Bring Plenty of Snacks
One exception to this “rule” is to
pack plenty of snacks. Kids get
cranky or “hangry” when they
need something to eat, and they
need it ASAP! Snacks will keep the
kids satisfied at all times, and the
truth is that you never really know
when you’ll be able to feed them
their next proper meal. Whether
you’re waiting in line at the airport
or you’re stuck in traffic on the
highway, snacks always come in
handy. Sometimes, you may arrive
at your destination only to discover
that the kids don’t like, or won’t
even try, any of the local food.
Make Reservations in
Advance
Most people like to be
spontaneous. There’s nothing
more satisfying than doing
what you want to do whenever
you feel like it. But, when it
comes to vacationing with kids,
uncertainty can also be stressful.
Consider pre-booking not just
your transportation and hotel,
but also the local attractions you
want to see and restaurants where
you want to eat. When things
are booked in advance, you can
just relax and enjoy each other’s
company.
… and Entertainment Let the Kids Own the Trip
In an ideal world, the kids will
spend hours quietly looking out the
car window, mesmerized by what
they see, or they will be so excited
to be on a plane that they won’t
need any other entertainment.
That’s rarely the case, though. Kids
often get bored by things adults
find fascinating, and vice-versa. So,
pack lots of entertainment, like
tablets loaded with their favorite
movies and games. Kids can get restless and needy
when they’re taken out of their
usual routines, constantly asking
what they’ll be doing next and
why. One way to avoid this from
happening is to include them in
planning the trip from choosing
the destination, to discussing how
best to get there, and what to do
when you arrive. When kids take
joint ownership of the vacation,
everything becomes so much more
fun and exciting to them.
Bring Books and Cameras
Bring books and cameras. It’s okay
to loosen your usual restrictions
on electronic gaming a bit – after
all, the kids are on vacation. Still,
try to also engage them in more
educational ways. Bring hard-copy
books or download them onto
your electronic devices. See if
you can get some great books on
audio. Kids love listening to a good
story. Kids also love taking photos,
so bring cameras for everyone,
especially for the young ones who
don’t have smart phones.
Accept That Things Can Go
Wrong
It’s great to look forward to your
vacation, but don’t expect that
everything will go exactly as
planned; that’ll only stress you
out when something unexpected
happens. It may take longer to
get to a local attraction than
you’d planned, and once you get
there you may find that it’s closed.
Sometimes you just have to go with
the flow.
Split Your Duties
One of the best things you can do
for yourself and your partner is
to split up your duties. Instead of
trying to do everything yourself,
which can be stressful, take on
different responsibilities or rotate
them during the trip. For example,
one of you can be responsible for
making restaurant reservations,
and the other for figuring out how
to get to and from the hotel and
local attractions.
Keep Everyone Safe
It can be hard to keep track of
the whole family. If the kids have
their own smartphones, make
them download tracking apps so
you always know where they are.
For younger kids, write down your
contact information and secure it
in a safe, concealed place on their
body, like sewn into a pant pocket.
When you’re boarding a local bus
or train, decide who’s going on first
and who’s going on last to ensure
that no one gets left behind.
F L A G L E R parent M A G A Z I N E | 7