HRM Parent Blog

We're thrilled to be partnering with O'Regan's on Robie to bring you, "Are We There Yet?" - our latest monthly blog that will cover topics like planning your next road trip, getting through your child's first driver's license, roadside safety lessons and more.  We're taking this blog on the road so kick back and enjoy the ride!

With the summer months just ahead many of us are now considering our Great Summer Vacation. Will it be a Griswald classic or a trip that the Beaver will remember for a lifetime?

With all the planning that parents have to do well in advance of the big departure day - motels, camp sites, where to eat, what to do, etc... we often forget to plan one of the most important parts; keeping the kids busy and entertained during those long drives!  Here's our Top 5 suggestions to do just that:

1) Toy Box on Wheels - Let each kid bring their own knapsack to fill with whatever toys they want to bring on the trip. Look for clearance sets of crayons, markers, paper, coloring books, for the younger children and activity books or library books for school age kids, etc. They'll know what else to add, but make sure the knapsack is light enough for them to carry so you're not their "pack horse"; you'll already have enough lugging and loading to do.

2) My child the photojournalist - Consider buying an inexpensive digital camera or 2....you can find some sub-$50 'real' cameras on ebay.ca, overstocks.com or get lucky on kijiji.ca. Or, you could go "oldschool" and pick up a few disposable cameras for the trip. CAUTION: a good photographer takes a lot of shots to get that perfect one and your kids will too so, be sure to select a time and place for them to take their photos. They can take pictures of any landmarks along the way, during any stops or have fun making movies of each other in the car.

3) Make a "vacation" book. Each child starts with their own vacation book including: title page, a map of the trip, their name, a daily itinerary with times blocked off for each activity.  For longer driving stretches, try to highlight the route and add in the distance/time. If visiting an attraction or landmark, include any information to help the kids get interested in the places you will be visiting. You can have a little fun with the interesting facts while on route. Also include your stopping point for the day; Camp Ground or Hotel name and location so they can look it up on their map or even the GPS if your vehicle is so, equipped. Make sure there are lots of blank pages for every day so kids can write or draw about their adventures of the day. The idea behind the "vacation book" is to keep the kids involved in the trip. Instead of asking "are we there, yet?", they can use their maps to figure it out on their own and learn some map-reading and math skills along the way.

4) Treat Time - Well timed snacks and treats will not only keep their blood sugar up between meals on a long drive it's also a great distraction. Be sure to alternate healthy snacks like dried fruit and nuts with some of their favorite treats so they are not jumping in their seats. A good lollipop lasts a while and will also keep them quiet while they are working their way to the stick...and just might be the trick to make it thru that last 100km before the evening stop.

5) Treasure box - Make a box full of small toys, art materials, edible treats, comic books, hair bows, Lego figures, basically whatever strikes a chord with your kids. After each half hour, or whatever time limit works best for your trip, the kids are given a treasure from the treasure box. The contents of the box are kept secret so maintaining the suspense of the next treat also helps to pass the time. Well chosen treasures will help keep the kids busy for the intervening time period and they may even discuss among themselves what the next treasure might be.

I know that we said "Top 5" but, we thought you just might need an Ace up your sleeve for when all else fails... so, be prepared to play some games in the car....printable bingo games, scavenger hunts at road stops, fun with aluminum foil (shape the foil into animals, jewelry, hats and more), license plate game, I spy, rock paper scissors, trivia, songs, etc... whatever takes the "edge" off.

There you go... one more check mark and you are ready to roll down the highway for a fun filled family trip. Enjoy!

P.S. Here's a good site to help with your planning.

 

O’Regan’s on Robie is your Halifax GM headquarters supplying service and support for Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac vehicles. Visit us at www.oregansonrobie.com, or drop in to visit the showroom.

