Taking a vacation with your little ones is always exciting – but doing so can be stressful. Traveling with children can be tough, especially if your trip requires flying or driving an especially long distance. Family vacations should ultimately be fun, so here are a few tips for eliminating stress when traveling with your kiddos.
Allow Yourself Plenty of Time
A stressful day of traveling is only made worse when you and your family are in a rush. When planning out your itinerary for your trip, be sure to be extra generous with time and allow yourself plenty of time for each task to account for traffic, long lines, and other unforeseen events.
Pack Light
Although packing for an entire family can be stressful and you might be tempted to overpack in order to ensure that you don’t forget anything, overpacking only leads to heavy bags that are frustrating (or impossible) to carry, extra baggage fees, and the possibility of more things getting lost. Keep packing to a minimum and your future self will thank you!
Bring Snacks
Hunger can ruin any trip, whether you’re waiting around at the airport or stuck in the car. In addition to planning meal times in advance, be sure to pack plenty of snacks for yourself and your kids to ensure that no one ends up hungry.
Keep Track of Your Child at Airports
When at a busy airport, avoid letting your child wander off by themselves to get a snack or use the bathroom. Always be sure that there is an adult with your child to keep them safe from hazardous areas with airport barriers and to keep them from getting lost or ending up in the wrong hands.
Stay Positive
No matter how thoroughly you plan a trip, things will almost definitely go wrong. Sometimes things don’t go according to plan and there is nothing you can do about it! Accepting this ahead of time and maintaining a positive attitude when plans change or things go wrong is the key to salvaging your trip, even if it turns out to be completely different than expected. Remember: your children likely do not care about the particular plan you have put together for vacation, they just want to take a trip and spend time with the family! Maintaining a positive mindset and attitude should things go wrong will ensure that your kids still have a memorable and enjoyable trip.