Enjoy the Journey and the Destination

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​Sarah here. With only a couple of days before Christmas and just over a week left in 2020, I know that many of you may be feeling majorly stressed out. If, like me, 2020 threw you for a loop, you may be way behind with holiday planning and shopping. Between the pandemic, finances, and practical considerations, a lot of families are not ending the year as they normally would. But that doesn’t necessarily mean they won’t be traveling. 

So, whether you’ll be traveling this holiday season, or you hope to travel with your family in 2021, here are some travel tips to make your journey a little easier:
 

• No matter whether you’re traveling by car or plane, make sure each child has things to keep them busy! Know your kids- for instance, if someone gets motion sickness, make sure their activities don’t require them to look at something.
  • Word searches, sudoku, crossword and logic puzzle books
  • Coloring book and implements (a 24-pack of crayons can easily fit in a carry-on)
  • Travel versions of games like Tic-Tac-Toe or Bingo that are self-contained and contain magnetic pieces that stay put
  • Reusable art supplies (reusable sticker books, paint with water books, invisible ink activity books) 
  • Headphones that fit comfortably
  • Tablets, e-readers, portable gaming systems and/or cell phones with chargers 
    • Download audiobooks, e-books, movies, podcasts, music and/or games before you leave so you won’t end up in a desperate search for Wi-Fi 
  • Fidget toys and puzzles (e.g., Rubik’s Cube) so everyone can keep their hands to themselves!
• Make sure you pack plenty of snacks for the trip- you don’t want to be stuck in a food desert with hangry kids (and adults).
• If you’re traveling with someone who gets motion sickness, here are a few ideas: 
  • Stuff like Sea Bands (acupressure bands), behind the ear oil (e.g., Motionease), aromatherapy oil inhaler (e.g., Quease Ease), ginger candy or tea, ginger ale, anti-nausea medication or patch (e.g., Dramamine, Nauzene, Gravol) may be helpful. 
  • Pack extra-large Ziplocs or a folded-up plastic grocery bags just in case motion sickness does strike.
  • Traveling on a totally empty or too full stomach can exacerbate motion sickness as can dehydration and inadequate air circulation. 
  • Listening to music, a podcast or an audiobook may help combat motion sickness.   
• Pack extra face masks for everyone, since kids and adults alike may accidentally drop masks on the floor, need to swap out masks that get drenched in the rain or need to change masks to “freshen up” after sweating profusely or just wearing them for long periods of time.

​Whether you’re planning to travel with your kids in the coming days or weeks or whether you hope to do so next year, ideally, you’ll enjoy the journey and the destination. Traveling with kids can be a nightmare but it can also be great! Take a little time before your trip to plan and prepare for what you anticipate will likely happen. Things may not go exactly as you hoped, and problems inevitably arise in life- planning and preparation won’t prevent that. But they can help you head off potential problems before they arise so you can enjoy your journey a little more. 
 
Remember that as 2020 comes to a close, we’ll be saying farewell to our weekly blog. But we won’t be leaving you high and dry. Please stay tuned for more information about how we’ll be supporting you and your family in 2021!  

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Have tips for how to travel with your family? Share them by leaving a comment below, clicking this link or emailing us at [email protected].