This week we are concentrating on going away from home for a vacation during spring break (or any other time). The number one rule is prepare, prepare, prepare. This comes in many forms but here are a few.
1. Prepare ahead of time. Even if you have to do it the weekend before, pack ahead of time. Don’t try to pull off packing at the last second. You are bound to forget something vital if you try to do this at the last minute. If might be a swimsuite or it might be some medication. No matter what it is, you’ll probably forget something. Believe me, it will be a hassle to solve and will take a lot of precious time and patience you don’t have.
2. Prepare your children for what to expect. It may go something like this. We will be traveling in the car all day on Wednesday. Each person will take a turn in the middle. We will change positions every two hours. We will watch a movie once in the morning and once in the afternoon. When a movie isn’t on, each child will have a personal backpack that he/she may choose activiies for the “down time.” We will stop at McDonalds for lunch between 11:30 and 12:30. We will arrive at the hotel before dinner. We will go out to a restaurant and then go swimming before bedtime. Giving children a daily schedule and explaining expectations is a great way to prepare your children for what is going to happen. This type of preparation will help your children deal with the changes that vacations bring.
Preparations usually create a smoother vacation.