Many families in HRM are taking this March Break as an opportunity for a family adventure, and family adventures require packing. Gone are the days of cramming a bunch of outfits and toiletries in a bag and skipping off to the airport. Because once you have kids, you realize how much more STUFF you need when you travel. And not just STUFF, but vital stuff, like sunscreen and diapers and nightlights. Now you need to be organized, and thorough.

We've put together this Master Packing List (with capitals!) that we hope contains most things that you might need on your trip; be it to a theme park in Florida, a snowy ski hill in Maine or a grandparents spare room in Winnipeg. Print it out and use it as a guide when you pack to make sure that you haven't missed anything. Or highlight all the things that you will need on your type of trip and then go back through and pack them.

However you use it, we hope that it makes heading off on your Spring Break Adventure feel more like an adventure, and not like a game of "What Did We Forget This Time?!?".

Ahhhhh Road Trips.  There’s nothing like a good road trip to bring the family together…or not!  Multiple pee breaks, car sickness, back seat fights and more.  No matter how far you’re going or who’s going with you, we hope these ideas will help make sure your next road trip is Time Well Spent for everyone.

Bingo – plan ahead for this one.  Buy or download and print travel bingo cards for everyone then have fun trying to make a line, X or four corners with all the things you see while you’re on the road. 

Guess Who? – Someone thinks of a person, place or thing and everyone takes turns asking questions that can only be answered with yes or no.  20 questions max!

License to Fun - using the letters of another car’s license plate have the gang create phrases to match.  For example, WNU could be “wear new underwear” or “worms never understand”.  Keep going until you run out then move on to the next car’s plate.

I Spy – this classic game is always a hit with the younger ones.  Play it based on things you spy inside or outside the car and be sure to take a few guesses before spotting the real thing to make for more giggles.

Trivia Time – before you leave, grab the quiz cards from your Cranium, Trivial Pursuit or other board games and award a point for each correct answer. 15 points gets you a winner.

 

Tour Guides – once you know the cities and areas you’ll be passing through, assign one to each traveler (who’s old enough) and have them do some prep-work to find out cool facts and history about it.  As you're driving through each city, have the designated tour guides share what they learned.

 

Solo Activities – not every moment of your road trip has to be filled with fun and games so be sure to block off a little “quiet time” to relax and enjoy the view.  Books, iPods, DVD players, magazines, art supplies, comics and puzzles are all perfect ways to keep each child busy without too much noise.   

Pit Stops - do some pre-trip research to find skate parks, playgrounds and walking trails along your route.  Nothing breaks up a long trip more than having time to stretch the legs and grab some fresh air.  If it keeps everyone happy, it’ll be well worth the extra time it might add to your plans.

Snacks and a Cooler Bag – you can never have too many snacks, but be sure to pack lots of healthy ones too.  Sandwiches, apples, oranges, pears, grapes, snow peas, nuts, tiny tomatoes, carrot and celery sticks all travel well in storage containers or bags.  Reusable water bottles for everyone are a must and a few sweet or salty treats are always good for keeping the peace in a pinch.

 

We always love hearing from you so be sure to share your tried and true tactics for getting to your destination in one piece. 

Safe Travels!

- guest post by Corinne McDermott, Have Baby Will Travel

It’s been almost three years since I started Have Baby Will Travel, and in all this time I’ve been a total cheerleader for family travel. My goal with the site has always been to inspire and motivate new parents to travel with their babies and toddlers, and I think a big part of the motivation comes from hearing stories from other traveling parents.

The last trip was my 4-year-old daughter’s 8th and my 9-month-old son’s 3rd. Other than the usual hassles of a giant pile of luggage and figuring how to make sure both kids are fed and occupied on the travel days, it went off without a hitch. Come to think of it, the very first trip we took with our daughter also went off without a hitch, but I was still a very stressed out new mom who wanted to make sure we got to our destination in one piece physically AND mentally, and enjoyed ourselves once we were there.

