David Benz
Whether your kids are world travelers or just getting ready for their first trip, these 10 tips will save your sanity and keep your kids happy. All at the same time.
1. Pack your stuff judiciously, then cut it by half. You think one person’s stuff can fill up a room? Try four people’s stuff. This isn’t Fashion Week in New York — a couple pairs of shorts/dresses should suffice, as most resorts have laundry service.
2. Bring a little bit of home. Bring your younger kids’ favorite snuggly toy, blanket or pillow. It’ll make an unfamiliar bed more comfortable.
3. The little things. Make a small first-aid kit that has the basics, like any kid-specific prescription medication, band-aids, children’s aspirin, antibiotic cream, anti-diarrheal medicine and Benadryl should your child develop an allergic reaction to anything.
4. Traveling. Pack your passports and any other documents (including photocopies) in an easy-to-access pocket in your bag or fanny pack. Handling four passports, visas and everything else can be a hassle if you don’t plan ahead.
5. Before you board. Bring healthy snacks — those you know your kids like — for the flight, and/or pack a light meal that won’t need refrigeration. It might be a while before your first “real” meal, and airport food is typically unhealthy (and the limited options on a plane are no better).
6. On the plane. Pack an extra set of clothes in your carryon in case the food doesn’t agree with your child.
7. Plan to arrive early. Activities for the kids (and diving for the adults) start bright and early at events like Kids Sea Camp. You just spent a day of travel to get there, and while the kids will probably acclimate easy you probably could use a few extra hours to recover.
8. Set a routine. Each resort will have its own daily schedule, but try to set a routine — with established nap and meal times — within those parameters. It should make for less cranky and more happy.
9. Break the ice. It may seem like bringing coals to Newcastle, but pool toys — like inflatable tubes or diving torpedoes — are a great way for your children to break the ice with other kids.
10. Planning. Be open to change. If you see your kids enjoying a particular aspect of the destination, encourage the joy and learning by planning more around that activity. And any family activities should be planned around your child's attention span — there’s nothing worse than a five-hour tour that goes four hours too long.
