Traveling with kids can be fun and
rewarding. It is all about planning. Here are some tips:
Develop the checklists
Before you pack, put together a
checklist for each person traveling. The checklist should
consist of all of the things the person will need during the
trip. Take into account the weather, the activities the person
will have, the events the person will attend, and the length of
the trip.
You can help the big kids
packing for themselves by giving them their own checklists. When
they are done packing, you can go through the checklists with
them again to make sure everything is packed. For the younger
kids, in addition to their clothes, diapers, baby food, gears
and gadgets, don't forget to bring medicine for them as well.
Tylenol or Advil would come in handy when it's 1:00 AM and your
child has developed a fever after a day at the water park, for
instance.
We all know during the trip,
unless we're camping in the woods, we can always go and buy
things that we forgot to bring. However, why should we spend
more money and time to buy things that we already have at home?
A well packed trip will help us save money and time and minimize
stress or frustration.
Plan for the activities
If your destination is not
family-friendly, you can make it family-friendly. It's all up to
you. You can plan ahead the activities for the kids, the places
for the family to enjoy meals together, and/or the events
suitable for all ages. Activities for kids don't have to be at
an amusement parks or kids club; in fact, a day at an
all-natural quiet beach can fascinate the kids and imprint in
their minds good memories.
The internet is a great source
to look for activities, events, or places to spend time with
your kids. If you can't find much information via the search
engines, you can always post your questions on the online
forums, the locals will be happy to provide you valuable
information.
If you're going on a cruise,
check and see if they offer kids club. Beside of Disney Cruise
Line, Carnival is also reputable for its outstanding kids
programs.
Plan for traveling time
I have to admit the technology
has made parenting easier. I'm not talking about having the
technology babysit the children. When it comes to those
long-hour flights or road trips, movies and video games are big
saviors.
If you prefer not to let your
kids watch movies or play games, you can prepare a couple of
family games to play with the kids on the plane or in the car to
kill time. Younger kids can play with new toys or color new
coloring books. Please note that the toys or books should be new
to keep the kids interested and busy longer.
Cure the hunger
As a mother, my biggest fear is
to see my kids hungry or cold. I panic when their stomachs growl
while I don't have food on hand. That's why I always remember to
bring snacks to the hotel room. This way I won't have to rush
out of bed in the morning to go get breakfast for my kids.
Snacks can't replace the nutritious breakfast but at least it
can help relieve the hunger for awhile. Anyone with more than
one kid would understand getting everyone ready in the morning
is like moving the whole circus company; it can take up to
hours. Anytime during the process of getting ready, someone can
easily pop up and say, "Mommy I'm hungry." That's when you panic
and wish you have just a few crackers on hand.
Of course you can always order
room service from the night before; but room-service breakfasts
at some hotels are ridiculously expensive. Some hotels serve
free breakfast in the lobby, but if you don't want to scare
people by appearing in the lobby in your lounge gown with no
make-up and flat hair, you'll need to get up extra early to get
ready to go fetch breakfast before your kids wake up. In the
event you're the only parent traveling with young kids, you
can't leave them in the room by themselves. So please remember
to leave some snacks in your bag. You'll need them sooner or
later.
Be creative
Things might or might not turn
out the way you had planned your trip. Be creative and
substitute things or activities you can find on the spot. For
example, substitute the fridge with the hotel provided ice
bucket; heat up things with hot water; use the sink or your
spouse' lap as your baby's bathtub (with your spouse sitting in
the water); push the bed against the wall if you forgot to bring
the bed rail; use a napkin to tie up your daughter's hair during
dinner if you forgot to bring her hair tie; etc.
Relax and enjoy
Last but not least, no matter
how wrong things have turned out, remember to take it easy on
yourself and everyone. Things already happened and you can't
change anything. Just relax and enjoy your time with your
family.
I hope you and your kids will
have a fun trip filled with beautiful memories!
