If you are an involved grandparent, you have undoubtedly enjoyed having a major presence in your grandchildren’s lives. If you live close by, you might enjoy interacting with them regularly, having Saturday night sleepovers, and dinners on weeknights. If you live far away, you may rely on technology such as Skype, email, Facetime and airplanes to keep in good contact. One way that grandparents can bond with their grandchildren no matter how close or far away they live is to go on vacation with them. If you and your spouse are grandparents traveling with grandchildren, here are some tips to help everything go smoothly.
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Think through the logistics as they pertain to the age and number of children
You might have raised two, three, four, five or more kids of your own, but you have to admit, that was decades ago! Also, they were your own children, so you knew their habits and behaviors intimately, both individually and the way that they related to one another. If you have a big handful of grandchildren, it might be best to split up the group and travel with one or two kids at a time. This is particularly true if you are dealing with cousins, as opposed to siblings. Remember that smaller children are typically more challenging, so while taking two or three preteens on vacation might be doable, it’s not quite as easy to take two or three toddlers. Realistically consider what you can handle at this stage of your life, and make sure to relay any concerns to your grandchildren’s parents.
Make sure you can do an overnight or weekend before committing to a week or more
If youre grandchildren have never spent the night at your house, this is not the time to consider taking them on a week-long cruise. Particularly with smaller children, you need to make sure that they’re comfortable with a short time away from their parents before trying to take them for a longer period of time. Once they have slept at your house for a night or two, try taking them for a weekend away before booking something longer.
Iron out the details with mom and dad
Things have changed when it comes to childrearing, and if you have spent a lot of time with your grandchildren, you probably know what types of things your adult kids do differently with their own children. If the little ones are under ten years old, chances are that they will need a carseat or booster seat for any automobile travel. If one of your grandchildren has an allergy or any other special needs, you’ll need to be sure that you know exactly how to handle any issues that may arise. Also, it’s possible that your grandchild has a fear or habit that you haven’t been made aware of. Be sure to find out all that you can from the parents in order to ensure a smooth trip.
Think child-friendly
This seems obvious, but if you haven’t had young children in many years, you might really need to consider the attention span of a small child. Little ones will have different interests than you do. They might be afraid of certain types of attractions, or might not be able to keep up with grandma and grandpa, particularly if they are small and you are quite active! They won’t be able to sit for hours on end without complaining, and may find it hard to eat neatly in a nice restaurant. While you don’t have to feel like you need to keep the kids running every second, you should be sure that you know how to choose child-friendly options throughout your vacation.
Traveling with your grandchildren can be a wonderful experience for all involved! It gives you time to bond, and it gives your grown kids a little reprieve from the constant demands of parenthood. Do you have any tips to share with our readers who might be grandparents traveling with their grandchildren? Share with Gtravel365 in the comments section below!
