How to Survive Family Vacations

We enjoy the beach and every year since our 5 children were babies we have made the journey from Kentucky to Florida. For those of you with large families who are wondering if it’s worth the effort (and believe me it’s no easy task to pack for 5 little ones and travel hundreds of miles in a van) I would like to assure you that it is. Just last week my now grown children were re-living vacation memories and listening to them reassured me that every gray hair my husband and I sprouted while traveling was worth it.

Travel Tips

Here are just a few things that happened to us over the years.

1. Our five year old insisted on packing his own suitcase. I let him but then at the last minute I checked it. He had his swimsuit and toothbrush. That was it. I helped him finish packing and then he still managed to leave the suitcase at home.

Do a luggage check before you pull out of the driveway. It might slow you down a little but it will save you time and money later.

2. The worst vacation was the year one son started vomiting about half way to Florida. By the time we arrived another one was sick. We all ended up with it and spent most of the vacation fighting over the bathroom.

The only advice I can give you on this one is take barf bags and medicine with you. One son was asthmatic so we traveled with a nebulizer and inhalers for a lot of years. I always kept the medicine bag up front to make it easier to reach.

3. One year one son was playing in the ocean and got stung by something. We thought it was a jellyfish but when it kept hurting and didn’t get better we had to find an emergency room.

When you get where you are going check out where the local clinics and hospitals are. Hopefully you won’t need them, but if you do it will save time if you have an address.

4. Back in the day vans did not come equipped with movie screens and head phones. To keep our kids quiet we had a small television with a built in VCR that we plugged into the cigarette lighter and sat on top of a cooler.

It was years before I realized what idiots we were for doing this. DO NOT have objects in your car or van that could become jet propelled in the event of a crash. Even small suitcases can be dangerous if you have to stop suddenly. Keep everything in the trunk or the carrier except small items (and kids of course-lol) We were stupid and got away with it, but just the thought of what might have happened makes me sick to my stomach.

5. Don’t forget the sunscreen. One year I missed son number two’s ears. They burned and he spent the whole vacation crying every time someone (or something…like a shirt) touched his ears. The tops of children’s feet burn easily too.

6. Keep a sense of humor. I can’t stress this one enough. Kids are kids and they are going to challenge your patience. Ours fought over everything from who sat where, to who got the last cookie in the box.  The year the twins were toddlers none of the older children wanted to sit next to them.

“I sat next to them last year,” said the son who had the burned ears, “and they had dirty diapers in Tennessee and mom didn’t change them until we got to Alabama!”

That wasn’t true, but years later it’s still fun to laugh about.

So take a camera and take the kids on vacation. It’s worth it. I promise.