The Art Of Travelling With Your Family
Tip #1
Family Traveling
What are family holidays all about? Getting to spend quality time together? Getting away from the normal day-to-day routine of life? Giving everyone the chance to relax and take things slow? Experiencing new places and culture? Going back to familiar haunts everyone loves so well? Before anything else, check out our last post about Four Things To Consider When Booking A Holiday With Small Children.
Yes, all of those.
But there is one thing I have left out – the travelling.
It’s a rare family indeed where every member of the travelling party actually enjoys the travelling to the holiday destination. Very rare indeed.
But those who do enjoy it are probably the ones who have got the travel planning down to a fine art.
And yes, it is an art, because it takes a fair bit of skill and guile to do it right.
Of course, this applies mainly to those families that have young children from zero years right up to those in their late teens. If you’ve got years of toddler friendly holidays coming up, then it is especially advisable to bear the following in mind.
That’s because children get bored during long journeys. It’s a fact. Sure it can be arduous and taxing for adults, but it’s usually the children who will let everyone under the sun know just how bored they are!
So…
Art of Travel Tip #1 – make sure you have plenty of toys and activities to keep your children entertained during the journey. But only if they don’t get car sick. Books, puzzles, small toys are all good to take for any car, train or plane journey. Though these days it’s a blessing that kids can play with hand held video games or listen to hours of music in quiet-headphoned solitude with their mobile phones or iPods.
These modern devices are of course extra handy during quiet or “bored” times when the kids have had enough of all the combined family jollity and just want a few moments space to themselves. But do make sure you have enough spare batteries and that all their leads and other peripherals have been packed. It will quickly turn into a nightmare situation if you arrive at your holiday destination and they’ve forgotten the charger!
So in essence, it means you, as parent/carer, have to supervise their packing to a certain degree. You may not think you have to, that they should have the responsibility that it’s good for them to learn about looking after themselves. Ordinarily, I would agree – but you’re talking about a holiday here.
And it is one you are supposed to be enjoying too.
For that reason, it is always better to check and double-check everything your child is packing or wants to take, just to be sure. You will be oh-so grateful later, even if you’re kids think you are fussing unnecessarily!
Yes, all of those.
But there is one thing I have left out – the travelling.
It’s a rare family indeed where every member of the travelling party actually enjoys the travelling to the holiday destination. Very rare indeed.
But those who do enjoy it are probably the ones who have got the travel planning down to a fine art.
And yes, it is an art, because it takes a fair bit of skill and guile to do it right.
Of course, this applies mainly to those families that have young children from zero years right up to those in their late teens. If you’ve got years of toddler friendly holidays coming up, then it is especially advisable to bear the following in mind.
That’s because children get bored during long journeys. It’s a fact. Sure it can be arduous and taxing for adults, but it’s usually the children who will let everyone under the sun know just how bored they are!
So…
Art of Travel Tip #1 – make sure you have plenty of toys and activities to keep your children entertained during the journey. But only if they don’t get car sick. Books, puzzles, small toys are all good to take for any car, train or plane journey. Though these days it’s a blessing that kids can play with hand held video games or listen to hours of music in quiet-headphoned solitude with their mobile phones or iPods.
These modern devices are of course extra handy during quiet or “bored” times when the kids have had enough of all the combined family jollity and just want a few moments space to themselves. But do make sure you have enough spare batteries and that all their leads and other peripherals have been packed. It will quickly turn into a nightmare situation if you arrive at your holiday destination and they’ve forgotten the charger!
So in essence, it means you, as parent/carer, have to supervise their packing to a certain degree. You may not think you have to, that they should have the responsibility that it’s good for them to learn about looking after themselves. Ordinarily, I would agree – but you’re talking about a holiday here.
And it is one you are supposed to be enjoying too.
For that reason, it is always better to check and double-check everything your child is packing or wants to take, just to be sure. You will be oh-so grateful later, even if you’re kids think you are fussing unnecessarily!
By Mitch Wicking
A journalist and reporter for many years Mitch enjoys investigating Life's little wonders for consumercheckpoint.co.uk and Crylla Cottages. Born and bred in London, father-of-three Mitch now lives and works aboard a beautiful narrow boat on a peaceful marina in the heart of England which he shares with his Leicester “duck”/muse.
