Spring break is the time of year that many families escape the routine of work and school schedules in order to have some family fun. Many families book vacations in advance and dream about the perfect getaway up until their departure date. In order to come remotely close to meeting that perfect image, parents must be mindful of the needs of their children. Remember, happy children equates to happy parents.
- Prior to booking the vacation, make sure that everyone has a current passport. Talk to your family doctor about required immunizations or medication that is required for the travel location. Speak to a pharmacist about what should be included in your travel medical kit and inquire about whether you need to bring car or booster seats.
- Choose the resort or vacation location wisely. Check to see if the resort has a kids club or a kid friendly food menu. To avoid stopping at other resorts on the way and adding extra time to your itinerary, you may also want to book your own transportation to and from the airport.
- Children adjust to change best when they know what to expect. Prepare your child ahead of time. Talk about your travel itinerary, show them pictures of where you going and describe some of the activities that you may participate in.
- Be mindful that you are traveling with children. Do not book excursions that are not child friendly. Don’t take them off the beaten path to expose them to different cultures unless you know it’s safe and you can insure sanitary water and food. Don’t try to fit too many activities in on one day and allow some unstructured down time for everyone to relax.
- Keep in mind that children thrive best with routine. Try to stick to consistent eating and sleeping schedules. When exploring away from home it is often helpful to provide each child with their own backpack with familiar items from home. In the pack children should also have access to their own snacks and drinks.
Like I said before, if children are happy, parents will be able to also sit back and enjoy the vacation they dreamed about because everyone’s needs are being met.