list
Family Trips
7 tips for a stress-free vacation
WRITTEN BY PAMELA HAYFORD
4. GET A PAPER MAP.
Trace your route with a highlighter
and mark your stops. Get the kids
involved in doing this. The kids will
learn some geography, and you’ll
have a backup if the GPS goes out.
5. PACK SMART.
When children help choose the
destination, they’re more likely to be
excited and helpful because they’re
invested in the process. One way
to get what you want is, instead of
opening the floor for suggestions,
offering the kids a few choices that
already have parental approval.
Sometimes your destination is a
foregone conclusion. Maybe you’re
going to visit family. In those cases,
enlist your kids’ help in the rest of
the plans, including interesting stops
on the way. In either case, a special
family meeting can help get this trip
off on the right foot.
20
MAY 2018 MONTCLAIR MAGAZINE
2. START A SAVINGS ACCOUNT.
If you try to anticipate your
expenses and have a pot of money
ready for your trip, you’ll be less
likely to stress out about money and
more likely to enjoy the time with
your family.
3. START PLANNING.
Part of the fun of the trip is plan-
ning what you’ll do when you get
there. Take the kids to the library and
check out books on your destination.
Make a list of sites you want to see
and activities you want to do. Some
will require advance reservations.
Discounts are often available when
purchasing tickets in advance.
6. HAVE SNACKS ON HAND.
Carry snacks that won’t make a
mess. Goldfish crackers and Cheerios
are great traveling foods for little
ones. Whole apples and baby carrots
can be great for the entire family.
Bring napkins or paper towels.
7. BRING A BLANKET AND
STUFFED ANIMALS AND/
OR A PILLOW.
Stuffed animals and pillows can
help prop little heads up when kids
start to nod off. Some families find
those U-shaped travel pillows helpful. ■
1. INCLUDE THE KIDS
FROM THE START.
Bring too much stuff, and you’ll
be miserably cluttered. Don’t bring
enough, and you may suffer the
wrath of bored children. Limit
in-transit entertainment to what can
fit into a backpack for each child.
Some good mobile entertainment:
books, small dolls or cars, notebook
and colored pencils (they can be used
for games like seeing who can spot
the most states on license plates).
Just make sure everything is
age-appropriate. Save movies and
electronic entertainment as a last
resort. Download movies and
digital books before the trip in
case the device’s Internet connection
is lost.