Trouble Free Family Travels
Whether journeying with toddlers or teenagers, good planning and an attitude of “don’t sweat the small stuff” are key to a memorable holiday with your children.
Children of all ages have shorter attention spans and more energy than adults, so being cooped up on an aeroplane or squashed between luggage in the backseat of a car is, understandably, not their idea of fun.
Parenting experts suggest preparing in advance by focusing on the following areas: safety, snacks and super things to do.
Safety
When travelling by car, first ensure that your child is strapped into an SABS approved car seat, booster seat or seatbelt appropriate for his or her age. Check the child-lock feature on your car, ensure that you have a suitable sun guard in place to keep the heat off young faces, and have a basic first aid kit on hand.
Snacks
While sweet treats on trips may seem the perfect bribery tool for tired or tetchy children, bear in mind that motion sickness, improper nutrition or lack of sleep could result in those sugary snacks backfiring while you are on the road.
When packing road snacks, the rule of thumb is: plenty of water, loads of fibre and “less mess equals less fuss”! Stock up on bottled water for everyone, as well as these road trip staples: healthy sandwiches with light protein fillings such as egg or peanut butter, vegetable sticks, fresh fruit, biltong, whole-wheat muffins, mini rice cakes and preservative free dried fruit. Pre-schoolers and older children will enjoy popcorn, too.
Pack snacks in separate compartments in cooler bags, and take out a selection of goodies as the trip progresses. Place them in an empty bowl to prevent spilling. Teenagers will also enjoy spending their own money at pit stops, so loading up on healthy food while travelling means that they can splurge on a burger and chips halfway through the journey.
Super Things to Do
Toddlers are quite easy to entertain if they are well rested and well fed. Stop frequently along the way during your journey, if possible, as this provides welcome distraction and relieves boredom.
Stock a cardboard box with safe, soft toys such as finger puppets, books and paper with crayons and magnetic drawing pads. Avoid potentially dangerous objects such as marbles or pencils. Music CDs are also a great aid during trips.
Car seat travel trays are fabulous for long distance travel! Your little one will have a smooth, solid and flat surface on which to do all sorts of things while she is trapped in her seat. It makes mealtimes that much easier, too.
For older kids and teenagers, creating a seasonal journal is a wonderful activity for making memories. Gather some sturdy A4 or A5 sized pieces of cardboard and bind them together by punching holes at intervals and then using string or raffia to gather the “book” together.
Label the journal “Our Holiday” and then collect interesting mementoes along the way, such as seeds from a giant tree under which the family had a picnic, or an empty chip packet (a memory of that quaint village stopover). Teenagers and older kids can write down their impressions of the road, nature and the places visited, while toddlers can draw what they see.
A teenager can quite easily make or break a family holiday. It is just not easy going through puberty, especially when you are stuck with the “rents” (parents, for those of us who don’t yet know the lingo) and possibly younger siblings.
Teenage Temperaments
Modern teens are spoiled for choice. Laptops, hand-held games, iPods and mobile phones provide great distractions. Try, however, to engage your teen by asking them to take charge of snapping the holiday photos. They can snap at will and then you can load the photos onto a laptop and even play around with editing them.
Holiday reading is also a winner. Give your teenager sufficient money to buy his or her own magazines and cheap holiday romances or horrors before the trip. You could also buy a guide to your destination and have your teenager help choose activities, tourist attractions and other places to visit once you are there. They will enjoy feeling empowered, especially if they are folded into a backseat for hours at a stretch. Allow your teenager a bit of freedom during the holiday. Obviously, you want him or her to be safe, but let them spend their pocket money as they choose.
With a little forward planning, your family trip can be what it is meant to be: a heavenly holiday with those you love.
Easy Boredom Busters
Stuck in traffic? Play the entertainer with these easy, budget friendly games.
• Poke fingers and hands into socks and – voila! – a set of finger puppets.
• Pretend to paint each other’s finger and toenails.
• Tell a story by taking turns, saying only one sentence at a time.
• Draw letters and numbers on each other’s backs with your fingers, and try to guess what was drawn.
• Engage in “no laughing” and “no talking” competitions.
• Play “I Spy”. For younger children, use colours, shapes or objects instead of letters if they do not know their alphabet yet.
Story by Beth Cooper Howell
