10
KEYS TO A
STRESS-FREE
FAMILY VACATION
By Tanni Haas, Ph.D.
A
family vacation is a wonderful opportunity to
take a break from our busy, daily lives and do
fun and exciting things together. But how do
you ensure the vacation ends up being as relaxing as
you’d hoped? Based on my own experiences as well as
conversations with other parents, I’ve pulled together a
list of 10 keys to a stress-free family vacation.
Take It Slowly
If you want to have a stress-free vacation, take it slowly
and leave plenty of time for everything. If you’re
flying somewhere and need to be at the airport two
hours before departure, give yourself an
extra hour. If you’d originally planned to
visit two or three local attractions a day,
spread them out over two or three days.
Schedule some downtime every day. A
good rule of thumb is that the pace of
6 | V O L U S I A parent M A G A Z I N E
the trip should be set by what your youngest kid can
handle.
Pack Only the Essentials
Pack only the absolute essentials. Don’t do what our
family used to do, which was to lug around heavy
suitcases. Even in the smallest of towns, chances are you
can buy most of things that you need. It’s always a good
idea, however, to pack emergency essentials like a first
aid kit as well as over-the-counter-medication for colds,
headaches, motion sickness, and upset stomach.
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,