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Lots of planning should go into planning a family vacation no matter what the age of the children. Teenagers need as much thought and order as do infants. Young children need your
aid and attention on a constant basis when you travel. Food, bathroom, and boredom. So, if you are taking a road trip you can plan frequent stops |
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along the way. To ensure healthy eating, plan to take a cooler with drinks and snacks or even meals that you have prepared or obtained ahead of time. If you have a drop down
screen that plays DVDs plan on using them as a last result. Engaging children in interactive, thinking communication is a way of fostering strong family ties leading preventing emotional and communication
disconnections. This goes for children of all ages. With teenagers, this is a good time to talk, catch up or play games that allow you to know each other better. It is also time to play educational games with school
aged children. Human interaction and not the machine variety. Vacations are time to spend quality time, with focus on bonding and strengthening family ties. Once at the vacation site, make sure there is time for
relaxation, for long meals with fun conversation and not a steady stream of activity that wears you out making you feel stressed or rushed due to frenetic activities. Young children will already be off schedule and out
of their normal routine. This is especially hard on mom who is usually at the center of everything. I have heard many women groan about vacation time because she has to plan, pack for everyone, prepare and deal with all
the large and |
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small crisis that occur. She is also to blame for everything that was forgotten or goes wrong. So mom it is important for you to make all the activities surrounding the family
vacation, a family project, especially as the children get older. . That way when things go wrong, everyone can share the blame and when things go right mom can take all the credit! Everyone should have a list for what
they are responsible. The list can be made at a family meeting where everything can be discussed and all needs and concerns voiced and listed. Little ones can decide what toys can be taken, what snacks they'd like to
have and rules laid down for proper behavior, especially where teens are concerned for preparation for the trip, consequences for transgression of these decisions should also be set at this time. This way there is no
excuse and stress is taken off of the parents, who won't have to make up consequences on the spur of the moment. However, parents have to be sure to enforce their rules. Finally, plan a day of rest at home at the
conclusion of the vacation so as not to return to work, school or camp tired, but refreshed, alert and back on routine!
-ewc |
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