Family holidays are what childhood memories are made of- making sandcastles on the beach, eating ice cream, going on amusement rides and having a heap of fun with your parents. So when you have a child of your own, taking them on their very first holiday is something you’re bound to be excited about. However, along with the excitement there can also be a significant amount of stress, here are some of the things you might be worrying about- and what to do about them.
Prepare for the flight
The flight, particularly if it’s a long one, can be the most stressful part of taking your child on holiday. Chances are it will be the part you’re dreading the most, as it’s a new and different experience and something completely different to what your child has ever done. Depending on their age there are a few things you can do. You could schedule a night flight in the hopes that they’ll sleep through most of it, or you could prevent them from napping during the day so they’re extra tired. If your child is a little older and they’re able to understand, having a chat with them ahead of time can be helpful. Let them know what to expect, and what kind of behaviour you will want from them. This includes staying seated, speaking using their ‘indoor voice’ and generally being good for the duration. Bring distractions to occupy them, travel sized toys, puzzles, an ipad full of things to do and some snacks to keep stroppy behaviour at bay due to hunger and tiredness.
Find the right accommodation
When you go away on holiday, your first thought is probably to book a hotel- but this might not always be the best option. How about a villa, apartment or house- you have more space and can settle into a routine more easily since it resembles a regular home. Sites like rumah murah di bandung have plenty to choose from. Hotel restaurants will tend to serve breakfasts, lunches and dinners between set times which might not always suit you when you have a child, when they’re up at 5am, 8am for breakfast might be too late. When they’re asleep by 7pm, going out to dinner at 7pm isn’t going to be ideal. With an apartment or house you have cooking facilities so can buy your own groceries and cook and prepare your own meals as needed. Chances are it will save you a whole heap of cash too.
Hire a car
Getting around with a baby or a young child can be difficult. It’s a new place and you don;t know where anything is, the weather is warm and you’re all tired- not a good combination. Make life easier by hiring a car, while it wont make sense for every destination (like if you’re visiting a very busy city) in most cases, hiring a car is a great way to go. Each morning you can pack up everything you need and head out to where you want to go. There’s no waiting for public transport, dragging a pram or lots of items onto a coach, bus or train and there’s no set time that you have to be back. It gives your little family much more independence on the trip and you can do things as you please, in your own time. You can usually pick up your hire car right from the airport meaning it’s totally hassle free, you don’t even have to wait around for transfers to your hotel. Make sure the car comes with the booster seat or car seat needed for their age.
Plan time to relax
When you jet off abroad, you feel like you want to make the most of your time. After all, a holiday is usually a once a year kind of thing, However, a holiday with your kids will be a lot different to when it was just you and your partner- you need time to relax. Sure, plan the activities you want to do and make sure you fit in the main attractions, but leave free time too. Here you can relax by the pool, take walks around the area, spend the day at the beach and just do whatever you like without rushing from one place to the next. If you know one day will be very busy then leave the next as a free day, it will stop kids from getting overwhelmed and will make the holiday overall run much more smoothly and free of stress.
Book things ahead of time
If you need to book tourist attractions, buy tickets or get any other holiday kind of admin done then do this ahead of time. You don’t want to be stuck in long queues with a restless child, or even end up missing out on an experience where it had to be booked ahead. Consider everything from shows and attractions to travel tickets and transfers if you need them.
