Preparing for a Family Vacation Means Consideration for All

07/04/2017

Written by: Jenny Daniels

If financially able, no family ought to go a full year without taking a vacation somewhere. Even if it’s just a few hours away, it’s great to break from home for a week or so to experience someplace new and refreshing.

Of course, there’s the planning aspect, which if bringing multiple children of varying age along, seems daunting to say the least. Parents are responsible for the entire brood and must plan accordingly. Failure to do so could mean a week of toddler drama, teenage boredom, and everything in between.

However, this apparently difficult task can be made easier with some simple steps made in the process. Once a destination has been settled upon, it’s just a matter of ensuring everyone stays relatively entertained and at ease for the majority of the trip. Sure, tantrums and headaches are still bound to happen, but the number will be greatly reduced if willing to consider the following:

Comfort

Maybe it’s a day spent in a big city zoo, or perhaps it’s visiting Winnie the Pooh? Regardless of the vacation destination, chances are there will be a lot of walking and waiting involved. The key to keeping kids happy while walking and waiting is by having an eye for their comfort.

Children aren’t very good at knowing what’s contributing to their aggravation. It could be ill-fitting clothes, high temperatures, or simply not staying properly hydrated. Parents need to be on the lookout for these and other potential causes of grief for kids.

For instance, take the time to ensure their clothes aren’t going to cause chafing after several hours on foot in high heat and humidity. This might call for packing highly-rated soft clothes for sensitive skin and lotions designed to prevent rashes from forming. Otherwise, aches and pains may spoil a day dedicated to visiting a unique destination.

Travel Time

Despite the wonders of modern transportation, we aren’t quite at the point where families can instantly teleport to another part of the world. Traveling, whether it’s by plane, automobile, or a combination of methods, takes time and this time needs to be accounted for during the planning process.

Three hours waiting for a connecting flight is a flash in the pan when you’re 35 years old. This is because you’ve lived approximately 310,000 hours up to this point and three is a sliver of time by comparison. A nine-year-old, on the other hand, has only been alive about 82,610 hours and so three hours is a much larger chunk of their life experience to date. This is the core reason why time flies for adults and drags on for children.

Parents therefore often unfairly shrug off the boredom being announced by their children, having forgotten how car rides seemed to last forever in their own youth. Reduce this level of boredom by downloading movies and shows onto devices prior to departure and other methods of ensuring entertainment is nearby. We might want to think this is a form of coddling to be discouraged, but what adult today wouldn’t have killed for a smartphone to have in the backseat during their long car rides back in the late-90s?

Fun Times for All

Lastly, the itinerary settled upon prior to departure ought to account for everyone, at least at some point during the trip. This includes mom and dad.

This can be tricky because many destinations appear on the surface to be a one or the other situation. Travel to Philadelphia to pay tribute to many shrines of American history, but what’s a five-year-old going to do? Take the family to Disney World and what’s in it for the parents?

Well, in these two instances, a little research can prove useful:

-In addition to being the location of the Liberty Bell and where both the Declaration of Independence and US Constitution were adopted, the city of brotherly love has plenty for kids to see and do while visiting.

-In the most magical place on earth, parents can opt for staying at a Disney resort geared toward adults in exchange for bringing their kids to the epicenter of childhood fantasy come to life.

Families which are fortunate enough to travel ought to embark as often as possible. Where to is up to each individual family, but regardless of destination, it’s important to take into consideration important factors for reducing grief and increasing happiness for everyone coming along.