You may think of the hotel as just a place to sleep. But picking
the right accommodation is key to planning a family trip. That
cozy bed and breakfast may seem romantic on paper, but if your
kids are bored to tears, nobody's going to have any fun.
Look for accommodations that are family-friendly. Find out in
advance if your hotel offers a supervised children's program
with safe, educational, and fun activities, and care-givers
who are trained in childcare and emergency procedures.
Other features to seek out are adjoining rooms or suite accommodations,
a children's swimming pool, babysitting services, rollaway cots
and cribs, and child-safe electrical outlets.
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Making Family Travel
More Enjoyable |
"Enjoyable Family Trip"--was that an oxymoron when you
were growing up and taking trips with your siblings? Maybe it
was, but it doesn't have to be. There are many things you can
do to make travel as a family more stress-free, fun, and memorable.
First of all, be realistic about the kind of vacation that will
be suitable for your family. Choose a vacation that offers attractions
and activities that are age-appropriate for your children, as
well as interesting and entertaining for all of you. For example,
a trip to Washington, D.C. might seem to be the perfect educational
family trip. But keep in mind that children under the age of
six probably won't enjoy walking up and down the Mall in 90-degree
weather, touring one huge monument after another, and listening
to adult tour guides talk endlessly. And if your children are
unhappy, you inevitably will be too.
Involve your children in the vacation-planning process. Well
in advance of your departure date, encourage them to learn all
about your destination, with the help of books, maps, videos,
TV programs, and the Internet. Point out places of interest
that you will be visiting, and read together about the local
culture and attractions.
Let your children have a say in deciding what clothing and
other items they bring along. If possible, try to allow each
child to have his or her own bag of clothing, accessories, and
toiletries for the journey. It's also a good idea to let your
child bring along a favorite unbreakable toy or a cherished
storybook; these familiar objects usually prove very comforting
to children away from home.
To keep your child healthy and comfortable during the rigors
of travel, be sure to bring any necessary prescription medicines,
along with copies of the prescription, in their original containers.
Don't forget general first-aid equipment, including sunblock,
insect repellant, a thermometer, children's pain reliever, antibiotic
ointment for cuts and scrapes, anti-diarrheal medicine if you're
traveling outside the country, allergy preparations as necessary,
and ipecac to induce vomiting in case of poisoning. During car
trips, encourage your children to look out the window to minimize
car sickness, and during plane take-offs and landings encourage
them to nurse, suck on pacifiers or candies, or chew gum to
help equalize the changing pressure in their ears.
If your travel plans involve long hours on a plane or in a
car, you'll need to have certain items on hand. To keep your
children occupied and entertained en route, bring along non-bulky
items such as playing cards, video games, stuffed animals, coloring
books, and crayons. You should also carry an overnight bag with
a change of play clothes, a swimsuit, night clothes, and diapers
for each child, so that you can make your kids comfortable immediately
upon arriving, rather than having to unpack and search through
your luggage while your children grow more restless and cranky.
Also be sure to carry moist towelettes or baby wipes; they'll
serve double duty if you have to make a pit stop at a lavatory
that has less than satisfactory sanitary conditions.
During the vacation itself, encourage your children, especially
older ones, to take part in planning each day's activities.
You might want to give each child a disposable camera for the
trip, along with guidance on using it, so he or she can collect
his or her own travel memories. After the trip, these photos
can be placed in an album dedicated solely to the child's vacation
photos.
Plan some grown-up time for the adults. If competent childcare
services are offered by your hotel, take advantage of them and
treat yourself to a couple of afternoons or an evening to focus
on activities and relaxation for just yourself or for you and
your partner. You'll most likely return to your role as leader
of the pack more easygoing and less frazzled.
Above all, plan for the fact that traveling with the whole
family will be different from traveling only with other adults.
Traveling can be hard work even for adults, and if your kids
are like most, they will at some point get tired and cranky,
will quarrel with each other, will change their minds about
what they want to do at a whim, and will suddenly realize they
need to go potty when you've finally made it to the head of
the It's a Small World line. So don't try to force the good
times: Keep each day's itinerary flexible; be sure to schedule
some "down time" when everyone can relax; and remember
that a successful family vacation depends not on the amount
of territory you can cover, but on the quality of time you spend
together.
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Keeping Baby Healthy
and Happy During a Long Flight |
Flying with an infant can be all work and no play: The infant's
confused by the noise, turbulence, and altitude; you're rattled
by the change in your comfort zone, surroundings, and schedule.
