Family Getaways - Keep It Simple

When it comes to family getaways, it's important that the journey and the destination be age-appropriate for your children. And most importantly, for the sake of your mental health, keep your plans simple.

Babies and Toddlers

Let's face it, babies and toddlers can be easy to entertain. They go off on their own trip with every episode of Thomas the Tank Engine. They also tire easily and may get over-stimulated around a lot of activity or people. And although I know it can be done, the thought of bringing my toddlers on a multi-hour flight scares the crap out of me. Perhaps you have more control of your kids than I do. I doubt it. If you have babies and/or toddlers, why not stay local? Somewhere that is within a few hours drive at most. Also, if you drive, it's a lot easier to bring all that stuff that babies have (the stroller, the diaper bag, the toys, the bottles, etc). I would also limit the over-night stay to one or two nights max. Remember, to be a real "getaway" you should stay away for at least one night. Spending one night out of town, even if it's just an hour away, can really feel like a longer trip. Favorites of our family include the aquarium or zoo.

Kids 4 to 10 Years Old

Older kids, 4 and older, are ready for something more. This is a great age for the Disney trip. Do not over plan or over schedule your trip. The goal is to have a good time, not to see every possible thing in the park. If you don't see everything, so what? Enjoy the things you do see. Take your time. Do not rush. If you miss something, you have something to go back for next year.

This is also a good age for discovering the outdoors, getting smoky and dirty in the campfire, getting sunburned at the beach, and for the boys, writing their name in the snow. Kids this age would love a train or plane ride, even if it's not necessary to do so. At this age, they should be able to comfortably handle being away from home for several days.

10 Years Old - Teenagers

For me, this is where the real fun begins. If you have older children, give some serious consideration to international travel. Teenagers need to be introduced to the larger world. I would suggest visiting places that they have studied or will study in school. Do not underestimate the impact this could have on their academic life.

Greece, Rome, Israel, Egypt, Japan and Vietnam are all great destinations. When traveling overseas, plan for a minimum of 2 week for your vacation. One week is just not long enough to get there, get acclimated to the environment and to have a meaningful trip. Also, do not try to cram a dozen countries into your European trip. Keep it simple. Do not over plan or over schedule your time. Leave room for exploration and unexpected adventures. Be willing to change your itinerary if necessary. Plan on having downtime, lounge time and hanging out at cafes time.

If you only have 2 weeks, focus on two or three cities in one or two countries at the most. For example, you could easily spend 2 weeks in Vietnam traveling from Saigon to Hanoi by train and stopping at some of the world's most beautiful beaches along the way, or a week in Jerusalem with a 3-day stint in Cairo to see the Pyramids, or a week in Rome and a week in Florence and the surrounding area.

Keep it Simple

Wherever you go for your family getaways, if you're not having a good time, you're doing something wrong. Don't think that your kids must have a lot of noise, flashing lights and be constantly "entertained". Keep it simple. Starring up at the stars on an overnight campout or strolling the streets of Rome will be build memories for a lifetime.

Seed Newsvine

Bookmark this article in your preferred program

Comments

Add Comment

Popular Articles in this cathegory

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.