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Traveling as a family is completely different than traveling alone or as a couple. When you travel alone you decide everything from when you wake up to where you go for lunch. When you travel with kids, it’s all different. They decide everything.
Brittany from AlmostIndianWife.com is here today to share some tips to help you on your next family adventure.
Budget For Your Trip
Buy Groceries
Head to your local grocery store when you arrive to your destination. Most hotels offer breakfast, but you can pick up snacks and extras for meals throughout the day. This will help you save money and not spend it all on take out. You can even fill your purse with mess free snacks when you leave the hotel.
Plan Ahead Of Time
Set aside some time before your trip and plan out your days. Schedule the days you’re going to eat out and the days you will have a quick meal at the hotel. You can even look around and see what’s available as far as grocery stores and restaurants.
Pack Light
Find Out What Your Hotel Offers
You’ll be surprised at how many things your hotel will offer you. Call ahead of time and see what they offer families. Most of them offer pack and plays, breakfast in the morning, a small fridge, and a few other daily necessities.
Bring Essentials
In trying to be prepared, it’s easy to pack way more than you need. You try thinking about every possibility and end up filling your bags. Instead make a list of essentials. Keep in mind you can buy things like diapers and wet wipes when you arrive. You can also do laundry when you’re there if you are visiting someone you know or your hotel offers laundry series.
Jet Lag
Set A Schedule
If your trip is going to bring you to a destination in a different time zone, a schedule will quickly become your best friend. Schedule your days so your family will get the sleep they need. The hardest part of jet lag is your body doesn’t know when it needs to be awake or asleep.
Go To Bed With A Full Stomach
One reason you wake up at the wrong time when you’re dealing with jet lag is you’re hungry. Your body thinks it’s time to be awake because you’re ready to eat. Be sure to drink a glass of milk or have a snack before you go to sleep. It will help you sleep through the night.
Bring A Few Favorites From Home
Pack Your Children’s Favorite Toy or Blanket From Home
Traveling with your family means your entire schedule is going to be disrupted. Regardless of how hard you try to keep your schedule the same, it’s going to be different. You’re going to be in a different place, sleeping in different beds, etc. Bringing your children a little something from home will help ease the transition.
Down Time
Schedule Hotel Time
Vacations tend to become busy quickly. One thing you can do is schedule down time at your hotel. While you’re there you can read books, watch a movie, or let your kids play quietly. It helps everyone rest up a bit before you hit the town again.
Relax
Remember You’re On Kid Time
You can plan for weeks in advance and map out the perfect plans for your trip. However, at the end of the day you’re on kid time. Kids change everything and that includes your plans. Remember it’s ok. Things will end up taking longer and you won’t get as much done during the day as you expect.
You’ll Remember These Trips Forever
Things will be different than you expect, but one thing’s for sure… You’ll remember this trip forever. These trips become the ones you talk about as a family at every holiday. Remember those memories make it all worth it!
Written by Brittany from AlmostIndianWife.com
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