I am currently on a family vacation. It is the longest vacation that we have ever taken as a family – 2 weeks at a lake cabin. While it had been so wonderful to get away from it all (including television and internet access that works at more than a snails pace), it has had its challenges.
Knowing that many people in our neck of the woods are getting ready to travel as a family for one last fling before school starts, I thought that I would share some of the things that I have learned from my family trip!
1. Choose a family friendly place to visit (or at least one that has many things close by for your kids to do). I know this is the number one thing that you probably think of when booking your trip, but it is worth mentioning. There are a lot of hotels that now offer great packages for families with a variety of activities like scavenger hunts, kids eat free, etc.
2. Prepare your children- Let them know in advance where you are traveling. Talk to them about how long the car, plane or train ride will be, what they can expect when they get there, etc. This will help them to prepare mentally for the trip, but may not help you avoid completely the “are we there yet” syndrome.
3. Let your kids bring a reminder from home – if you are going to be sleeping some place strange, let your kids bring a favorite blanket or stuffed animal. I know that it may just end up being one more thing that you are afraid that they will lose, but nighttime in a strange place can be difficult. While the days on our vacation have been amazing, nighttime has been a struggle. Having something that is familiar has helped.
4. Don’t over plan – This may be difficult if you are traveling some place for only a few days. There is that urge to see and do as much as you can while you are there. However, with children, this can be a big mistake. If your kids are early risers, plan to do some activities early on and then maybe come back to your hotel or wherever you are staying for a swim and a nap mid afternoon. Then, you all will be rejuvenated to do some more family events in the early evening. Everyone will be well rested and happier.
5. Give kids their own day – if you are going on an extended trip, assign each child a day when they get to call the shots (within reason). This will help to give them ownership of the trip as well and will make them feel like they have had an important role in the vacation. We let our son and daughter have one day where they could choose what we ate for breakfast and dinner and what we did for the day. They LOVED this idea and it made for a really fun few days.
6. Take lots of pictures – this is a no brainer, but something very important to me, so I am mentioning it! While we always want to take photos of all of the great scenery, try to fit at least one member of the family in the photo as well. Remember to do something with them upon getting home! Don’t let your vacation remain a distant memory stored on your camera or computer. I will have plenty of tips and ideas for great things to create after your vacations in my next blog! One hint - if you are staying with someone, burn them a CD of the photos from your trip and make them a personalized thank you card with your favorite photos. This is a great gift and one that will be so meaningful! And of course - check out the template gallery on www.WhyStorybook.com to get many great ideas!
7. Talk to the locals- this has been the one thing that has always worked best for us. They are the one’s that really know the best places to eat, take the kids, shop, etc. We were able to find an amazing diner in town that proved to have the BEST breakfast any of us had ever eaten. The pancakes were the size of my kid’s heads and the bill did not break the bank!
8. Give the kids journals – no matter what age your kids are, give them a journal to write or draw in. These journals will end up being the best souvenirs that they will bring home and can also help with that first assignment of the new school year – the essay about what they did this summer! Match some of your great photos with what the kids write and you will have an AMAZING vacation book!
9. Pack your flexibility – even though you may be thinking that you are about to embark on the best vacation ever, you have to keep in mind that even the “happiest place in the world” can turn into meltdown central from time to time. There will be times when your kids will be cranky and you, the parent, will be exhausted. We have had many sleepless nights due to thunderstorms and just the fear of being in a new place. This has turned into a number of meltdowns on my kid’s part (and mine too!) With a little perspective and flexibility, we have been able to return to the great times that hopefully will live with our family forever!
10. Take a break – vacations are meant to be a time to relax and rejuvenate. While this may seem impossible when you are traveling with children, there are many ways that you can relax on your vacation. Don’t be afraid to leave the blackberry and computer at home for a while! Don’t feel guilty for sitting on the beach with a pina colada! You deserve it! Plus, you should be striving to make this a vacation that your family remembers as a time of family bonding! The work will still be there when you get back!!
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