This morning, I'm a guest on KATU's AM Northwest, an ABC affiliate TV show that airs in the Portland metro area. I'll be talking about traveling with kids and offering up advice on how to remain sane on family vacations. If you caught the segment and are visiting my blog for the first time, welcome.
Here are a few of the tips I'll talk about on the show. Please feel free to add to the list in the comments section.
Involve kids in planning. Dread hearing the words "I'm bored?" Prevent that from happening and get your kids excited about a vacation upfront. Rent movies and read books related to your destination. Get out a map and locate where you're going. Check out the hotel online. If your kids are reading, hand over the guidebooks and let them plan out a day or two of the vacation. Finally, be sure to pick a destination with age-appropriate activities--or even consider letting your kids pick the vacation spot.
Don’t rush. Kids thrive at a mellower pace. If you’re driving, stop every two hours—even if it’s just to let your children run laps around the car. If you’re flying, arrive at the airport at least two hours early. Little ones love airports and watching planes land and take-off. Many airports have children’s play areas: to locate these check out Cheapflights' Kids Airport Diversion Guide.
Remain calm. If you're stressed, your kids will pick up on it and throw a tantrum on the plane or melt down in the car. But if you're cheerful, your kids will travel happily and easily. Tensing up? Find something, whether it's counting to 10 in your head or sucking on a mint, that will calm you down. I like to carry Burt's Bee lavender spray in my purse. When my kids drive me nuts, I spritz some in my face and it relaxes me and prevents me from snapping.
***On the show, I'll also talk about ways to keep kids occupied on the plane and in the car. Click here for a past blog post listing my favorite travel toys.
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