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Traveling is one of the great joys of life, and you may be thinking that now the new year is here, you want to make some extra time to get away from it all and explore places you’ve never seen before. We all love to experience new things, and it can be the perfect opportunity to unwind and feel relaxed. However, it’s not quite as easy to do when you have a family to contend with.

 

Going traveling with your family is a little more stressful than going on your own or as a couple, because you not only have yourselves to look after, but the kids too. It can make things much more complicated than you initially thought- and it might cause you to give up on the idea completely and stay at home.

 

But don’t stop there, we have some tips which will help you navigate your jet setting, with family in tow, which may just be what you need to stop you from pulling your hair out and giving up.

 

At the Airport

 

The airport can be a stressful place for any traveler, but when you have a whole family, their luggage and everything else to sort out, it can feel like more trouble than it’s worth. If you want to avoid the airport, you could go by car or even look at types of private jets to rent: however if you do end up going on a passenger plane, you might want some of these tips:

 

 – Check your items. Don’t run the risk of having to sort through your luggage when you reach the security gates- instead, pack everything you need in your hand luggage and then the rest can go into your suitcases, not to be worried about.

– Bring car seats for the kids. It is not a guarantee when you rent a vehicle overseas that you will be given a car seat suitable for your child. Although it will be a little hassle at the airport, taking child car seats with you will make the trip much easier when you get there.

– Practical Luggage. A lots of the time, as cool as a suitcase may look with a superhero on it, it will likely not be the most practical option. Rather than letting your kids go through the airport with tiny suitcases, pack everything in your large suitcase to keep everything safe and together.

– Bring entertainment. Airports always involve long waits for your flight to be ready for boarding, and in this time your kids can become bored very quickly. To stop them from throwing a paddy and becoming unmanageable, bring some form of entertainment to the airport with you. A phone or tablet with a film on could be the perfect remedy to keep the kids busy and out of your hair.

Food

 

Children get hangry on a totally different level than us, if you thought they were bad when they are stressed or tired, don’t let them become hangry. When traveling with children, especially fussy eaters, it is essential that you keep snacks with you at all times. Always prepare snacks in advance before you reach the airport because you don’t know whether they will have everything you need. Take some time to work out what your kids like and what will manage well as you travel. Ideally things like small sandwiches, crisps and fruit would be al things you want to bring with you on your travels. As soon as you reach your destination you will also want to buy in some snacks to last you a few days of trips out.



Plan Well

 

The only way you will make your trip successful for everyone involved is to plan it down to the last detail. Make sure you have every document, every piece of clothing, snacks, entertainment and money ready the night before to save you stress on the morning of the trip. Here are some extra tips to help you out:

 

– Research your destination. There are several things you will want to know about where you are visiting before you set off. The first thing is the availability of restaurants and supermarkets. The worst feeling is landing in the middle of nowhere and not being able to find somewhere your children are happy to eat. Remember, kids can be fussy so check with them and show them the type of food they will be expecting. Secondly is the climate. You may be going to a warm country, but that doesn’t mean the weather will be great every day. Check weather reports and make sure that you pack extra clothes just incase it rains unexpectedly. It is better to pack too much than not enough. Finally, you will want to look at the things you can do during your stay. You will want to take a look at what resorts are close, where there is to go for a walk, and whether there are any tourist attractions or theme parks to visit with the kids. Try and come up with an itinerary for the stay before you go: that way you will take the stress out of finding where to go, and you won’t need to worry about finding places. Make sure you record travel routes too so that you know how to get to places.  

–  Let go. Although you do need a certain level of organization and planning when you take your family away, you must also remember to let go and enjoy the time you have. The most crucial thing is that you are spending time with the people you love the most, and that should be your main focus when you are jet setting the world. You are away to get away from work, the stress of daily life and to experience new things. Make sure you immerse yourself in everything there is to offer and have some fun with it. Your kids and your partner will love it more if you live in the moment and get involved!

 

I’m editing and adding one more thing that it important! Plan for the unexpected! Something will always go wrong so be prepared by just accepting that one little fact. Your trip won’t be 100% perfect. Not everything will go off without a hitch. Plan as much as you can but like you said, just let go and enjoy yourself. ~ Thank you Andrew for reminding us of this!