Traveling with your family adds another layer to your travel plans. You have to be prepared for all kinds of situations, so we've compiled five tips you can use while traveling with your family:
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1. Don't forget necessities!
Make a packing list before you travel to ensure you don't forget anything. Be sure to add these things to your list:
Medicine - Children's Tylenol, Benadryl, cough syrup and allergy medicine
Baby wipes - You can use them to clean surfaces, hands and faces. They are also great on a hot day to cool the kids' hot faces, too.
Snacks - Nuts, granola bars or oranges are great to have on hand for both road and air travel.
Nanny- If your budget can fit it, bring the nanny along! Then you will be able to have some quality me time while on your vacation.
2. Choose the right departure and arrival time.
If you have little ones, try leaving at night as you might get lucky and have your children sleep the whole way!
If you're flying to meet up with family, find out what time is convenient for you to arrive and figure out in advance who will be picking you up. Kiona of HNTTLABB says, "My family is large so pre-arranging a person for pick up is important because otherwise you [have] 17 different people volunteering and clearing their schedule to pick you up from the airport."
3. Be prepared for airplane travel with these tips:
Pre-plan. Check out the airplane seat diagrams and try to plan where you want your family to sit. You can sit across the aisles, near the bathrooms or divide and conquer if fighting siblings is a battle you know you'll have to fight.
Pre-board. Check with the airline to see if they allow pre-boarding for families with small children. If that is not an option, send in one parent with the luggage first, and have one parent stay behind with a child (or two) so they can move around until the last possible minute. There are also pre-boarding options for the elderly with mobility issues, and airport staff that are there to get them on and off the plane.
4. Choose your distractions wisely!
Bring along books and toys that are easy to pack, don't have a lot of loose parts and are entertaining. Forgot to pack the toys or they've lost interest already? No problem. Simply find some paper and pens, pencils or markers and ask your children to draw you a picture.
5. Lastly, relax and cut yourself some slack
If you expect there are going to be a problem or two, you won't be disappointed when they arise. If you get stressed when you can't find your hotel, your kids will get stressed, too. When you think of it as "exploring the neighborhood," everyone will feel better. Simply go with the flow and everything will work out!
If you're visiting a family member's home, learn what the rules are before you arrive. If they seem like something that won't mesh well with your own family's lifestyle, you may be better off renting a hotel or Airbnb. If you do end up staying at their house, make sure you get a copy of the key so that you don't have to worry about getting locked out.
Share with us - what's your best family travel tip? Leave a comment below, post on our Facebook wall or Tweet us. We can't wait to hear from you!
