Parents planning for a family holiday want to relax and let their kids explore new places and venues. It is a learning experience for the young ones who are enthralled by the environment and its little secrets .Whenever, family members decide to move out during winter or summer holidays, the children relish the fun as they can spend time away from the mundane routine of the school and studies. Mother and father should include the kids in decision making when they plan for the holidays. Sometimes taking them to a different city which they don’t like results in sulking or drooping shoulders. There are numerous strategies that should be adopted when the parents are travelling with the children because they need to be more responsible and receptive to the needs.
Relaxed pace:
- If you are visiting a tourist destination alone, it is a breeze because you can move around the city quickly, watch major attractions and head home. The situation changes when the vacation is spent with the family around. It is important to slow down and plan accordingly because the little ones will take a long time to visualize monuments and various attractions. One should make sure that not too many things are packed because it will increase the luggage weight causing discomfort during journey. During bad weather situations, the parents should stay indoors to ensure that the toddlers do not catch infection.
- If more than one family is travelling together, it is vital to know their preferences of the destinations and food. An important step to reduce stress is diving responsibilities to manage the children. It would make the trip a pleasure as members of both families will relish the moment. Moreover, they can also reach an agreement on sharing the expenditure of the trip to reduce the expenses by many notches. Travelling alone with family is an expensive option but expense sharing g arrangement could go a long way in making the tour exciting and financially viable.
- Sometimes children have special needs or requirements that have to be looked after while undertaking travel. In such scenarios, it is vital to travel with families having kids that require special attention. Visiting the site to know more information about the precautions will make the journey hassle free for the parents. To prevent any problem during the tour, tie an identity bracelet around the child enumerating the medical condition in detail. In case of emergencies, the doctor name should also be mentioned to ensure timely treatment.
- If parents have child suffering from allergy, it is necessary to carry a card that describes the condition in detail in the local language of the destination country. People travelling from western countries carry cards that are translated into 27 languages of the world.
- Parents moving with the toddlers can reduce the expenditure of the trip by agreeing to home swapping. It is a wonderful strategy because the kids would get toys and other accessories to play around in a homely environment. The arrangement is far superior to the accommodation in the hotel because the kids will probably not get the same atmosphere as home. A child proofed \house with necessary health care information ensures that the family do not face any problem when they arrive on a trip. Parents can engage their kids in a meaningful manner and could also move around the city to witness major attractions. There are many websites that provide the facility of swapping for the families with special kids. You can login and connect with the interested families to arrive at an agreement.
- Apart from the above mentioned option, other low cost alternatives include university accommodation however the space could be an issue for the kids and the family members. Farm arrangement is another option that allows the pets to be taken care of without any hassles. Parents can then move out and view attractions in a stress free environment.
- Prior to the vacation trip, the family should book the hotel reservations because they might not be available at the last moment. Moreover, the cost of the room also increases subject to its availability. Discount deals are offered by the international chains of hotels during the vacation. It is vital to ask for the complimentary breakfast as kids can hog on to nutritious food early in the morning. If the breakfast is not available it might be wastage of money that could lead to escalation of expenditure. You can also buy some snacks for the kids or breakfast during the trip.
- While visiting a foreign destination, the family can opt for child care facility for the toddlers to have a stress free journey. It should be a place where the kids can be really engaged instead of being bunched together and watching television. One needs to talk to the baby sitter and obtain more information on how the children are taken care of. Checking age specific activities can be a good option however the facility doesn’t meet your requirements; you can contact other agencies,
- Finding accommodation on arrival is a huge challenge even when you are travelling alone. Undertaking a trip with family without pre booking could become a night mare as the kids have to be attended to. Therefore, booking in advance is the only alternative left to prevent any eventuality during the journey.
- People who are travelling to other country should visit the doctor for medical checkup. In addition the kids must also be taken to the consultant to ensure that they get any vaccination required. Child with an existing medical condition can travel to a foreign land only when he or she is permitted by the doctor. Furthermore, the medical specialist should also be provided information about the blood group of the child. Toddlers are not provided jabs by the doctors.
- Kids are prone to endemic diseases such as malaria, therefore if you are travelling to countries where it is prevalent, try carrying mosquito repellant. One should visit the doctor and get more information pertaining to the anti malarial medicines that will go a long way in warding off diseases. For further protection cover the kids properly with clothes so that mosquitoes do not bite.
