My family is on vacation this week, and we treasure times like this! The kids were so excited about the trip this time that they couldn’t fall asleep. They had a million questions, too. I didn’t mind, though, because I was excited also!

Even though it is great for the family to take vacations together, taking a trip with young children can be stressful for mom and dad. We have been trying to perfect traveling with little ones in tow. We’ve made lots of mistakes along the way, and we’ve had some success recently. It takes planning and organization as well as patience.

We have discovered that less is more when we go on vacation these days. The kids simply cannot take it when we take them all over the place and keep them busy the entire time we’re away. Besides, it is often the times when you do not force things that memories are made. We try to focus on one exciting activity a day and then have family time, free time, and meals the rest of the time. For us, just changing the scenery is enough to help us wind down.

It is also clear that we need to be prepared to change our plans if things are not working out. Sometimes the kiddos are just not able to cope with the activity that we have planned. Honestly, sometimes Mommy can’t deal with the activities either. That’s when our trusty plan “B” goes into effect. Make sure you have a backup plan, and be patient with each other. Switching gears can be hard.

It is also helpful for us to give each other a break from the action. Although we love each other, my hubby and I have different interests, and it can sometimes be painful to put the whole family through an activity that only one person enjoys. We have learned that we need to allow time for each of us to pursue our interests separately. Aside from that, we each need to have quiet, personal time away from the family. Too much togetherness can be a bad thing!

I know that now that I have readjusted my expectations from vacations, our whole family is able to enjoy the time we have together. I hope that as you plan your next family get away, you remember that it is the time that you have together not the activities that you do that make the vacation fun. Enjoy your next trip together as a family!