travel
Family travel is complicated. And sometimes fun.
Lake Michigan
My family went to the beach a lot when I was a child. We went so often that my three-year-old skin was tanned and my already blonde hair was bleached white. I had forgotten the sounds of the heavy waves crashing onto shore. They used to resonate deep into my chest like a drum. I forgot the seagull’s incessant pleas for food and the distinct fragrance of Lake Michigan air…until recently.
Traveling Teenagers
I was a teacher's aide and I went to the zoo with kindergartners and 3rd graders and they each had a different perspective. The 5 year olds saw it as new and exciting because after all, animals are interesting and fun as far as they know. The 8 year olds wanted to learn all about the animals, they read the signs and showed concern about the environment and how it effects the animals. They also were aware of the risks associated with working with wild animals. I bring this up because a few short years change perspectives.
Lisa SollmanPublished 6 years ago in FamiliesFamily Vacations: Making Memories on a Budget
When deciding to take your first family trip with a child, all the activities done will revolve around your child’s interests.The biggest question parents wonder about is, “what’s the perfect age to travel with a child?” Just like myself, many families wonder when the right age is to take your child to Florida to maybe embark on the Disney World experience. Before my fiancé and I decided that we were actually going to make our first family trip to Florida, I read a lot of articles that talked about the perfect age to take your child so that they will have the ultimate experience, but unlike those parents and my own, I didn’t want to wait until my daughter was 11-years-old. So after researching ticket prices, hotels/ resorts, and plane tickets, I also looked up other activities to do in Florida with children outside of Disney all while trying to stay in our budget of $1,100 or less.
Tips to Road Trip with Kids
If you’re traveling with kids, I can give you a few pointers, having done it many, many times. I’m going to give you tips on driving vacations and road trips. It can be very trying for you and the kids to be stuck in a vehicle. It can also be a fun adventure in itself. Here are a few tried and true methods that I have used, and they’ve worked.
LittleFish BigPondPublished 6 years ago in FamiliesTraveling Without Kids
On the topic of traveling without children, it’s absolutely glorious! This is definitely a benefit of growing older. Don’t get me wrong, I love my kids, I really do. I took them on a lot of vacations, as well as road trips to museums, science centers, amusement parks, and historical sites. I enjoyed those times, I really did. But let’s face it, vacationing with kids is just taking care of kids in another location. Even if it’s the most beautiful and/or luxurious vacation, it was childcare. It was actually childcare on steroids. A different location with stranger danger, elusive bathrooms, whining, bickering, and sullen, unappreciative teenagers.
LittleFish BigPondPublished 6 years ago in Families10 Useful Tips for Traveling with a Baby
If you’re reading this, you probably have a baby at home. So congratulations on your new arrival! But it’s no secret that having a baby with you can make certain activities more difficult. Traveling is certainly one of those activities. You shouldn’t let that stop you from going on family trips, though! Read on for ten tips for traveling with a baby.
Sherry CampbellPublished 6 years ago in FamiliesAn Embarrassing Story
Let me just start this funny short story off by saying, I'm really awkward. Like, way worse than even Princess Anna of Arendelle (from Frozen) awkward. I'm also really clumsy. Horribly clumsy, even. My dad used to call me Grace as a kid, simply for the blatant fact that I was so ungraceful. That's the truth. I'm quite familiar with tripping, and falling, and running into people, but one day, I had to go and be clumsy in Disney World. Yeah, I had to go and mess up the happiest place on the whole earth.
Lena ReynoldsPublished 6 years ago in FamiliesMinivan Memories
The smell of the campfire, the mountains in the distance, your favorite pet by your side and the feeling of absolute freedom. Camping as a kid was one of the best weekends you could ask for. I remember me and my two sisters craving to go to the rocky mountains for the weekend just to have an excuse not to shower. I feel like everyone has these memories, the traveling memories as a kid with your family on the open road. Whether it was to a favorite campsite or visiting family members in a distant city, we all have memories that will stick with us forever and will affect our family line for years to come. I feel it is important to share these memories with people, the more we share, the more likely people are to continue to go out as a family for vacation and not sit down behind a TV for hours on end. So here is mine, this is what I did with my family every other weekend growing up, it is what shaped my worldview, and what put me on the outdoor path that I still follow today.
Planning Your Next Vacation Adventure with Toddlers
We all know those yearning feelings we share when dreaming of that next great travel adventure. It’s that feeling—that dreamy but pushy, I-don’t-care-how-much, urge to get away and experience a new, exciting vacation.
InMotion AlbumsPublished 6 years ago in FamiliesCommon Car Seat Mistakes Parents Make That Can Hurt Your Child
A new baby can be so exciting! And stressful. With each new stage of your child's development comes new things to learn for yourself, as well. While you can't always predict the future, and as parents, you have a lot to learn along the way, it's best to be prepared. Informing yourself on safety procedures, such as common car seat mistakes or learning some of the best tip and tricks like what to know about potty training while traveling, can save you a lot of headache, stress, and perhaps even your life.
Sherry CampbellPublished 6 years ago in FamiliesSingle Parent Travel Guide
Single parent families are now prevalent in our society but advice on traveling as a single parent is woefully lacking. I have far too many friends that are too nervous to travel with their kiddos on their own. This makes my heart heavy, because there are so many great memories to be made by traveling. So I'm here to encourage you to be brave and take that trip, even if you're out-numbered.
Kara PiazzaPublished 6 years ago in FamiliesTraveling with an Infant + Beyond
Ever since my son was born, actually I take that back, ever since I found out I was pregnant, I fantasized about taking Presley on road trips, and traveling, and letting him experience life the way other people live it.
Brittany InskeepPublished 6 years ago in Families