Holiday Travel with Kids

13 Apr

Holiday Travel with Kids

Holiday travel with kids can be tricky at the best of times, and when you combine the stress of flying with the business of parenting the results can be disastrous. If you have a trip coming up and are dreading taking your terrible two-some on an airplane for several hours, keep in mind a few of the best bribes that can keep your kiddo happy throughout the flight. Your fellow passengers will appreciate any attempts to thwart mid-meltdown tantrums and will probably applaud if your efforts are actually successful. When considering ways to avert the evil eyes that other rows are shooting in your general direction, it may just be time to pull out the credit card and offer a free round of drinks to every row within earshot of your darling daughter.

One of the best bribes for kiddos on airplanes and long, confined travel spaces continues to be the old standby: candy. Not just for Halloween, if sugar is rare in your child’s daily life, it will carry that much more weight when pulled out as a bribe to tame a tantrum. Be sure to pack any sort of food that your child likes a lot. A full mouth usually is a happy and quiet mouth. Even if it seems counterintuitive to give sugar to a kid you’re trying to calm down, the sugar bribe will have longer lasting effects than the sugar rush.
Also be sure to bring along your child’s favorite toy. For the lure of novelty, hide a few new toys in your carry on to pull out at opportune moments requiring distraction. Your iPhone or iPad is also full of kid-friendly apps and games that provide distraction and entertainment for curious minds. Keep these bribes on hand to ensure your holiday travel with kids is turbulence and tantrum free.

Holiday Travel Planning Tips

13 Apr

Holiday Travel Planning Tips For You

Whether through flight or via road trip, holiday travel is becoming more and more common. With extra holidays built into the work schedule, the kids off school, and snow pounding its way to your doorstep, this is a great time to take off to somewhere warm and tropical. Planning a holiday vacation does take a little forward thinking though.
First and foremost, if you have kids, plan how you will handle the presents. Will Santa come before you leave, or will he arrive at your vacation destination? If you opt not to do presents, make sure you kids understand this and know why.
Plan early. Travel during December is becoming more and more popular, and rooms, airline seats, and even events and attractions will sell out. The sooner you can book what is important to you, the better off you will be.

Consider using a travel agent to help you avoid any hiccups, like blackout conflicts, and make the most of any potential discounts, like group packages at your favorite resort. Using a travel agent will also take some of the pressure off of your shoulders as you plan.

Be sure to plan for unexpected weather. This might be a good time to purchase travel insurance, or plan a few extra travel days into your time off work. You do not want to miss out on the vacation of a lifetime because of a big snowstorm, nor do you want to lose all of the money you have invested because of the weather.

This time of year is a great one to vacation and make memories. With these holiday travel tips, you can do so with minimal stress or hassle.