But when I think of that first trip, that’s not what I remember. I remember how she kept dozing off in odd places during the first couple of days. I remember her squeals of absolute joy as she hit the beach and crawled in the sand for the first time. I remember her pointing at a cat and saying “cat”, and pointing at a dog and saying “cat”.

Much like childbirth, you just kind of forget the bad stuff. Like how I cried out of sheer exhaustion and frustration when she wouldn’t nap and woke at all hours during our first few days. Like how out of sorts I felt until we established our “vacation routine”. Like how I panicked when I realized the pasta with tomato sauce she was greedily eating had shellfish in it, and I hadn’t yet introduced her to that yet.

As my site nears its 3rd birthday, it’s a wakeup call of sorts for me to not forget where I came from. That first trip was tough, and as much as it’s easy to forget the bad, it’s important not to. I don’t ever want to seem smug or glib about the troubles and hassles involved in getting from point A to point B with a baby in tow. They’re real and they exist and I think being prepared is half the battle.  

And also just like childbirth, it’s totally, totally worth it.

Corinne McDermott is the founder of Have Baby Will Travel, your online guide for family travel with babies, toddlers, and young children.  Connect with her online at www.havebabywilltravel.com or www.twitter.com/hvbabywilltrvl

Another guest post this week - who has time to blog with Christmas prep in full swing?! Thanks Corinne for contributing this article!

Maybe staying at All-Inclusive resort is the only way you travel. Maybe a stay at an AI is your idea of Hell. However, if you’ve got young kids, staying at an All-Inclusive resort is definitely an easy way to get away. So if it’s the only way you roll or if you snagged an amazing deal you just couldn’t pass up, here are a few tips to make the most of your All-Inclusive vacation with little ones.

Eat And Be Merry...

Once you’ve checked in and found your bearings, make note of all the restaurants and snack bars and their hours. Hungry kids aren’t happy kids, so as long as you always know a way to get them fed you’ve got that battle won. Pack a few plastic bags or containers to keep snacks handy as well. Fruit from the breakfast buffet is a great mid-morning snack and an extra roll snagged from lunch can keep the wolves at bay if dinner’s going to be a little late. Pack a few favourite snacks from home as well, as munchies can be somewhat lacking at times.

Get Tip-sy

Although most resorts claim that tipping is included, a few extra dollars here or there makes a big difference to the people working there, so we always budget an extra $100.00 to give away as tips. There’s no need to be overt about it, but a buck or two at meals, at the bar and for housekeeping will keep you in good karma and good service. We’ve never felt as though tipping was expected, but we tip at home, so why not on the road?

Be Creatures Of Habit

Traveling with babies, toddlers and small children often means that spontaneity is out the window, so those late, lingering dinners are history for now. Chances are you’ll turn up at the dining room for supper at the same time every night, so try to find “your table“ for the week and stick to it. More than likely, you’ll have the same server (resort staff usually work 6 days a week) who’ll be very happy to see you again if you followed the previous advice regarding tipping. It was nice to enter the restaurant every morning for breakfast and then again in the evening to find “our table” with drinks and highchair at the ready. With larger resorts that offer many options for dining this may not work, but if your kids are picky and you find a place that suits, I’m willing to bet that’s where you’ll be eating for the week!

Unless you’ll be out exploring every day (again, unlikely if you’re with little ones), you’ll also find “your spot” at the beach and at the pool, and you’ll probably find that staff working in those areas look out for you too. Hit the beach early and you’ll probably avoid the dreaded towel game – loungers or palapas “reserved” by towels by guests who never materialize. If you’re by the pool you’ll probably be wanting the unpopular shaded areas, so your chances of getting a sunbed are better.

As with any kind of vacation, All-Inclusive resorts have their pros and cons. If you’re traveling with kids, they’re definitely an easy option, and can offer great value if you’re on a budget.

Corinne McDermott is the founder of Have Baby Will Travel – your online guide to family travel with babies and toddlers. Connect with her online at www.havebabywilltravel.com or www.twitter.com/hvbabywilltrvl