Summer Vacations...It's That Time of the Year Again

With May almost behind us and June quickly approaching it is quickly coming to be that time of the year, when school lets out and summer vacations begin. Last year we decided to do a summer getaway in beautiful Amelia Island. We stayed at the Ritz Carlton on Amelia Island, and it was fabulous. While our stay at the Ritz Carlton was wonderful, I missed the flexibility and some of the comforts of home that come in handy when vacationing with a young child. That is why this year we decided to rent an amazing vacation home with our closest friends, and their children in Hilton Head.

Now, in a perfect world I could just blink my eyes and I would have the perfect summer rental (that's child proof) in the perfect location to meet everyone's needs. Well as we all know the world is not perfect, but I was able to find a great resource with www.children-friendly-vacation-rentals.com. This is a great site that allows you to research and locate amazing vacation homes at various price points. I highly recommend this site whether you are vacationing in the states, or some far off exotic location.

So now that we have a great summer rental secured, it is time to start planning all the other important details to ensure a great summer vacation.

Here are some tips to keep in mind as you start to plan your fun filled summer holiday.

1. Be Flexible: Traveling with children can be a wonderful experience (with a lot of alcohol, just kidding) if you go with the flow. Your toddler might get bored having to sit still or sightsee for long periods of time instead of being able to run around and explore at her own energetic pace, so keep your itinerary simple. Limit it to one activity a day and you'll find it much easier to make last-minute adjustments if your child gets tired or just wants to spend time splashing in pool or playing in sand on the beach.

2. Pick a Family Friendly Destination: Choose a relaxing destination that's used to young visitors, so you don't have to sweat the details. Some ideas include a lazy beach retreat, family camps, nature resorts, or similar kid-friendly places. Skip the crowded, over-stimulating tourist destinations, places without shade (sorry Mickey and Minney), and other spots that will pose an added challenge when you have a young one in tow. You can also keep your summer vacation on budget, by looking for family-friendly hotels and resorts that let kids stay for free in their parents' rooms and provide free meals to children or buffet-style breakfasts included in the price.

3. Don't Forget to Pack Snacks and Drinks: Make sure to tote along plenty to drink and a bag of snacks on any trip. Children can get dehydrated during a flight, and toddlers can't always wait for food service (or they refuse the airline meal when it arrives). You might be able to pre-order a children's meal — check with your airline to find out. Whether you're in the air or on the road, best bets for toddlers include easy-to-pack snacks like baggies of whole grain cereal, precut fruits and vegetables, small cartons of fruit juice, animal crackers, and other age-appropriate nibblers. Dispensing snacks at pre-announced intervals will give your toddler something to look forward to. Consider bringing along moist towelettes and sanitizer for easy cleanup. Lastly, don't forget your On the Fly Bottle Warmer.

4. Plan Frequent Stops: If you are driving break up your trip so your toddler can stretch her limbs and move around to blow off some pent-up energy. Pack a rubber or foam ball for rolling or kicking around and some simple board books for quiet time. Pick out parks and picnic areas on your route by using an online mapping service such as Google Maps, Yahoo Maps, or MapQuest, or city guides like GoCityKids or CitySearch. End your driving day early so all of you have time to unwind after a long day on the road.

5. Think Safety First: When you pack for your toddler, be sure to include a basic childproofing kit to use at your destination. If you're taking a road trip, make sure your child's car seat is properly secured. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, up to 85 percent of car seats aren't installed correctly. Use removable window shades to keep the sun off your child. You may want to dress your toddler in a brightly colored outfit so she's easy to spot in a crowd, and put a small card with identification information on it in one of her pockets in case you get separated.

6. Pack a Goody Bag: A good way to keep kids content on a trip is to take along a goody bag filled with more toys and doodads than you think you'll need. Your toddler might like an array of puzzles, dolls, action figures, puppets, brightly colored paper, nontoxic crayons, books, and favorite toys. Wrap some of them before you leave and present your child with a surprise every once in a while. Start building your toy cache a few weeks before the trip.

7. Take Some Proactive Trips: To get a feel for what works and what doesn't when you're on the road and away from home, you might try leading up to a big trip with some short day trips or weekend getaways. The trial runs could provide key insights — about things like what supplies you should pack, how long your child can last in a car seat, and which toys keep your toddler happy (or drive you nuts).

With these tips, hopefully your summer vacation with be fun and full of great memories. Remember, traveling with small children like life is full of great unknowns, preparing ahead will allow you to make the most of your vacation and time with your family.

You know you need a time-out when....

First, I would like to say thanks to my big sister Valerie for inspiring this long overdue topic. My poor sister finds herself in the same scenario, as most of us mom's. Let me create the picture for you. It goes a little something like this:

You have a crazy ass day that started somewhere around 6:00am in the morning with your toddler waking up before her usual wake time, only to be followed with the fact that she refuses to eat what you have prepared for breakfast. In fact she protests so hard that the breakfast you took the time to make has been launched off her highchair tray only to land all over the wall and floor (ARGHHHH!). But somehow you keep your cool, and try not to over react, and think to yourself, “This will not be the tone of my entire day". After cleaning up the mess and find something that your toddler will eat, you take a moment to celebrate the small victory. Little do you realize what the rest of the day, has in store. I'll fast forward a little so I don't bore you, but basically after dealing with a full thermo nuclear meltdown in the middle of the grocery store, the dog deciding he wanted to snack on one of your favorite pairs of shoes, your manic toddler refusing to take an afternoon nap, and your husband calling to say he will be getting home late. At this point, you can imagine my sister was ready to start vodka IV drip. Alright, I am exaggerating a tad. But all kidding aside, when you find yourself at the absolute boiling point and you know what I mean if you have kids.... It's time for a mommy time-out.


Here are some great suggestions for just when an occasion arises:

1. Retail therapy (need I say more).

2. Hit the Spa. Whether for a massage, facial, mani or pedi, you owe it to yourself to enjoy some pampering and tranquility

3. Lock yourself in the bathroom light some candles and take a long relaxing bath, of course if someone is able to watch your kids, if not you will have to postpone until the little ones are in bed.

4. One of my personal favorites, gather a collection of your favorite magazines or any other good read, put on your favorite lounge wear and retreat to a quiet place in your home (if one exists?).

5. Catch- up on the endless shows that you have digitally recorded, but never took the time to watch.

6. And of course the Holy Grail of mommy time-outs, Girls Night Out! (dinner, drinks, gossip, just what every mom needs to recharge her battery for the next round with the kids).



Lastly, I came across a great book titled Mother's Need Time-Out Too, by three moms Susan: "The organizer" mother of four; Anne: "The Enthusiast" mother of twins and a boy; and Katrin: "The Free Spirit" mother of three. These women discovered that moms everywhere, whether they have careers or stay at home, want to do the best job they can, but are often overwhelmed by the hectic pace of modern motherhood. They learned that being selfish isn’t always bad. In fact state, it's good to be selfish- it actually makes you a better mother. With mother's day quickly approaching I highly recommend this book as a nice gift for the moms in your life. http://www.momstimeouts.com.

While on the subject of Mother’s Day, I just got word again from the On the Fly girls that there will be an upcoming promo in honor of Mother's Day. Be sure to follow my blog for more details, on how to score some great free stuff.