17 Mar TRAVELING WITH SMALL CHILDREN: 4 WAYS TO MAKE IT EASIER

SIMPLIFYING YOUR FAMILY VACATION

As the summertime quickly approaches, you and your spouse might be planning a fun getaway for the family, whether it’s to the city, the beach, the mountains or a fun theme park. No matter the nature of the trip you’re planning, you might be worried about the travails of getting from place to place with kids in tow.

No matter how well behaved your kids are, there are those inevitable moments when exhaustion, hunger and general mood swings can lead to issues while you’re traveling. Especially when you’re on a plane or trying to drive a vehicle in an unfamiliar locale, issues with kids can become exacerbated and quite stressful.

Executive Ground Transportation in New York has much experience providing transportation for vacationing families; to help you prepare for traveling with kids this summer, we’ve compiled an easy list of tips for making it through each challenge.

TIP #1: BOOK IN ADVANCE

As much as you can, avoid making last-minute decisions or booking hotels on the fly. When you put off booking until the last minute, you run the risk of having to wait around or improvise at the last minute, putting your already-tired and impatient kids in a whirlwind of frustration.

Kids generally required quite a bit of organization, and flexibility isn’t necessarily their strongest attribute. Have your flight information, hotel reservation and transportation confirmed and re-confirmed before setting out on your adventure; streamlining these more essential elements of your trip will ensure that your kids don’t get frustrated with waiting around when they’re tired and cranky.

TIP #2: PREPARE FOR THE WEATHER

Check the weather forecast before heading out on your trip; if there’s even a slight chance for rain, bring umbrellas and rain jackets for the kids. If there’s a day when the low temperature is a little chilly, bring a sweater or light jacket for them. Of course, over-packing is every parent’s nightmare because they’re the ones responsible for hauling all the luggage from car to hotel room and back again.

On the other hand, an angry toddler who is cold and wet is the recipe for another nightmare altogether. Having at least a small variety of weather-versatile clothes will help diminish kids’ clothing snafus.

TIP #3: PACK PLENTY OF TOYS

Especially for those of you with smaller children, plane rides can present a series of problems. Boredom and restlessness, coupled with an inability to exert the overload of energy, can create the perfect storm of tantrums, whining and general unease with your kids throughout your plane ride.

Remember: toddlers can’t communicate their needs as clearly as they need to, and the frustrations of being trapped in a plane surrounded by strangers for hours can send them over the edge. Learning to deal with these mood swings and potential noisy tantrums begins with being prepared: bring a few of their favorite toys, and have a variety of distracting activities planned. A tablet with educational games or shows loaded on it, as well as a variety of tactile toys will help diminish the frustrations of boredom and help your child weather the plane ride peacefully.

TIP #4: PLAN FOR EFFICIENT TRANSPORTATION

Another thing that is frustrating for kids is being stuck in a car for long periods of time. Not being able to move around, explore, expend energy and keep themselves distracted can put the little ones in a screaming moods (as all parents know) so having the most efficient transportation possible is important.

Many families opt for renting a car, which they pick up at the airport after the plane lands. Unfortunately, car rental often means standing in line for long periods of time, waiting your turn. While waiting in line is fine for adults who don’t need constant stimulation is fine, it can be distressing for bored or tired toddlers and kids, especially after they’ve just spent hours on an airplane.

Booking car service answers all of these problems. You won’t have to wait in line to pick up your car; simply alert your car service dispatcher of your arrival, and your chauffeur will meet you in baggage claim, with a helping hand for your bags.

An additional perk of booking car service for your vacation transportation is that you won’t have to juggle driving the rental, navigating an unfamiliar city and trying to keep your toddler’s tantrums at bay. With a chauffeur, you and your family can sit comfortably in the back, and you and your spouse can tend to the kids and their needs instead of driving.

How do you keep your kids happy during travel times?

Photo Credit: Wolfgang Staudt