Full airplane, long night flight, everybody is falling asleep when all of a sudden there is the loudest scream! What happened? Is everybody ok?  The closer flight attendant is running down the isle to you, the higher level of embarrassment is rising quickly. Next second you wake up in a sweat! Why? Because you realize it was a bad dream about you traveling with kids..
Every parent was or will be in this situation at some point in his life, but is there a secret key to be the unique family who will enjoy traveling together? I dare say that it’s possible! We were in both shoes in the past: the very first trip with a 1.5 year old boy was exactly like the nightmare. The second time we went to Mexico prepared with a 3 year-old boy,  1.5 year old girl and another one on the way. Recently I asked #dailyparenting community for your tips and here are few tips from me  to have enjoyable trip:

Know your baby

While there’s plenty of advice online, no one knows the baby as much as you do so gather experience and think of what can be applied to traveling. How does the child act in the public places? What worked best to calm him/her down? 

Get new toys (without breaking the bank)

One of the neighbors gave us this advice a few days before the trip, and it was a true life saver! Our kids have a lot of toys, so I was hesitant to do it but ended up going to the dollar store and getting coloring books, small toys, playdoh, etc.. for $20. The key was to keep it a secret until the actual flight!

After all, trust me, you will have the time of your (and your kids’) life and will come with a fresh tan and the bunch of great memories!

Choose the destination

This one might cost more than $20, but it is a tremendously important part of vacation. When we were looking for a resort, kid-friendliness was a top priority. We did our research, and the best option was Barcelo Maya Resort. All inclusive, three gorgeous pools, including an adults-only pool with a massage gazebo and a fantastic kids-only mini water park, six restaurants, plus access to 12 more at neighboring sister properties, mall, dolphin show, etc. All around wonderful place for kids and adults.

Here are some highlights from our trip:

Stay positive

Let’s be honest, we don’t live in paradise, and not everything will go as planned. Flights get delayed, people get loud, waiting lines get longer, and it can add to the stress level. Kids sense how you feel even when they don’t show it so if you start getting frustrated and angry, it might reflect on them. Stay calm and keep a positive attitude!

Prepare the kids

Most of the tips out there are focused on WHAT to prepare for you and your kids, but how about preparing the kids themselves? If your children are like ours, there is a bigger chance they will leave friends’ house without crying if they get a few notices 15 min and 5 min before. Kids naturally like and operate better in the familiar routine (unless it’s unplanned presents or toys) so why not let them know what is coming up, where and why y’all are going. 

Get a room (separate room)

This is something we didn’t do but probably will next time. If your kids are over 1,5 or so, it could be a good idea to have a separate room for them just so that you don’t have to walk on your tippy toes after kids go to bed and can enjoy some personal time with your spouse.

p.s. Every trip and family is different, so I wanted to include some other great advice and tips from couples I personally follow: