1. Be prepared
I don't mean like dooms-day prepping for the apocalypse, but I do mean having a few essentials that are going to help you out of a jam. Let's be honest, kids get sick, so do adults. I always carry with me a medicine bag, with cold meds, kid's Tylenol and Ibuprofen.
Have Zofran for nausea, you need a prescription for it, but if a stomach bug found us, we would be ready. I always pack some sort of antacid, throat lozenges and allergy medicine.
Going along with this theme, make sure you have up to date insurance cards, just in case you need to head for Urgent Care. Besides my trusty medicine bag, I will always carry baby wipes with me. Our kids are clearly out of the diaper stage at ages 9 and 13, but I kid you not, I have yet to find a stain that a baby wipe couldn't get out.
I always carry strategically hidden emergency cash. If you like to travel and you drive a ton like us, AAA has helped us out of more than one jam. I highly recommend it.
2. Plan some you time
Trying to relax while on vacation as the main vacation planner can be daunting. It could be Mom or Dad, but usually there is one. This person strives to please everyone and hopes that this vacation will be the one that tops all the others and brings joy to all. For that one, that one-sweet planner, no one is planning for you, so plan for yourself.
We were on vacation to Destin, Fl, one year with both the in-laws and my mother. While I enjoy being with everyone very much, my favorite most relaxed memory from the whole trip was the day I woke up early, very early, before anyone was out of bed. I packed up the boys and headed for the pool.
While we watched the sun come up, the boys had fun splashing around in the pool, and I finally finished the end of "Where the Crawdad's Sing." Just me looking over my toes watching the boys enjoy themselves while I sipped my coffee and finished what has become one of my favorite reads. I felt relaxed. I felt appreciative of the moment, and best of all, I felt at peace. It was my moment.
3. Don't over Commit
You can't do everything, and you don't want to exhaust yourself and your family while trying. If you have a built-in rest day, please remember everyone feels better and gets along better after they are rested. They have had a chance to catch their breath, swim in the pool and relax. Not every vacation needs to be planned to the minute.
Whether you're visiting San Antonio or the Magic Kingdom, pick everyone's top thing they want to see or do and focus on that list. Don't try to fit in every major attraction, it will become an impossible task that will ultimately end in disappointment.
This way, everyone has a say in what you get to enjoy together as a family. This way, everyone feels valued and heard, and just a heads up, always make time for ice cream. Always.
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