Kimberley Klaver about vacation with toddler: ‘In one fell swoop my idyllic image exploded’
Our first holiday with the three of us. Usually we go out with the whole family and of course that includes my bonus children who live with us half the time. But because they were with their mother and had to go to school, this time I boarded the plane with Michel and son Julius. Off to the Greek island of Zakynthos, where I had to do research for my debut novel.
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To the cocktails
I could see it all in my mind: waking up relaxed, having a quiet breakfast, exploring the island, writing here and there, having lunch and having cocktails with my new fiancé. In short: all enjoyment. Especially since Michel had proposed to me before we left.
However, it soon became apparent that I had been quite wrong about certain things…
Julius woke up extremely early due to the tension and we were one of the first guests waiting in front of the breakfast room. Once at the table, the gentleman decided that he himself felt too old for a high chair and wanted to sit in a chair for ‘grown ups’. Then his croissant crumbled in all directions, he played with the yogurt and caught his eye on the elevator button a little further on. And I just walk back and forth with a cappuccino in my hand…
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Ice
After I quickly drank it, we – armed with reading material, notebook and laptop – headed for the beach. You understand: that laptop stayed in my bag and I didn’t read a letter, because my little man ran in all directions and sat in the same place for less than five minutes.
I briefly tried to put him to sleep by pacing the pram in the sweltering heat, but after less than a few minutes of dozing off, a child yelled: ICE! Sure enough, Julius was awake again. In one fell swoop my idyllic image of a mother reading while looking contentedly at her sleeping or playing child burst – my naivety never ceases to amaze me.
To keep Julius sweet, he got an ice cream after lunch while we ordered a cocktail. But when he found out that you can also walk fine with an ice cream in your hand, he ran off again and we had to go after him again. I’ve never eaten a cocktail so quickly.
Best trips of my life
Long story short: I had imagined the holiday a little differently. But I’m not complaining, because this trip is one of the best trips of my life. Precisely because everything turns out differently than you think. Precisely because the curiosity of my adventurous son inspires me. And precisely because you are forced to go with the flow of life. Julius learns from us, but we also learn from him. Conclusion? Cocktails go well with nice sand kisses.
Kimberley Klaver (34) is mother of Julius Laurens Alexander (2). She studied from the age of 5 to 15 at the dance academy of Lucia Marthas and later HBO Communicatie. She is known for Spangas, Vechtershart 1&2, co-host afternoon show Q-Music and as program maker of Badgasten and Known Baasjes at LINDA. TV. She lives with Michel, who has three children from a previous relationship.
