You are planning a great summer get-away with your two little ones. What do you need to plan to make sure the trip comes off without a hitch?
Destination. Is the destination one that is of interest to your kids? Water, amusement, and theme parks are usually a big hit.
Method of travel. Is the method of travel appropriate for your kids? If the destination is more than four hours from your home, your kids may find the drive time trying. For trips that involve more than an eight hour drive, you may be well served by flying if your kids are very young, active, or impatient.
Dining. Are you eating three balanced meals each day . . . in a setting that is kid-friendly? On days in which an extended period of time is spent in your automobile or in an airport, a low calorie, low sugar meal is recommended.
Snacks. Do you have healthy snacks in the car, airplane, and motel room? Snacks hold kids’ interest (for a while), provide nourishment, and can be used as a reward (i.e., “If you can go five minutes without asking, ‘Are we there yet?’, I’ll give you a snack.”) Healthy snacks include fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, granola bars, string cheese, juice boxes, breakfast cereals, etc.
Clothing. Is the clothing that has been packed for your kids both comfortable and situationally appropriate? Having you done contingency planning on the kids’ clothing? For example, if you are heading to a climate that is warm during the day but cool in the evening, have you packed shorts as well as a coat? If you are heading to a warm climate, have you packed a light sweater just in case there’s an unseasonably cold spell or you spend time in an excessively air conditioned building? Have you packed extra clothes just in case there’s a juice spill?
Toys and games. Do you have toys and games to keep your kids occupied while they are in transit or while they are in the motel room each evening? Toys can hold kids’ interest (for a while) and can be used as a reward (i.e., “If you two can go without arguing for the next ten miles, I’ll play the license plate game with you.”) (The license plate game involves people trying to find license plates from as many states and foreign countries as possible. Often, people keep track of who sees license plates the fastest.)
Luggage. Is the kids’ luggage on wheels? Can the kids pull their own luggage? If you have to juggle luggage for everybody, you will be exhausted before your vacation has barely begun.
Naps. Does your schedule allow for naps for the kids (and yourself)? Young kids have a lot of energy and can run wild at times, but they need to nap at some point during the day to avoid fussiness later on.
Babysitter. Parents often joke that they need a vacation to recover from their vacation. Vacation exhaustion can be mitigated by a mid-vacation date night. We at Care4hire.com can help you find a trustworthy babysitter in your destination location so that you can take an evening for a quiet, romantic date with your spouse.