Taking a holiday as a family is one of the best experiences in the market, and it is priceless in my opinion living a few days away from the daily problems and trying new experiences is beautiful especially with your children. However, it can get a little problematic when it comes to doing it with children since it is pretty difficult coordinating those little angels since they are so full of energy and can’t quite stay in one place, and then they get tired instantly and don’t want to move, so it is an emotional rollercoaster all the time. Today I will list you some tips to have a better trip as a family, so your experience won’t be bothered by the little stuff, and you are always prepared to tackle any issues that may come. Let’s get on with it.
Things To Consider
First of all make sure that you have planned out extra time for everything, especially for boarding flights, trains, etc. You might think that going from security to the gate will last you about three minutes tops, however, by the time you are coordinating your children out of the taxi, checking in at the airport, getting your strollers and bottles through TSA and then actually going to the gate while your child asks for a snack and a drink is going to take more than three minutes. This is not just for flights and boardings, this also means for museums and restaurant visits, you have to allocate extra time for everything, and once you do that and keep your expectations lower you will have a beautiful time.
Next up it is extremely important to not overpack and bring familiar things, part of your child’s daily routine, and just the bare essentials. I know that many of you boast that you can carry pretty heavy bags for longer times, however, nearing the end of your trip your child will be extremely tired and you will have to carry a child on your arms plus tons of luggage. So pack as little as possible, and don’t worry too much about it since there are children at your destination as well, so you can buy anything you may have missed or have overlooked there, just don’t stress it. On top of that the less you bring the easier, it will be to pack and to place your souvenirs in your luggage. If your toddler is still very young, it would be a smart idea to bring your baby food blender with you, so you don’t have to think about food.
Another useful and important tip I can give to parents is to pre-book everything you can in advance, so you are not faced with any surprises, and to be honest, children don’t really like their routines to be ruined. If you are not sure where you want to stay, for example, a good trick is to book just the first night of your trip somewhere so you don’t fall into a long search with tired children in your arms. However, this doesn’t mean just lodging, pre-book everything you can to keep everyone satisfied.
Before you take your holiday and start your journey it is extremely important to explain everything to your children properly. This is especially true for first-time travelers, and as we know when children lose comfort they aren’t quite happy, and the more new things you add to the equation you are just risking things further. So to make things as safe as possible, explain every step of the trip to them so they wait for them with excitement, hopefully.
Oh, and also make sure to keep snacks handy so you keep your children occupied and happy at all times, and as you already know hunger makes a big difference in the mood of children. While booking also makes sure to ask for child discounts especially for big spendings such as transportation and hotels, however, why stop only there since tours, guides, entrance fees, and even restaurants will most likely have child discounts.
Hi! I am Kimberly, living in Huntington, NY. I’ve raised 4 beautiful children, and i started this blog to help new and upcoming mothers with parenting.