Will our plans work?

Are we Ready to Leave yet?

Last minute tips before the Trip

• Be totally ready the night before your leave. Lay everything out in the hall by person and make them explain what is in the bag. Plan ahead, if they know what is packed and where it is, mom and dad will not have to be responsible for everything. Less stress; that’s what vacations are about.

• Give each child some money (Age appropriate amounts). That will be the money they can spend on souvenirs, stuff and junk food. You may not like what they buy but it’s their money. When it runs out, they are done. Of course you’re still buying them that one nice sweatshirt, jacket, etc.

Gift cards are convenient and safe,but children think of gift cards as an endless money source (virtually money). Real paper money is something that the child can touch feel and count.

So that the money doesn't get lost try setting up a banking system before you leave. Each day the child can withdrawal a little money to spend. Both parent and children can keep track of it in a note pad. You can even have the child sign for the withdrawal.

(During our New York City trip, we bought our kids their Nintendo DS Lites at the World Nintendo store. They were personalized and engraved in the store. The perfect souvenir.)

• Cameras are great. Throw away cameras are perfect for kids. First off, if it gets lost, no big deal. Secondly, throw away cameras have a limited amount of photos that can be taken. Your kids will have to think and learn to budget, let’s say, 24 pictures for 3 days. Hopefully, you will have only one or two pictures of a squirrel’s butt, 100 yards away. My daughter is 14 and still takes pictures of squirrels with her digital camera. Her reasoning is “But Mom, he’s sooo cute!!

• The Buddy System! No one, and I mean absolutely no one, goes anywhere alone! Stay together. That goes for mom and dad too. Be Safe!

• Since the kids helped plan the trip, let them have the map. Make them look it up when they ask: ”Where are we?” Ask them for directions and how much longer till the next stop? A GPS is a great tool, but you can fill more time with a map. Maps are visual. Kids can see the big picture and can track progress easily. Not to mention they have to fold it back up. It can be fun to watch a 6-8 year old fold a map.

• Gas Stops – Give the older kids jobs and rotate them. Have one child help clean the trash out while the other is washing windows. Teach them and help them pump the gas or how to check the oil if your children are older and you are comfortable with that. Please be careful. Gas stops can be dangerous. There are cars everywhere, flammable Gasoline and lots of strangers.