- Children should be administered anti malarial syrup however in modern scenario parent prefer tablets as consuming them is an easy and quick process. If the kids are not required to have the high powered pill, a cutter can be used to deliver dosages in small amount. As a result the child would be hale and hearty all throughout the journey and the parents can enjoy the vacation in great style.
- Some countries require the presence of the family including the kids when the visa is being provided for vacation. Therefore, one might need to travel to the embassy for identification before the visa is delivered. While travelling with children, the parents need to carry documents. For instance, if the kid is adopted complete papers must be furnished to the authorities. Single parents undertaking trip with the kid must ensure that the requisite consent is obtained from the other partner or it could cause legal problems from the long term perspective. \There have been many instances when the kids last name does not match that of the parent which creates doubt in the minds of the authorities about child trafficking.
- Some of the documents required to travel include the marriage certificate along with the birth certificate of the child. Prior to the start of the trip, you can engage the kids in project where they might be required to get more information about the destination place to be visited. As a part of the exercise the children can locate the place on the map and get to know about the climate, natural vegetation and important cities. Visiting a tropical county from a cold area could be a completely different experience for the kids. Hence, they can enhance their knowledge by exploring the local cuisines of the destination.
- The rule of the thumb of travelling states that one should carry fewer luggages while flying from one country to another. The charges of extra baggage are exorbitant and could lead to increase in\expenditure over a period of time. Some of the important tools while travelling including the small kid beds that can be folded or extended depending on the requirements and specifications. Carry cots are the best option that do not sag and provide a firm base for the toddlers to rest without any problem.
- Small baby cots play a stellar role in protecting the new born from the glaring lights or bright sun shine. They are provided extra covers to deliver sterling results without any problem. One of the most important advantages of the cot is that it can be disassembled and assembled as and when required. In present scenario slings have become a common alternative for the parents to carry kids while travelling from one place to other. You can instantly feel when the child is waking up or sneezing. It is important to know that slings are suitable for toddlers but can be uncomfortable for the grown up kids.
- Taking children on a trip can be a tedious task but one can use prams to ensure that the stroll around the city is peaceful and wonderful. Even if the kid is walking, he or she can take rest in the pram when tired. Another important innovation is small bed in which a toddler can lie down while the parents are hogging into the restaurant.
- Travelling involves lots of documentation and movement of luggage, therefore parents might not be attentive to children\. In such cases, you need to tie the tracker device to the kids so that the toddler doesn’t get out of sight. Some companies are providing child monitors that work like transmitters and provide exact location of the kid. Hence, you will always be close to the young one whilst enjoying the magic moments of the trip.
- Check in can be quite confusing as the parents have to manage the children as well as baggage. Air port authorities provide help on demand to the passengers ensuring seamless completion of the procedure. Single parents moving on the trip get top most priorities for check in to the flight.
- Parents with multiple kids can opt for the travel cards so that they could get discounts on the ticket to reduce expenses by many notches. Rail card is also available however identification of both parents is extremely necessary. While climbing into the bus, ensure the order in which the kids would occupy the seats to avoid confusion. There have been instances of accidents when the parents were careless about the well being of the children. Make sure that kids do not move too far from their seta because they might get lost. It is an important strategy to keep a tab on the movements of the children.
- Renting a car is considered to be a preferred option when travelling to faraway place. Parents must always ensure that kid’s seats are properly placed to avoid injury due to collisions or other issues. Toddlers can be placed appropriately so that they are protected by the seat belts and parents can drive the vehicle without undue stress.
- Rear view mirror must be positioned in such a way that you can watch over the kids sitting at the back of the car. It can prove to be a wonderful platform for monitoring their movement. Tropical places are generally hot; therefore if you are heading towards similar area make sure that kids wear cotton dresses that are not allergic to the skin. If babies are exposed to excessive heat for the first time, they would perspire a lot. It is vital to ensure that their clothes are changed periodically so that the body is protected from infections. Kid’s eyes must be covered with sunglasses when they go out in the sun.
- You should be aware about the hygiene of the food available in a different country and not eat outside at the cheap outlets as the contaminated food may cause infection to the children.