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Planning the Trip
Here are some great tips from family travel experts:
** If you're traveling by plane or train, try to reserve your seats as far in advance as possible. If you've been assigned a less than perfect group of seats, check with the gate agents in advance to see if they can help. If family members are separated, you may find other passengers are willing to trade seats with you.
** Make copies of your map and mark your route with highlighter. Then, when the kids want to know "how much longer", you can easily show them exactly where you are.
** If your children have special interests, try to plan (in advance) stops along the road that will be perfect for them.
** Prepare your children for the trip. Talk about where you're going, what you'll do, how long you'll be gone, and how much time will be spent traveling. Kids do much better if they understand what to expect. Share information on your destination with your children, especially stories, web sites, or other materials describing the place you'll be visiting. Our kids loved reading Eloise and watching "Home Alone II" before visiting New York City, and it made our visit to The Plaza hotel a particularly memorable one. On the same note, don't make promises you may not be able to keep concerning you'll do on your trip. Children have amazing memories -- even young ones!
** Discuss travel rules and behavior before you go -- not when you get to your destination. Make sure the kids understand your expectations and how you want them to behave. If you're staying with friends or relatives who have different rules or environments than those they are used to, make sure you've talked about it in advance.
** Make sure your own expectations are in line with traveling with kids, be flexible, and adjust your travel plans accordingly. Kids may need to stop on the road more than you're used to, or may get frantic when their road warrior parents arrive at the airports with few minutes to spare. Plan time to relax, and don't cram your schedule too tightly.
** If you'll be needing a hotel room for your holiday trip, try to reserve one with an indoor pool. Kids love this feature, and it can be the perfect break from cold weather or a confining setting.
Do you have other great ideas to share? Post them to our Message Boards!
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