But even with all this, the fact remains that infants travel by
plane every day. Parents and their children get through it unscathed,
and so will you. It just takes patience, flexibility, and a good
dose of planning to avoid pitfalls and attend to problems as they
arise.
Before You Leave Home
When making your flight reservations, you'll be faced with
a few options. Most major airlines allow children under the
age of 24 months to travel free, provided that they sit on their
parent's lap during the flight. However, you may luck out if
the seat next to you is empty--in this case, your child may
occupy it, as long as you've brought a car seat along. (Be sure
to attach an index card to the car seat with your name, address,
and phone number)
Infants traveling on most international flights need to have
a so-called "infant ticket." While these special tickets
vary in price from airline to airline, they usually cost about
10 percent of a regular adult fare and allow the child to travel
on the lap of the accompanying adult. Again, one infant is allowed
per traveling adult. Infant tickets need to be purchased prior
to departure and can be arranged through the airline.
If the thought of having your baby on your lap for six hours
isn't appealing, you may want to play it safe and reserve a
seat for your little one. (Discounted fares for infants--up
to 50 percent off adult fares--are available on most major airlines.)
And, if possible, plan your itinerary around the baby's sleep
schedule and request a bulkhead seat for additional space.
On international flights, some major airlines provide bassinets
(large enough to accommodate a six-month-old baby) free of charge.
Keep in mind that they may only be used when the Fasten Seat
Belt sign is turned off. Just remember to request a seat near
the bassinet area when making your reservations.
When packing for your trip, make sure to bring a separate diaper
bag along with all the necessities. Of course, wet-wipes, rash
cream, pacifier, bottle, Band-Aids, prescription medicines,
diapers, pediatrician's telephone number, healthy snacks (for
mom), and a change of clothes for both you and your baby are
all must-have items. For safety reasons, always carry a recent
photo of your child with you. And don't forget to pack a blanket
for your baby to cozy up to, as airplane cabins can get quite
chilly.
On the day of your flight, allow yourself plenty of time to
get to the airport--you'll need the extra minutes to organize
yourself, your belongings, and your baby. At the gate, take
advantage of pre-boarding and get yourselves comfortably situated
before the plane takes off.
While the Baby's on Board
During takeoff and landing, try nursing or bottle-feeding your
infant, as the baby will likely need to be comforted most during
those times. Also, drinking or eating helps to alleviate any
ear pain caused by the pressure as the cabin adjusts to the
altitude. Flight attendants may warm bottles for you, providing
they have the time to do it, but you'll have to furnish your
own formula and baby food.
The hum of a plane in flight and its slight lurching and bouncing
actually help to soothe some babies. But there is a good possibility
that your infant will respond to her confusing environment by
shrieking and wailing. Give her a pacifier, try to feed her,
distract her with a toy, hold her close, get up and walk around
the cabin--do whatever usually works to calm your baby down.
If your efforts to console her fail, apologize to those around
you and keep your cool. Your baby is likely to sense your irritation
through the tone of your voice and the tension in your body,
which may prompt her to cry harder. Relax and know that this,
too, shall pass.
And lastly, remember this: People all over the world are charmed
by infants. Just smile, introduce your baby to fellow travelers,
and enjoy some quality time with your little one.
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Packing Essentials
for Parents |
To keep your child healthy and comfortable during the rigors
of travel, be sure to bring any necessary prescription medicines,
along with copies of the prescription, in their original containers.
Don't forget general first-aid equipment, including sunblock,
insect repellant, a thermometer, children's pain reliever, antibiotic
ointment for cuts and scrapes, anti-diarrheal medicine if you're
traveling outside the country, allergy preparations as necessary,
and ipecac to induce vomiting in case of poisoning.
To keep your children occupied and entertained en route, bring
along non-bulky items such as playing cards, video games, stuffed
animals, coloring books, and crayons.
You should also carry an overnight bag with a change of play
clothes, a swimsuit, night clothes, and diapers for each child,
so that you can make your kids comfortable immediately upon
arriving, rather than having to unpack and search through your
luggage while your children grow more restless and cranky. Also
be sure to carry moist towelettes or baby wipes; they'll serve
double duty if you have to make a pit stop at a lavatory that
has less than satisfactory sanitary conditions.
Let your children have some say in deciding what clothing and
other items they bring along. Children find familiar things
very comforting, which can really come in handy on a trip far
from home.
