every year, I try to show up with a smile and make it work, not because we don't love being there, but because it's a lot to juggle,' she explained in her Instagram post caption. '…I hit my limit. So we left. (On day 12 mind you). Five days early. No apology. No regret,' she continued. Hubbell was well aware that her husband was bummed and her extended family might gossip about her early deperture but the inspiring mom put herself first — something many women often struggle doing. 'Despite what mom guilt propaganda might tell you, you ARE allowed to protect your peace.' This mom isn't the only one who reached her breaking point on this type of trip. A survey of 2,000 US travelers pointed out that 34% of people don't consider visiting family as a real 'vacation.' 71% of the survey participants said they often feel like they need a vacation from their family vacation to truly unwind and relax. Six in 10 travelers admit to enoying the quality time with friends and family — but they are often left feeling exhausted by the end. Solve the daily Crossword
New York Post
20-07-2025
- New York Post
Tired mom leaves vacation with in-laws early to ‘protect her peace' — and doesn't have any regrets
Kudos to this mom. Spending too much time with in-laws can drive anyone bananas — let alone for a few weeks. One woman took to social media to share that while on an annual family vacation with her husband's side of the family, she decided to leave early and never look back. Advertisement Kelly Hubbell is a mom of three children, all under the age of seven. The 37-year-old and her family recently trekked up to a lakefront home in upstate New York — which required a 5-hour flight, 2-hour drive and a ferry from Oregon — to spend time with her husband's family. The family traveled from a far for the annual vacation — but this 37-year-old mom felt 'overwhelmed' and decided to leave early. Elenathewise – Advertisement Everyone was all under one roof — which meant Hubbell and her family of five were crammed into one bedroom for what was supposed to be 17 long days. The scene sounded just as chaotic as one would imagine — hyper kids running all around, dealing with in-laws of all kinds and being far away from home. By day 12 — Hubbell had had enough and it didn't help that she was also feeling under the weather. 'I was just feeling really overwhelmed,' Hubbell told Advertisement So, the 37-year-old packed up her kids and decided to leave the family vacay a few days early. 'And every year, I try to show up with a smile and make it work, not because we don't love being there, but because it's a lot to juggle,' she explained in her Instagram post caption. '…I hit my limit. So we left. (On day 12 mind you). Five days early. No apology. No regret,' she continued. Advertisement Hubbell was well aware that her husband was bummed and her extended family might gossip about her early deperture but the inspiring mom put herself first — something many women often struggle doing. 'Despite what mom guilt propaganda might tell you, you ARE allowed to protect your peace.' This mom isn't the only one who reached her breaking point on this type of trip. A survey of 2,000 US travelers pointed out that 34% of people don't consider visiting family as a real 'vacation.' 71% of the survey participants said they often feel like they need a vacation from their family vacation to truly unwind and relax. Six in 10 travelers admit to enoying the quality time with friends and family — but they are often left feeling exhausted by the end.
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Mom Feels Overwhelmed on Vacation With In-Laws ... So She Leaves. Would You Do the Same?
After 12 days vacationing with her husband's family under one roof, with children ages 6, 4, and 2, Kelly Hubbell reached her breaking point. The kids were staying in one bedroom, fueled by ice cream and running on barely any sleep. Hubbell, 37, says she spent her days chasing toddlers around a lakefront property in upstate New York, gasping for a moment's breath. To make matters worse, she was sick. 'I was just feeling really overwhelmed,' Hubbell tells So, she left — and shared her decision on social media, to mixed reactions. With less than a week left, Hubbell chose not to stick it out and instead decided to fly back to Oregon. She asked her husband, Shane, to deliver the tough news to his parents that they would all be leaving. 'He was disappointed and I know he felt guilty about it, but he understood,' Hubbell reveals. Her in-laws, whom she says she loves, were less accepting. 'They're taking it personally,' she adds. Hubbell opened up about the early departure on Instagram, posting a candid video of herself and her kids aboard an airplane. In the post, she acknowledged that while Shane was 'bummed' and his family was still talking about the abrupt exit, she had no regrets about cutting the visit short. 'Despite what mom guilt propaganda might tell you, you ARE allowed to protect your peace,' Hubbell wrote. "(News flash: you don't get a medal for being the 'easygoing' one.) Because when you're running on empty, everyone loses.' She says that when mom is 'running on empty' the impact ripples through the whole family: Tantrums escalate and joy is harder to come by. 'You're allowed to say: 'This isn't working.' 'I need support.' 'We're going home,'' she continued. 'The only way your family thrives is when you do.' Hubbell's position struck a nerve, prompting a wider conversation and a wave of mixed reactions. Some applauded her for speaking openly about burnout and boundaries; others viewed her departure as selfish. 'So because you haven't learned to regulate your own emotions as a grown adult, the whole family had to suffer? This isn't a win, ma'am,' one person wrote. Other comments include: "I've done this twice on both sides of our family. Everyone ends up getting over it! Hurts in the moment but your sanity is most important to keep you and the littles alive.' 'You ruined your kids' trip, your husband's time with his (aging) parents, and made it weird for everyone else... because you were tired? That's not self-care. It's narcissism.' 'I probably would have just said 'all right, your turn' to my husband and then locked myself in a bedroom and read an entire book.' "Bravo for doing what worked for your family and your sanity." "It's perfectly acceptable to go home early. It's also OK to just stay home. Moms and parents are allowed to do whatever they need to do to remain sane.' 'On my way home now early from the same situation. Go us.' For Hubbell, the experience highlighted the need for greater empathy toward families traveling with young children, and the heavy mental load that usually falls on the primary parent, often the mom. 'We were at a six-hour barbecue, and I didn't have the luxury of sitting back with a cocktail and enjoying a grown-up conversation because I was constantly running after my kids,' she says. 'There were so many water hazards, and what I've found is, if everyone's watching your kid, no one really is.' She's hopeful that her in-laws will eventually sees things from her perspective. 'I adore them. We share so many moments of joy together,' she says. 'But it had become an unhealthy situation, and my anxiety was through the roof. Sometimes, you just have to stop people-pleasing. It's not selfish, it's protecting your peace." This article was originally published on Solve the daily Crossword
