Mama Life//Collaborative Post
As the summer holidays draw ever closer, I think we are all more than ready for a good holiday and a few days of quality family time at this point. Quite often, we'll spend a lot of our hard-earned money and time arranging the perfect family holiday, so it's more important than ever to be totally prepared so that you can enjoy your holiday to the fullest and have the best break away possible.
Here are five simple tips that can help you achieve a stress free holiday with your family this year;
Packing Lists
Start by writing a list for each family member for everything that needs packing. Start with essentials like medications, or anything that provides much needed comfort for small children when away from home. If your child needs a stroller or travel cot, see if this is something you can borrow or hire when you reach your destination, but if not make sure it's all cleaned and ready to go. When it comes to clothing, think practically for the weather there, the activities you'll be doing and make sure you have suitable footwear for any days out. It may be worth checking out reviews of places like water parks and theme parks to see what people recommend taking, as well as websites for attractions and venues to see if there's any required clothing or footwear for the venue. When packing clothes, think in terms of outfits for each day, allowing for any surprises or weather changes.
Be sure to remember bathroom goods such as your tooth brushing bits and make sure any liquids are stored suitably for flight travel, and that any lids are taped or secured safely to avoid unwanted leaks on route. Ladies, include sanitary items if there's a chance they may be needed and remember most things can be purchased on holiday, so don't sweat the small stuff.
Travel Prep & Research
As with everything, preparation is key and never more so than with a holiday with the family. Going abroad or even travelling within the UK can be so much simpler with some simple planning and research into your destination and journey before you go. Be sure to have back up plans in place for any eventualities, and take into consideration any medical or allergy requirements or needs that may need thinking about on route and on arrival.
Plan your journey as early as possible to allow for any hiccups, making sure passports are up to date if needed and that you can get the best times and seats available for your needs. If travelling by car, be sure to have an idea of major roads along the way even if you are following satnav so that you can make decisions with a little less stress if there's any accidents ahead or road closures. After making sure your vehicle is safe for travel, make sure you have cover in case of break down and it's always worth having someone like Allied Autocare on hand should you need a decent service before travelling to make sure every thing's working as it should.
Researching the place you're going can be really helpful too, just finding a few places to visit, maybe getting tickets before you go or looking for any discounts available can save time while you're there and helps to make sure you can get the best out of all the time you're on holiday.
Keep the Kids Occupied
Happy kids makes for a much more peaceful and stress free holiday from start to finish. Try to compromise on what they want to bring, perhaps one favoured toy as opposed to a whole case full as well as their preferred gadget for gaming etc. Make sure tablets and phones are charged well before hand, and loaded with travel friendly, films & programmes in preparation for areas of travel with no Internet access. Headphones are a well worthy purchase if your kids like their screen time, the less noise there is the more head space you will have to focus on the journey.
Try printing off some kids activities and for smaller children, you could create a travelling pack with lots of fun things to keep them busy. From sheets of plain noughts and crosses games, to colouring packs, vehicle spotting sheets and magnetic travel games. Have small toys like cars and cards to hand for keeping them busy when you stop and something for them to play with while you unpack on arrival. Having something to hand if you're stuck in traffic, flights are delayed or you have any other unexpected hitches can keep them busy while you sort out the next steps.
Snacks, Drinks & Breaks
Having drinks and snacks close by while you're travelling can save a lot of money and unwanted stress. With young children especially, who are just always ready for snack time at awkward moments like those dreaded traffic jams. Allow extra time for stops on your travel, so that you can all get refreshed, have a toilet break and fill your tummies. Have your supplies to hand for all those hours in between where you will no doubt be asked a thousand times for snacks and juice from hungry toddlers. If you're driving a long way, regular stops are a must to make sure you're getting the rest and fresh air you need on busy journeys.
Plan for Pets
Whether you're taking pets with you, leaving them with family or having them cared for professionally, make sure to include them in your plans well in advance. I've heard many times of people having to cut holidays short or cancel them completely due to issues with pets and it's so easily avoided. Get them booked in early, but try to have a back up plan in case anything should go wrong. If staying in a kennel or cattery, you pets may need to be up to date with their jabs etc, so always be sure to check the terms of the place you're taking them to so there's no last minute panics if for any reason they won't take them while you're away. Also, make sure they have ample food and any medications to cover there stay as well as a few days when you return so you don't have to rush around after a busy holiday.
The main thing for a stress free holiday is to plan in advance. Think about any potential travelling issues such as road closures and delays, any likelihood of travel sickness with kids and of course keeping them occupied. With a little forward thinking, you can fall back on your plan B without stress and make the most of your trip. Happy holidays!
