First Family Holiday?
Our top 5 tips
So, it’s your first family holiday and even though you’re excited to take your newest family member out to experience the world, it can be a little stressful and scary.
Never fear, we’ve put together 5 tips to help put your mind at ease and make the most out of your first family trip!
Choose wisely
Timing is everything, don’t rush plans simply because you have your heart set on something. Be realistic about how far you want to travel, the climate and whether your accommodation is child (baby) friendly. If your children have never flown before, it may be better to start them off with a short-haul flight, to ease them into the process. Infants are very sensitive to hot weather; they don’t perspire as efficiently as adults and can become overheated more quickly. Babies also feel the cold more acutely than adults, so pack plenty of layers if heading somewhere cooler. When booking your accommodation keep an eye out for signs that clearly state it is child friendly. This way, you know that they have taken into consideration fussy eaters, safety around the complex and may even have services such as nannies and babysitting available.
Hot Tip: Always pre plan airport transfers as you’ll need to have a booster/baby seat … plus, less time waiting for an equipped car means less chance of a baby break down!
Before you go
It’s a no brainer to go for a check up before you go away, refill any prescriptions and make sure you’ve got an adequate amount of children’s pain relief, sunblock and antihistamines. It’s better to be over prepared with these things than under. Use Lifecard’s Sub Accounts, reminders and measurements to take note of the things you will need to remember over the course of your holiday and share your account with a loved one at home, you can even upload your travel insurance, see how here. Your and your children’s health are so important, especially while travelling!
Hot Tip: Research the medical centres in the surrounding area of your holiday destination, where are the local pharmacies etc.
Pack for the plane
Snacks, snacks, activities and snacks! Your first hurdle is the plane – full of excitement, noise and other passengers, the thought of the flight could make you want to quit while you’re ahead, don’t! The best way to get over your first-flight fears is to keep your little one occupied with plenty of sugar-free snacks like crackers, fruit pieces, veggie sticks and sultanas. Make sure you bring along some blank paper, a colouring book, crayons and their favourite story book, or download their favourite TV show onto your phone and or tablet. Remember to make sure it is charged!
Hot Tip: If you have more than one child, pack a plane-pack each, so there’s no fighting over whose is whose, you can even let them be part of the packing to get them excited for the flight!
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY DUE TO MELTDOWN: Pack a couple of Honey Pops (find these at your local health food store), these will help lessen the turbulence pressure in their ears from the sucking motion.
Plan it out but go with the flow
It’s always good to have a plan for each day, however you don’t necessarily have to follow said plan. You’ll figure out in due time that you’ll need to let go of the expectation that a holiday schedule is going to keep your days structured. Go with the flow! Have an idea in mind that can easily slot into your day but don’t be upset if it doesn’t pan out. You could find that an extra two hours in the sand instead of going to see that building for photo purposes is the better option, sometimes the tantrum is not worth the landmark!
Hot Tip: Try not to over plan, it’s hard to enjoy what you’re doing if you are having to rush between activities constantly, however it’s a good idea to pre-book anything you really want to do and to even pay a little extra for skipping the lines with kids.
What sleep routine?
Keeping to a sleep routine on holiday is one of the trickiest things to do, an art we sadly cannot say we have mastered, our solution? Let it slide, we’re not saying let them run wild every night, but pushing back the usual sleep routine by a couple of hours shouldn’t ruin your chance of getting a proper sleep when you get home. Being in a different environment puts all senses on alert, different smells, different blankets, different sounds, they all play part in sleep disruption.
Hot Tip: Try putting your bub down in a portacot for the week leading up to your trip so they can get used to sleeping in it.
