Take the Road Trip!
After 5 weeks on the road with my 4 year old this summer I have one thing to tell you…take the road trip, it is totally worth it! There will be ups and downs, but it is still 100 percent worth doing. We’ve all heard the phrase “a vacation with kids isn’t really a vacation” and I have to disagree. Yes, it’s different, but it can be every bit as fun, relaxing or adventurous as you want it to be, as long as you do some planning.
Here are a few lessons I learned that have helped me when traveling:
Enforce some type of quiet time - vacations are so full of stimulation, make sure to have some chill, quiet time everyday, even if your kid doesn’t nap (which mine doesn’t).
Don’t worry about keeping the same routine you have at home - Stay up late, skip naps, eat more treats and junk food. You’ll settle back into your routine once you’re home.
Look out for your kid (and yourself) and anticipate potential issues - Hold tight on your boundaries and make sure to look out for your little ones. Traveling and lack of routine can be stressful for a kid. They’ll probably have more tantrums than usual. What can you do to make it better for everyone? For us that meant having some alone time as a family from the rest of the group.
Most of all, just go and have fun! The hard moments will feel hard, but once they pass you’ll only remember the memories you made.
Happy travels!
- Callie
