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Is going on a pesach program actually relaxing?
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amother
Apricot


 

Post Mon, Feb 12 2018, 2:47 pm
I'm near losing my sanity lately from work, stress, health issues, etc and because we have so many kids, we can never get away for more than a night or two. We're thinking about dropping major dollars on going to a local, non exotic location pesach program. I'm figuring it will be fairly low key, but who knows.

We have 7 kids from 2-15 and the older ones can watch the younger ones. But is it super stressful having to be dressed up, making specific meal times, etc? I know this should be the worst of my worries, but I'm trying to evaluate if what I need relaxation wise is what I'll get from a program or if I'll end up being stressed like usual.
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elisheva25




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Feb 12 2018, 2:53 pm
I don’t know. I haven’t been to one .
But with a family of 9 you will spend a fortune and a some more for even the cheapest program
What about going to Florida and renting a villa there and making Pesach there .
Yes it costs $ but not insane $
It’s very very late in the game to get a cheap house there....but still less than a hotel
What do you get in Florida ?
Warmth
House with a pool.... major free entertainment for kids all ages
Change of scenery
Minyan for your husband
You can pm me
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pesek zman




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Feb 12 2018, 2:53 pm
If you can afford it go

It's not relaxing but you don't to clean or cook! That's a month of 'relaxing' instead of slaving! I can't stress this enough.

It's not a weeklong vacation, it's a month long
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amother
Vermilion


 

Post Mon, Feb 12 2018, 2:59 pm
Op how confident are you? If you’re insecure yes, it will be a stress. But if your good being yourself why is it stressful to get dressed for a YT meal?
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amother
Chocolate


 

Post Mon, Feb 12 2018, 2:59 pm
Yes it’s very relaxing for me but I don’t have lots of kids. My kid goes to day camp everyday so I have a break. I don’t have to prepare any meals. Clean. Cook. Serve. There is a 24 hour tea room where I go so if I don’t want to go to a meal I don’t. And can always get food from tea room when I’m hungry. I go to a warm place so I just sit outside all day. Talking to friends. Watching my baby. But I can see how staying local may not be so relaxing because you and yours kids may feel cooped up in your room.
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cnc




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Feb 12 2018, 3:01 pm
amother wrote:
I'm near losing my sanity lately from work, stress, health issues, etc and because we have so many kids, we can never get away for more than a night or two. We're thinking about dropping major dollars on going to a local, non exotic location pesach program. I'm figuring it will be fairly low key, but who knows.

We have 7 kids from 2-15 and the older ones can watch the younger ones. But is it super stressful having to be dressed up, making specific meal times, etc? I know this should be the worst of my worries, but I'm trying to evaluate if what I need relaxation wise is what I'll get from a program or if I'll end up being stressed like usual.


For me this would be stressful . The younger kids may likely be cranky because they're off schedule and there are late night meals and they’re in an unfamiliar setting.
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amother
Sienna


 

Post Mon, Feb 12 2018, 3:10 pm
cnc wrote:
For me this would be stressful . The younger kids may likely be cranky because they're off schedule and there are late night meals and they’re in an unfamiliar setting.


Right and I’m thinking about everyone sleeping in the same room...

If you are going to a place like Oppenheimers you don’t have to be worried about clothing...

I’m a real homebody and not so self confident so I like to stay home. I’m much more comfortable in my robe and snood and I sleep better in my own bed ... since I don’t go away much for a time like Pesach I hire extra cleaning help ... a lot extra and I try to make Pesach a week early (if not more) so I don’t need to feel that last minute stress. That’s what works for me.
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elisheva25




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Feb 12 2018, 3:14 pm
As someone mentioned also think about sleeping arrangements
How would you manage with everyone sleeping in same room ?
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amother
Copper


 

Post Mon, Feb 12 2018, 3:18 pm
Someone just shared with me that they overheard two people talking:
"Where did you go for pesach last year?"
"Last year, it was a mechaya! We stayed home, hired a cleaning crew and a catering company with waiters. We didn't have to shlep anywhere and we had all of our amenities that we live in house. To top it all off, we saved a ton of money!"

That may be your best option. Then, while the cleaning crew is doing their job, you go to the spa and get taken care of.
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amother
Chocolate


 

Post Mon, Feb 12 2018, 3:19 pm
ONE ROOM!!! that doesn't sound relaxing to me. Why don't you stay home and get some food catered
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pesek zman




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Feb 12 2018, 3:47 pm
amother wrote:
ONE ROOM!!! that doesn't sound relaxing to me. Why don't you stay home and get some food catered


Honestly if you can only afford to go away by putting 9 people in 1 hotel room, then stay home.
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cnc




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Feb 12 2018, 3:53 pm
pesek zman wrote:
Honestly if you can only afford to go away by putting 9 people in 1 hotel room, then stay home.


