2.27.2009

Family Vacation Faux Pas'

We're Back! We had a great time on our trip, and returned with some extremely valuable lessons for future endeavors. Heed our advice for your next trip with kids... we sure will!


Pony Up! You get what you pay for... In our instance it was free, so we didn't get much. If you're going to use frequent hotel points to book your vacation, spend the extra money. Two rooms, and separate beds for the kids, are definitely better than one.


Less is More!
When traveling with young kids, five days is the max at any one location before boredom sets in. By this time you've swam in every conceivable pool, eaten at every restaurant at the hotel, met or annoyed all the hotel staff, and touched, moved, or broken everything not nailed down in that one hotel room you've booked.


Share the Joy ~ Travel with friends! After the first two or three days, your kids will constantly tell you they're bored with your company, and will seek alternate means of amusement.


Toddlers are Vampires! Traveling at ultra early morning hours when you "think" the kids are going to sleep, never quite works that way. They will find any distraction to keep them from their (and your) much needed sleep.


Like a Boy Scout, Come Prepared! Make sure that you stock up on every conceivable children's medicine. You never know when you will need Pepto Bismol, Dulcolax, or Benadryl ... like in our case ... all within twenty-four hours.


FBI Warning! Just because the hotel website states that all rooms come equipped with DVD players, it doesn't necessarily mean that yours will work. American purchased DVD's do not work in ALL countries' DVD players. And now you have 15 DVD's that do you absolutely no good... Did you remember to bring the video iPod?


No Need to State The Obvious! When traveling to a tropical beach... bring sand toys.


Utilize the Kids Club! And Often!! Especially when you choose it as one of the main reasons you're going to stay at a particular hotel. Don't let the overly-sweet sentiment of always wanting to be together as a family get in your way... like we did. It was FREE too!


Reality's a Bitch! Prepare your kids for the return home and the reality that breakfast no longer consists of chocolate croissants, sticky buns, or Starbucks chocolate muffins, and ice cream is not a healthy lunch substitute. I should have prepared myself too...

10 comments:

Mom24 said...

Reality's definitely a bitch! Sorry. Glad you had a good time though. Maybe once in a while ice cream should be a substitute for lunch--even at home. :)

Good luck readjusting and thanks for the tips. I'll add another hard earned one--no matter how old your kids are, always travel with a change of clothes. When we were on vacation last year, on a day trip to an island, Julianna fell bottom first into a big mud puddle--if I hadn't found a cute, extremely over-priced sundress at a gift shop, the day would have been OVER.

Kat said...

Reality is so overrated. It is so hard to come back from vacation. And most of the time I feel like I need another vacation to recover from my vacation!

Thanks for all the great tips!

Robin said...

Reentry's a bitch, isn't it, and the lack of a breakfast bar always comes as a rude shock to me too LOL.

Glad the overall balance was a good one :).

OHmommy said...

good points jill.

it took me one full week, after our vacay, to convince the children that i will not be squeezing oranges for their oj in the morning. lol.

Unknown said...

Since we just got back from vacation ourselves I was ticking them off in my head. And yep a few of those rung true for us!

It looked like a great trip in your pictures!

anymommy said...

So very true. I love the last one. My kids still ask me if we are going to a restaurant every time we get in the car.

Crystal said...

SO true!! I am often known to travel with a small pharmacy. "Less is more" is always true. Our kids are excited to go on vacation, but it gets old quickly : ) Thanks for the ideas~

Simple Answer said...

All so true! Except I travel with others cuz after a few days I'm tired of entertaining my kids, and I want to be entertained by my friends.

Laural Out Loud said...

Excellent suggestions! I'm here in Brasil with my whole medicine cabinet, just in case (and I've had to use it twice already).

Unknown said...

Sounds like you need a vacation from your vacation! ; )

Blog Designed by: NW Designs