Traveling, in general, can be stressful for some people but when you throw children into the mix it can add to the anxiety and there is more organization and planning needed. As a parent it is great to see the kids playing on the beach, their bodies covered with wet sand as they run and out of the water, and turning a golden brown from being in the sun. But that is at the end of the planning process, so let’s rewind to the beginning.
Keeping kids entertained, involved in as many activities as possible, and making them feel part of the process is a great way to get them excited, and that they know what it takes to get these events off the ground. They have an opportunity to check items and things off a list by themselves, giving them independence whilst teaching them responsibility.
To help you with this preparation take a look at https://travelmamas.com/packing-lists/travel-with-children-checklist/, print off some checklists for them to get familiar with what is all involved, and when the time comes they will be well-versed in all travel essentials. Who knows, the next holiday may just be planned and organized by them (here’s hoping right?)
Kids are never too young to learn the ways of life, while schooling teaches them what the education system believes to be essential there is no greater lesson than the lesson of reality.
Kids and travel
Trying to get all the children into a bite-sized vehicle is never going to be fun, you need to think about spacing, comfortability, but still keeping in mind the all-important factor of budget. While these features are key to any successful travel excursion, you don’t want to end up driving a tour bus just to accommodate everyone’s needs, luggage, and wants. The right vehicle is going to be suited to your family dynamics, which has the personality traits that fundamentally cater to kids needs such as air conditioning, perhaps built-in DVD players into the back of the headrests, and also cup holders – because we know there is no trip complete without the crate load of juices and water bottles in tow.
A car is one of the 3 top organizational elements that can make or break a great holiday, the other two as we know being hotel and entertainment, but that’s a story for another day. You ideally want to hire a rental vehicle from a reliable and reputable company and one that won’t break the bank or lead you into large amounts of debt just to get from one place to the other. Look for deals, show around and compare prices, and have a limit to what you are willing to spend and accommodate. TheÉtats-Unishas a large variety of options and a selection of what is available on the market when it comes to the best pricing for car rental, with careful research and due diligence in homework you will get the best deal for your money and your needs.
Car hires aspects
For some people certain features are a must-have, others not as much a priority, knowing what is important to you will help to narrow down your search and options, and once you have done this you can look and compare the finer details of each.
The great thing about hiring a car abroad is the luxury to come and go as you please, to simply load the kids in and head off to the planned, booked, and deposit-paid-for activity on the list. There is no waiting around for the public transport to arrive (which could be at any time if you don’t know the schedule), no hassling to find the phone number for the local taxi company that may or may not overcharge you knowing you are a tourist (because we know that this does happen), a rental car offers a stress-free alternative to the ‘we’ll find transport when we get there’ version.
Packing essentials.
Believe it or not, some basics need to be packed when driving with children that, if they aren’t, could be a headache and nightmare of a component for the entire trip.
Parents around the world have tweaked and altered foundation lists of what to do or not to do, let’s take a look at some of the most commented-on elements that have worked for a better travel experience.
• Hygiene. This may not seem important but before you know it there will be a spill of a drink, a smear of a candy or chocolate bar and suddenly there is screaming for mom to get it off of sticky hands and car doors. Be sure to pack plenty of wet wipes, tissues and toilet paper, and a large bottle of water to rinse off those melted MnM’s.
• Power banks. These are great for a few hours of peace in the sense that if a phone or tablet battery is running low halfway through a movie you can quickly plug into an extended power source for them to continue and finish the film. Be sure to charge them when you arrive at hotels or the accommodation and keep them in your daily travel bag.
Other handy tips for traveling and more so with younger children click this link to see if anything you have already thought of can be added to and make the trip that much easier.
• Food & drinks. I don’t know about you but this is something I ensure of no matter where we are going to. It may only be a half an hour drive to the grandparent’s house but I make sure there is a snack pack included for those niggly moods and moments when one sibling has not woken up on the right side of the bed.
You want to have enough hydration, snacks to tide them over and to take their focus off of the time it takes to get to the destination, and having them pick through a safari mix and see how many raisins they can count is easier than you may think.
A final thought
Everything is packed, the checklists are filled with ticks of completed tasks and now it’s time to load the car you have chosen for the holiday and head off to the hotel. While it may not be perfect you have done all that you can and the rest will come as it may.
True, travelling can be stressful especially having kids with your trip. And it is a must to consider everything from the vehicle to all the things that should be brought with the trip. And good to make a checklist of all the needed things for the journey. Then when everything has been set, just enjoy the trip even if there would be bumpy roads ahead
This is really amazing. I really agree to it that kids are never too young to learn the ways of life, while schooling teaches them what the education system is no greater lesson than the lesson of reality. It's better to educate our kids about life as early as possible for them not to be in a wrong way. It is also better for them to make a good decision when the right time comes. Seeing your kids happy is really amazing. That's why parents give their best to give all they can to give the best for their kids. Just like in traveling.
True, travelling can be stressful especially having kids with your trip. And it is a must to consider everything from the vehicle to all the things that should be brought with the trip. And good to make a checklist of all the needed things for the journey. Then when everything has been set, just enjoy the trip even if there would be bumpy roads ahead
ReplyDeleteThis is really amazing. I really agree to it that kids are never too young to learn the ways of life, while schooling teaches them what the education system is no greater lesson than the lesson of reality. It's better to educate our kids about life as early as possible for them not to be in a wrong way. It is also better for them to make a good decision when the right time comes. Seeing your kids happy is really amazing. That's why parents give their best to give all they can to give the best for their kids. Just like in traveling.
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