Posts Tagged ‘family travel’
Reader Favorites – Cruising With Kids Update
It is getting a bit hectic here as we get closer to our live blogging events scheduled for just a couple of weeks from now. We hope that you will join us in the excitement as we blog live from the Carnival Sensation, Disney Wonder and Norwegian Jewel this May. We are in the process of obtaining commitments from sponsors and Carnival Cruise Line has already jumped into the ring with some great giveaway items that the kids will absolutely love!
You can catch up on what we are planning by reading the following posts:
Have you ever wanted to go on a cruise? Do you know anyone who is thinking about cruising? Are you a veteran cruiser and just cant get enough? Be sure to join us and make sure that you tell all of your friends and family too.
On May 2nd, 2010 we will begin our Twenty-One Day Cruise Views Marathon! It will be all cruise all the time through Saturday, May 22nd, 2010. You absolutely don’t want to miss it!
We will have interviews with the cruise staff, candid reviews, insider tips, essential information for family cruisers and best of all, lots of free giveaways! Even if you have never thought about cruising - you still will not want to miss this event!
Be on the lookout for more information in the coming weeks.
In the meantime, check out some of our reader favorites…
- NCL Teaming Up With Nickelodeon
- Cruise Line Babysitting Options Reviewed
- Cruising With Infants and Toddlers
- Family Friendly Dining On The Seas
- Choosing a Family Friendly Cabin
We also have a special surprise interview scheduled for May 1st…be sure to check back with us soon to learn more.
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Tips For Making Your Family Vacation More Relaxing
The idea of having a relaxing family vacation, especially when you have young kids is a bit oxymoronic. I was reading a great article the other day that talked about how the euphoria leading up to vacation quickly wears off once you return. It’s so true, isn’t it? You’d like to be able to count that meltdown in weeks, but when you have kids, days or hours is probably more accurate.
Well, according to the researchers, people who described their vacation as “very relaxing” experienced a more extended period of post vacation happiness. Hmmm, sounds great, sign me up! Oh wait, do I still have to change diapers?
Here are our Top 5 Tips For Making Your Family Vacation More Relaxing:
- Plan stops throughout the day that allow the kids to unwind and have fun. Playgrounds, parks and wide open spaces will give you an opportunity to relax while the kids burn off all of their extra energy. Bring a snack, read a book or just indulge in some much needed adult conversation.
- Reserve a room by the pool or other venue of evening activity so you can easily sneak away once the kids are asleep. Bring baby monitors or two-way communication devices that can be set to always be on so you can keep close tabs on them while you enjoy some quiet adult time. If you are cruising, reserve a cabin with a balcony; it can serve as your secret and secluded evening retreat.
- Choose a resort or cruise line that offers babysitting and supervised kids activities. Family friendly resorts and cruise lines will provide activities for your toddlers and teens. Use your newly found free time to enjoy a spa treatment, sit by the pool, nap on the beach or sneak back to your room for some private time.
- Keep it simple! Don’t try to cram too many activities into one day. Choose family friendly restaurants and keep an ample stock of your kids’ favorite snacks. Reducing expectations and allowing yourself to go with the flow will reduce stress and make your time together more enjoyable.
- Travel with friends or extended family. By traveling in a larger group, you can pool resources and take turns “escaping” for a few hours. If you travel with other families, the kids will have playmates to keep them busy and it will give you a little extra free time to relax.
Traveling with kids can be a tremendous joy, but escaping the day-to-day responsibilities that come along with them may be impossible. Be sure to schedule time for yourself individually and as a couple. Relax, enjoy and maximize your post-vacation high!
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Join Us On Twitter @thelollipoproad
In order to expand our reach and make following our adventures and sharing our resources more convenient, we’ve recently expanded our presence to Twitter. If you sign up to “follow us“, you’ll receive a tweet as soon as we make a new post or update resources or information, which will make keeping abreast of what’s going on in the world of family travel a whole lot easier. Read the rest of this entry »
Multigenerational Vacations – Are They Just A Myth?
I found a terrific article today that was reprinted in Parents magazine in 2004. Although headlined as The Newest Trend in Family Travel, I found the article to be timeless. Traveling with multiple generations and/or extended family can be beneficial for everyone, but maybe it’s a bit scary too.
Over the years, we’ve vacationed with our parents, siblings and other relatives, but we’ve yet to embark on a vacation involving both our parents and our kids. After reading the article, I asked myself why we hadn’t accomplished that goal. Well, I guess the answer was simple – for every reason the well articulated author cited in the article. Okay, maybe not every reason – for example I don’t have a brother, let alone a lefty brother. So, okay, what are the top reasons that inhibit multigenerational travel?
- Coordinating Schedules – Trying to find a time when everyone is available can be challenging. Kids are in school, parents work, grandparents are leading more active lives and extended families spend less time together in general, living farther apart than ever before.
- Agreeing on a Destination – What destination will have something for everyone? Someone doesn’t like cold, someone doesn’t like hot, someone hates the beach, someone hates the mountains, someone gets seasick and of course someone has been there before. I give up!
- Money – Not all branches of the family tree may be able to afford a particular trip, or any trip at all, particularly in a difficult economy. Do you pay for everyone, subsidize some and not others or do you tailor the trip so that everyone invited can afford it?
- Making it Happen – Assume you’ve made it past the other hurdles. You’ve planned far in advance, but one month before the trip, things start falling apart due to an illness, financial difficulty or other commitments. Do you cancel, modify, reschedule or just go ahead as planned?
It’s easy to see why families might not be able to make it work. Sometimes it’s difficult enough to plan a 3 hour visit, never mind an entire vacation. We live in a busy society where people don’t want to spend their leisure time practicing patience and compromise. Perhaps it’s a broader sign of our society in general.
So, is the multi-generational vacation just a myth? No, it’s only a myth if you want it to be. As kids get older, they enjoy spending more time with their grandparents. Of course, that’s not always easy when you live hundreds of miles apart. So, planning vacations together is really more important than ever. But, how do you make it work?
Well, there are more and more grandparents who are traveling with their grandchildren while the parents stay home. It works because it’s simple. So, first rule – keep it simple. Second rule – see the first rule. And finally, third rule, keep an open mind, be flexible and just enjoy your time together. If you try to make it difficult, it will inevitably be difficult.
Before you start, check out these basic tips on planning a multigenerational vacation. Plan, be positive and most importantly, just have fun!
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