She left the family vacation five days early—what happened next reignited a parenting firestorm

Yahoo

23-07-2025

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
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