This. No one is going to sleep for 8 days!
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amother
Orange


 

Post Mon, Feb 12 2018, 3:55 pm
I find it very relaxing. The most difficult part is all being in one room and the kids being off schedule, but we're not really in the room at all except for sleeping. Kids go to day camp, so I have a large chunk of the day to do whatever I want. I don't really care about fashion, this has not prevented me from enjoying the program and making friends (and even if it did, well, it's one week of the year and you'll never see them again). Meals take place at certain times, but they usually last for about 2 hours, so you don't have to get there right when it starts. Also, the tea room has plenty to eat, so if you skip a meal, you won't go hungry. I find it very relaxing and thank Hashem that we are fortunate to be able to go.
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Blessing1




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Feb 12 2018, 3:58 pm
For me it wouldn't be relaxing at all. I'd rather rent a house or villa & order in food & be able to be on my own schedule & lounge around in a robe all day. The thought of being in a hotel suite for so long with the kids that need their beds at night doesn't sound so relaxing.
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heartinzion




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Feb 12 2018, 4:01 pm
We went to hotels for many years and then last year we stayed home but ordered all our food from Pomegranate. It.was.amazing. and we are doing it again this year.
For me personally, cleaning isn't stressful so I do it myself bit if it's stressful for you, why not hire cleaning help? For me, the cooking is most stressful.
Use the hotel money on ready food and cleaning help and enjoy pesach at home not cramped into one room and doing Seder with a million strangers and not being able to come to meals in your robe when you want to.
That's my opinion. We liked home more than hotel.
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ra_mom




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Feb 12 2018, 4:23 pm
It's relaxing if you don't have to also care for young children. It sounds like something you could enjoy in a few years time.
Kids in a new environment, off schedule, in foreign beds, in close quarters at night, keeping track of them in a large complex as they want to run around, getting them dressed for meals and changing them often when dirty; it's stressful.
In your circumstance, it sounds like it would be relaxing to take a smaller percentage of that money you'd use at a hotel and use it to:
1. Schedule a deep cleaning crew so pesach cleaning is done in one day
2. Purchase ready cooked food and cook the ones that are easier for you and you prefer homemade
3. Hire cleaning help to come on pesach itself to keep the house clean, clear up after meals, cut fresh veggies and things like that.
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octopus




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Feb 12 2018, 4:38 pm
Sounds like a nightmare.
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amother
Firebrick


 

Post Mon, Feb 12 2018, 5:01 pm
The stresses for me were:
- getting kids to bed when the other kids were still up
- having to be both in the room and out of the room at the same time. Like when some kids are up and need to run around and others are still sleeping
- missing the bulk of meals, because when a young kid is done, they need to run around, and the older kids got resentful of having to leave the table, so I went. Plus, suppers when kids were already asleep.
- timing of non-buffet meals. Younger kids didn't wait so well until we were served.

Without young kids, or with older kids who didn't mind waking up early or leaving meals early to take care of the youngest, it would have been good.

I second that a house in Florida was cheaper, with catered food and flights, and had built in entertainment. But my kids don't like Disney, so there was no pressure to take them.
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amother
Apricot


 

Post Mon, Feb 12 2018, 5:02 pm
We won't be in 1 room. The kids would be in one room, and we'll be in another. Maybe we'd take the baby.

It won't be warm where we're considering.

Re: Florida, I looked up airfare and that would be over 5k alone. With the cost of a villa and food, I think it's going to surpass the cost of a local program by far. I've also done the whole vacation thing where I rented a place on a resort and did all the cooking. It wasn't even pesach but I spent almost all day every day on my feet cooking, cleaning, and doing laundry.

I'm thinking a program so the middle kids have camp and there's entertainment and I don't have to worry about them.

I'm pretty confident. I would wear a snood and robe to a meal. Just don't know if others would want to talk to me like that LOL

The cleaning isn't so much of a big deal. I usually hire someone to do it. I just need to manage it. Even if I do takeout, I'm cringing at the thought of having to rewrap and portion things, be responsible for heating and reheating and planning meals. I've made pesach myself for the past 14 years, and I'm no stranger to shortcuts and no fail easy meals. I just really don't want to do anything this year.

Really, my dream is just to lay in bed like a beached whale, have my kids come and go as they please, be entertained all day without me, and not have to lift a finger to cook, serve, or clean up after meals. And to be served when I do show up to meals. Can I expect this as a reality if I go away?

The programs I'm looking at have good entertainment options, games rooms, camps for the younger ones. The off-schedule thing is a valid concern though for the 2 year old and maybe one other.
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33055




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Feb 12 2018, 5:03 pm
I don't see where apricot said it was one room.

I don't like going away for Pesach for all the reasons mentioned. It is expensive, and you are on someone else's schedule. DH loves going away, and I find Pesach much more relaxing at home. But I do have plenty of help and have a Pesach kitchen.
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