How to Relax On a Vacation With Children

Vacationing with children can be fun.

Oh, who am I kidding? The vacation may be fun for the children; for the parents, it can end up being a nightmare of epic proportions. Recently, my friend and her husband went on a family vacation with her sister and the sister’s husband. The children, of course, came along. Between them, both couples had four children, all below the age of 10.

When my friend returned from her vacation, we all expected her to look refreshed and rejuvenated. What we found was a woman who was basically a ball of stress. She needed a vacation from her vacation.

Traveling with young children can be challenging, to say the least. However, it doesn’t have to become something that ends up stressing you out.

ShoutLo takes a look at how you can ensure that a vacation with children is actually relaxing.

Prepare Your Children in Advance

A vacation is going to be a huge change of scene, especially for younger children. To stop them from feeling frightened, talk to them about the vacation before it happens. You can make picture books to show them where all of you are going and ask them to draw their own ideas of what the vacation will look like.

Travel at the Right Time

As far as possible, try to travel around the time that your children rest or sleep. Depending on your destination and what your family can manage, you can fly, drive or even take the train. The mode of transport isn’t what’s important. Ensuring that the children experience as little deviation from their routine as possible is. This can end up being the whole difference between cranky, screaming children and curious, happy children.

Try to Stay in a Rented Home

Instead of going for a hotel, try to find a rented home to stay in whenever possible. There are so many advantages to this that this is what my parents used to do whenever they took us on a holiday. You can prepare your own meals, spend some time with your spouse once the children are asleep, recreate the same sleeping arrangements you have a home and even invite some guests. You have the privacy you would have at home, while the feel of a vacation seeps into your bones.

Plan Only One Event Every Day

Don’t overdo it. If there are too many things to do on your list, you’ll find yourself running around like a chicken with its head cut off – not the most relaxing scenario. Of course, your stress will also communicate itself to your children and that’s when the fireworks will really get started. Do everyone a favor and plan fewer activities. You’ll find that all of you enjoy yourself more.

Find the Appropriate Location

You know what your family likes to do better than anyone else. Pick vacation spots accordingly. If you have children who love swimming, then a vacation to the beach or a lakeside is definitely something you need to do. On the other hand, if your family enjoys hiking or camping, then that is the way to go. The main point here is that you need to plan a vacation that everyone will enjoy, most especially the children. Kids are pretty straightforward and they will let you know in no uncertain terms if they’re not having fun. Their methods of communication can be enough to drive anyone around the bend, so spare yourself and them.

These are some of the tips that can make your family vacation a truly relaxing experience instead of an event that leads you to contemplate murder or suicide or both. In the end, you know your family best so you have a better idea of how to make things work. Use these tips and adapt them to your family and have a great vacation!