Traveling with your family can be a blast, but it can also be exhausting. As much as we love our kids, they’re not always easy to handle, especially when we go on vacations that involve a lot of moving around and doing things they might not always be interested in. While it’s almost a given that we may get frustrated with our children when we go on vacation with them, there are plenty of things we can do in order to soften the blow and prepare for potential difficulties. Here are a few tips to make family travel a little easier in 2022.
Keep Kids Busy While Traveling
After a long period of sitting, kids tend to become more active and restless, which can make them a potential candidate for motion sickness if you’re flying at 30,000 feet. To keep them busy, pack a variety of activities they can do to keep them busy, be it on a plane, train or car. You might want to bring their favorite toy or a coloring book. With technology where it is today, you can even bring a tablet or let them use your cell phone so they can have fun with a kid-friendly app. You can even let them watch a movie or TV show!
Make Sure You Have Buffer Time
The stress of traveling with your family can be overwhelming, especially if you’re rushing to get to your destination. Giving yourself enough time to get there will help minimize the impact of your trip on your mental health. Unfortunately, there are some emergencies that can prevent you from getting to your destination, such as ticket cancellations or traffic jams. However, with a little bit of planning and flexibility, you can still make sure that you get to all of your destinations on time.
Create A Trip Itinerary
If you’ve planned your trip well, then creating an itinerary can be easy. However, if you have one, make sure that it’s in your purse or pocket so that it can be easily accessed by you and your kids. Having a list of activities that you’re planning on doing next will help keep the kids focused on the fun. One of the worst things that can happen is for your kid to be constantly asking what they’re doing next, so by letting them in on the itinerary, they’ll always have something to look forward to.
Expect The Unexpected
It’s always important to expect the unexpected. This can mean leaving extra luggage space for souvenirs you’re bringing home or bringing an extra change of clothes for yourself or the kids in case a mess is made. If you prepare to be hit with surprises, you’ll feel less frustrated when they actually happen.
Don’t Forget About Your Own Needs
It can be easy to forget about your own needs when you’re looking after your kids. However, you can’t expect to take good care of them if you’re not getting enough sleep and eating properly. To ensure that you’re getting enough sleep, book a room with two full beds. You can also pack snacks such as crackers and cheese to avoid buying unhealthy food at the gas station or airport.