Everyone loves a good vacation, am I right? We can’t wait to have time away from work, life, routine, housework and so on and . . .
so forth. The thing is though, when you used to go on vacation, in your life before kids, that’s what a vacation was – relaxation. Now, with kids, you’ll find it’s changed quite a bit.
Vacationing with kids has many, many perks and great points but it also comes with some difficulties and a fair amount of work. When you think vacation with kids, don’t fool yourself into thinking it’s going to be relaxing, because it probably won’t be. It will however leave you and your family with wonderful memories. I still remember vacations from when I was little – even the one where I got chicken pox. Your children will appreciate you doing special things with them and just spending time together outside of daily life. There are ways to make vacationing with children a bit easier. Below are some tips that will definitely help make your vacation go smoothly.
Preparing for your family vacation:
Don’t over pack. We tend to think that kids need everything they use at home while away. The truth is being away from home and a regular routine is going to throw them off anyways, so you don’t really need to pack it all – you’ll probably just end up with sore arms from transporting it all. Remember that wherever you’re going, kids also live there and you’ll be able to get things you may have not packed but find you need. Keep things in mind like, will there be a washing machine? Will there already be things like high chairs and playpens? Asking if you don’t know, will help reduce the amount you pack.,
Leave plenty of time and don’t rush everyone. This applies to a few parts of your trip. Plan that everything will take longer with kids such as getting checked in at an airport or driving long distances. Kids need more stops, more time to get out and move around, more time to walk through an airport. They will also be able to handle less when out sightseeing than you. For example, don’t plan to visit four museums in one day, plan your trip accordingly.
Explain the trip and itinerary. Most kids like to know what they’re about to experience. Explain where you’ll be going, what they’ll be doing and how it’s all going to go down. No surprises (well okay you can leave a few little surprises) but the big parts of the trip should be explained so everyone knows what to expect and understands the game plan.
Snacks — It doesn’t matter where you’re going or how you’re getting there. Pack snacks. You absolutely never can predict when you may have to be in the car (or on the plane) longer than expected, and you will likely come to a time when there aren’t snacks available. When we go on vacation I like to get special snacks that we don’t have all the time. We also make fun trail mixes and bring already packaged things like granola bars (easy to store and not at all messy.) Snacks can change a mood pretty effectively.
Accept things can and will go wrong. On vacation kids get tired, parents get tired, accidents can happen, things get lost, you miss buses and so on. When travelling with kids not everything can be predicted or controlled.
Keep track of your kids. Like I mentioned above, being on vacation with kids does not mean you can kick back and relax (basically ever) unless you’re travelling with some terrific grandparents or other family members or friends who offer you some time off. Be on alert. You are in new places that none of you are familiar with. Go over rules, point out security guards or officers, make sure your children know contact phone numbers in case you are separated. It’s important to know your child. If your child is prone to wandering off make sure you consider how you are going to be able to keep track of them (you may consider one parent’s sole job as being responsible for them). It is easy to get wrapped up in figuring out schedules, talking in different languages, following maps and so on, so be prepared to keep track of those kiddos.
Travel with simple medicines. I can’t tell you how many times someone has landed sick while on vacation (like that time we drove eight hours with two kids simultaneously vomiting). Having pain relief medicine on hand in the middle of the night is pretty crucial. We now have a little bag solely for kids’ medicines and necessities for when we are away. It includes Tylenol, Advil, thermometer, cough drops, band aids, Polysporin, bug spray, sunscreen, calamine lotion, creams, and possibly a few more things.
Take pictures and enjoy the new experiences together. Get your zen on. Try your hardest to revel in the routine disruption and take in all there is to see in your new location. Take pictures. Get as many pictures as you can while away, it’s so nice to look back and remember each moment, even the trying ones. Sometimes I get hung up on things that have to be different while on vacation but I have to stop and remind myself we wanted to experience this. Nutrition, bedtime, screen time, behaviours and so on will resume normalcy when you return.
Above all else, live in the moment and enjoy each other.
Next week I’ll give out some tips and pointers I’ve found that help with airplane travel, for any of you that may be travelling in the next few weeks!
by Shelley Heaphy
