Author: Corina Clemence
Source: articledashboard.com
Today, the Loire Valley lures visitors to explore the splendid French countryside with its historic chateaux and to taste some of the best food and wines in the world. You too can live like a king enjoying some of that lavish style by unwinding in a castle rented exclusively for a holiday with friends and family or for just a long weekend.
Easter and Summer are just around the corner. This is the prime time of year for family vacations. Going on holiday with children can be a bit stressful and test your patience.
Here are some handy tips to help make your family vacation full of wonderful memories for you to cherish for a lifetime and an absolute pleasure.
Pack Properly
Children should help pack or pack some of their own things, depending upon how old they are of course. Make sure you check what your kids have packed if they have packed their own suitcases. I have personally learnt this the hard way. I stupidly thought I would empower my 9 year old by having her pack her own luggage for an Easter trip to Barcelona years ago. Things got a little hectic before we left and I did not check her little carry-on suitcase.
I asked her if she had packed warm clothes and she replied that she had. She had packed one t-shirt and a suitcase full of stuffed toys. No shoes, no knickers, no trousers, no skirts, no pyjamas. Only one t-shirt and a toothbrush. So much for having your kids appreciate cause and effect. Much to her delight and my chagrin, we had no choice but to spend a day shopping for clothes for her.
So you should be very specificic about what type of clothes and how many you should tell your children to pack. Check the internet for expected weather conditions. Pack appropriate clothing for where you are going.
I pack a plastic bag for each person for separating dirty clothes to bring home for laundering. Tissues, colouring-in pencils and a notepad,, sweeties for chewing when cabin pressure changes, at least one electronic toy with spare batteries, a book and a surprise are worth packing in each child's carry on bag. If you have a baby do not forget the dummy and some spares if you use them.
Protect Your Family's Health
Bring along all medicines that you and your family are on, all of them in their original containers. Pack some child friendly low level pain killers like paracetemol, nurofen, or aspirin. Remember sunblock in summer and insect repellent. Very importantly arrange Health Insurance and bring all of the paper work.
Arrive Early at the Airport
Today airport security is a complete disaster and takes forever. Arrive at the airport early at allow you and your family plenty of time to check in, and hopefully get a seat allocation together. Once through security let your kids run around a little and let off some steam before they are couped up on the plane.
Select Seating Carefully
If you have a child under two, when booking ask for the bulkhead seats, being the first row in the economy class as you get a lot of leg room. If you have a young baby and you book online call up the airline immediately and ask for this particular seat allocation. Let you kids walk around the airplane as much as possible. If they are young accompany them.
Keep Them Busy
If you are flying check with the airline if there is any inflight entertainment or kiddies welcome packs. If there is you can lighten your carry-on load for each of the children a little. A book each and a pack of cards is very useful. Your kid's favourite toy and, england tip travel
, some new toys help pass the time. Electronic games are a godsend when travelling with a family. Just remember to have plenty of replacement batteries, and the right cables for recharging for the duration of your vacation and for your return trip. Remember You may need an adaptor and even a convertor.
If you are driving, consider investing in a portable DVD player unless you are already fortunate enough to have a Play Station Console (which also plays DVDs) in one of your head rests and multiple sets of ear phones and bring along some of the kids favourite films and one or two new ones just for the trip. If you are driving from England make sure that you stretch your legs on the ferry journey or on the eurotunnel crossing.