Simple Tips While Traveling with Children
As a mother, wife and travel enthusiast, I have learned a number of things about family vacations through trial and error. Having an amazing stress free trip with children may seem impossible to some, but by incorporating a few simple tips into my family’s adventures, I have realized that this truly can be done.
1. When planning a trip for the whole family, you’re going to need a great list. There are some really amazing apps out there that can change the way you plan and pack for your vacations. Packing Pro is one example that can help you fully prepare in the weeks leading up to your trip. This handy app helps you make detailed lists with a check mark and label system. If you've got a lot of stuff to do, this is the perfect tool to help you get it all done in time. For everything from paying the dog sitter to packing spare batteries, this will have you covered.
2. The phrase “family friendly” is thrown around a lot in the travel industry to appeal to parents and families looking for their next vacation destination. I have learned that it is worth the time and effort to research what that phrase means for each facility. For my bunch, family friendly essentials include a fridge and microwave, to keep bottles cold and warm up leftovers after a long day of play. If you plan to eat at your hotel, make sure they have a variety of options on the kid’s meal (or that they even have a kids meal!) Truly family friendly accommodations may provide jungle gyms, arcade rooms, kids clubs and even indoor water parks. When my family of five went to Hawaii, we chose a family friendly resort that had a wading pool, a top rated children’s club as well as an excellent spa facility. Finding a balance between great kid entertainment and a top rated Honolulu hotel wasn’t hard with a little research!
3. A distracted child is a happy child. Spending hours in the car or on a plane can be very uncomfortable, particularly for children who have not mastered the art of patience. Lessen the possibility of a bored, restless child by packing some small new toys to amuse them. The novelty of the item makes it interesting for a longer period of time. However, don’t underestimate the power of a familiar favorite. In a crunch, use your imagination! I have heard countless stories of how entertaining a cup of ice or a bendy straw can be for even the fussiest child.
4. One of the biggest things my husband and I have to keep in mind when we are traveling with our children is the time zone. Before taking the kids, it didn’t matter whether we gained or lost an hour. But with little ones, that shift can greatly affect their schedules. A week before a trip west, we try to stay up a bit later to prepare for the adjustment. When we travel east, we make sure to go to bed and wake up earlier. This works for adjusting naptimes as well, if you anticipate a conflict. Although you wont be able to completely avoid the jetlag for big time differences such as Hawaii, you’d be surprised how much 15 minutes here and there can help your overall acclimation. The more proactive preparation, the sooner you’ll all be having fun in the sun.
With that, below is a short bio on Kendra. If you'd like to learn more about traveling with Kendra follow her on twitter at https://twitter.com/KendraThornton.
Travel Industry Publicist and Spokeswoman
Thornton is, "37 and a mother of 3. Before being promoted to the full time position of mom, I was the former Orbitz Director of Communications where I was able to travel all around the world. Personally, I've been to 28 countries on 6 continents, and have been quoted in the news about seasonal travel trends and destinations all over the United States. I have now stepped out of the corporate world to take on the role of being number one wife and mom to my family."
She comes from a family of travel agents and founded Thornton Public Relations LLC in April 2005 in an effort to bring strategic and low cost public relations to start-up and established travel, consumer and technology companies. Thornton also appears regularly as a travel expert on ABC, CBS, NBC and CW affiliates across the country to share travel trends, tips and deals with millions of viewers every year.
Thank you Kendra, for your interest in "This Chaos Called Life."
No comments:
Post a Comment