| Traveling with Your Grandkids |
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| Written by ARAcontent | |
| Saturday, 08 March 2008 | |
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(ARA) - Some grandparents do it to be fair to all the siblings. Some grandparents do it so cousins get to know each other. Some grandparents simply love having all, or at least a group of their grandchildren together while on a vacation.
However, unless your grandkids are twins or same-age cousins, you should consider the challenges - and pleasures - that age differences create before planning that big trip with the grandkids. “When first considering a trip with your grandkids -- before you even mention it to them -- decide how many children you can handle at one time,” says grandparents.com travel writer, Sue Poremba. “Also, decide with which age group of grandchildren you'd be most comfortable.” As a grandmother herself, Poremba loves to take her grandkids to the beach come summertime. But she’ll only take those ages 7 to 13. She learned that she can neither physically keep up with younger grandchildren, nor keep late enough hours to properly supervise the older teens. Other savvy travel with multiple grandkids tips: Don't plan around only one child's needs or interests. Dining is a good example. Although it might be easier to feed a messy six-year old at a kid-friendly restaurant, if that’s all you do, you'll miss out on local cuisine and the chance to give older grandchildren a new experience. Aim to vary your dining experiences each day. Try to let each grandchild choose at least one restaurant during a trip. Give some freedom. Teenagers need some freedom. On days without scheduled plans, try giving teens the opportunity to sleep late while you enjoy breakfast with the younger kids. Before the trip, consult with the parents on what each child is -- and is not -- allowed to do. Don't expect babysitting services. While older grandchildren should be expected to help out with younger grandkids, don't forget that they, too, are on vacation. Try and balance your requests for help with little ones with this knowledge. Asking the older children to help supervise the younger kids at meal time or during fast-moving activities are reasonable requests. Divide and conquer. Plan some activities suited for one grandparent to attend, so the other grandparent can rest. Or, break into two groups and meet up later. Amusement and theme parks, where each grandparent may accompany a different age group to appropriate rides, is one example. Pick a time and place to regroup over lunch. Plan down time into each day. Traveling can be exhausting, and even older grandkids need an opportunity to unwind. Try to plan some downtime into every vacation day. Encourage grandchildren to pack some items specifically geared toward a quiet break, like books, magazines and portable video games. For more travel tips and other grandparenting advice, visit www.grandparents.com. Courtesy of ARAcontent |
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