There are many top ten type lists of tips for traveling with children: how to ensure they eat well and drink enough, how to dress them for weather forecast variances, how to provide the stimulation they need, how to make sure they don’t drive off with the family car and leave you stranded in the Mojave Desert, etc.

This list is how to travel in comfort – without tying the children to the roof rack — which hopefully will reduce your stress.

Make sure you have plenty of room while traveling.

This is easier said than done. On a plane, everybody is cramped. On a train, everybody is cramped, although a little less so. On a bicycle… don’t even try it.

If you are driving, get a mini-van. Sure, you might be more of a “car” type, and you might have resisted buying a mini-van so far. But pick up a rental van for the vacation just to give the kids a little more room for fighting. (Make sure it has a roof rack, just in case.)

Reality check: Cram enough people into a tiny space and watch everybody get stressed and enraged. See my humorous but true article on hippo rage.

Accommodations along the way can be tricky. Usually it involves a cramped motel for just long enough to sleep, then back in the cramped car (or somewhat cramped mini-van). This is not anybody’s idea of a home away from home. An accommodation alternative is to camp. When not sleeping, you have all the space in the world (unless you have to huddle under the tarp while the storm passes through). I love camping, but not everyone enjoys a good early morning wake-up wrestle with a grizzly as much as I do, so a motel might be required.

Make sure you have plenty of room when you “get there”.

My childhood vacations, often involved wandering around lost. Assuming you are actually heading for a destination, make sure to have lots of room when you get there. This part is easy. But it requires thinking outside the box. Forget hotels, motels, and inns. Look for private rental homes.

Probably the biggest destination for families is Walt Disney World in Florida. Good news – Orlando, Kissimmee and the surrounding area is just teeming with private vacation homes for rent. In Florida they call them vacation villas, and they offer all the space of home (without having to fix a leaky sink or oil the door hinges or mow the lawn.) Here are some examples of vacation home rentals in the Disney area.

Sharon Baillie is a private villa owner in the Kissimmee area outside Orlando, just a few miles from Disney World. “Our guests enjoy the spaciousness of our 6-bedroom home. They love the private pool and the private yard in which they can relax,” she says. “Parents love the space for children to run around outside, and we leave a box of toys in the garage. So while the parents rest, the children play – and let their parents rest!”

Be prepared for “children being children” events.

Sometimes, stress hits you from behind when the unexpected happens. Like a cut or a scrape … or a child getting sick. Sharon Baillie told me that is why she tells all her villa rental guests where the first aid kit can be found, and exactly where to go for medical attention. This is particularly helpful for her many guests from abroad, who are unfamiliar with the US healthcare system.

She also makes sure her guests are informed about local pollen and viruses in Florida, so that parents can be prepared. Stress is so much more enjoyable when you are prepared for it, don’t you think?

Booking tickets to theme parks and making reservations for just about everything in advance makes the trip less stressful. There is little more difficult than managing young children while trying to get into a theme park or show that requires prior booking.

And to prevent wandering around lost, pick up a AAA Triptik in advance – not that it ever helped us.

Try having your children baby-sat. This might mean bringing along a nanny, such as a grand parent (It’s a tough job, but somebody has to do it.). The car might be more crowded, but if you’ve rented a spacious home for the week, it could just be doable. The other option is to hire a local baby-sitter once or twice. Vacation Home owners can set this up for you, and some hotels might be willing to, too.

When you are single, you can go on adventure vacations. When you are a parent, you get little vacation adventures. Here are three of my family vacation adventures.

So there you have it. Three ways to reduce the stress of traveling with kids, so you can actually relax on vacation. After all, isn’t that what vacations are supposed to be about?

These are some simple tips to make airline travel more stress-free. By planning ahead, and following the airline rules and regulations, you should be able to have an enjoyable trip. While you cannot always be prepared for the unexpected delay, by following these suggestions you’ll be ready to enjoy your travel time and maybe even look forward to it. Call the airlines at least four hours prior to leaving to check on your flight. Print out your own boarding pass by going to the airline website before leaving for the airport. This will help to speed you along when you arrive at the departures area. You can also check your lightweight luggage curbside at many airports. Have your luggage tags on the bags, and remove all old travel stickers. Be at the airport early enough to go through security and arrive at the gate with enough time to buy yourself a snack and some great reading material. There are often delays, so anticipate them and be early! Always add extra time during peak travel periods. The usual guideline is one hour on domestic flights and two hours on international flights. Factor in some extra time giving you enough leeway for all of the unexpected time consuming delays that are inevitable when you’re running behind.

Keep your discount luggage packed within the airline weight restrictions. These are generally fifty pounds per piece with a maximum of two pieces per person. Use only the TSA locks which is the lock allowed by the airlines. Always check the baggage information before hand as airlines do differ in their regulations. Overweight luggage will incur extra baggage handling charges, and that will hold you up getting to the gate. If you are taking too many bags, you can also be charged extra. Pack your luggage neatly and do not overstuff your bag. If security decides to go through your luggage, they need to be able to repack the bag easily. Packing cubes are extremely handy and will organize your bag. They will keep small items together and your underclothing in one place. Since liquids and gels now need to be packed in your luggage, wrap them securely. Keep them in a lined case for this purpose to protect your clothing. Gifts must be kept unwrapped in your luggage also.

Be sure your carryon bag and personal bag are the right size for the airline you are using. Do not attempt to bring on more than allowed. You’ll either have to gate check, or go back to the baggage area. Check with the airlines before hand, so you will not hold up the boarding process. Pack your carryon with the correct travel accessories. The 3-1-1 bags is the only way you can carry liquids or gels onto the plane. This is a one-quart clear zippered bag with 3 ounce bottles or less inside. Do leave your pocketknife and scissors at home or in your checked luggage. Be prepared to take off your shoes, belts with buckles, and your coat or jacket as you go through security. Your laptop, your shoes and your liquids in the 3-1-1 bags need to be put through separately. If you’re carrying any gifts, keep them unwrapped. Do not overstuff any of your hand carried bags, as this will hold you up if security chooses to go through your bag. Keep everything neat, and use those packing cubes to organize everything.

To avoid holding up the line, and to keep the travelers behind you from becoming over-stressed, have your boarding pass and passport or photo identification handy at all times. Travel wallets are ideal for this purpose. There are convenient models that you wear around your neck, so you are not fumbling or searching when asked to provide this information. These airport express wallets are popular as corporate gifts. They often have a company name or logo monogrammed or silk-screened on them. They can also be monogrammed with your own initials. All of these tips should help you to have a more enjoyable trip that is stress free!

Maxine Greco has been in the luggage and travel business for over 38 years. She is currently working at Village Luggage and Gifts.

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