Family travel can be challenging under the best of circumstances. Family travel that includes both tots and teens? That ups the challenge ante.
Teens crave freedom, parents crave "family" time and tots, well, tots just want to have fun. Crafting a vacation to satisfy everyone ain't easy.
Here are the top four pieces of advice gleaned from interviews with a dozen families that regularly travel with tots and teens.
First, involve everyone in the planning. Cherie Gauthier, mom to three kids ages 3 to 24, lets everyone pick at least one activity and one meal and suggests arming everyone with a camera. For this summer vacation? "I gave them all five choices and we took a vote."
Second, plan in advance to divide and conquer. Some activities will work for your teen but not for your tot, so plan ahead which spouse is going white water rafting and which one is going to the petting zoo. You don't want any kid to feel like she is less important, or that their activities are less fun, so it is best to have those conversations and make those arrangements before you leave.
Third, many suggest bringing a friend for your teen. Of course, not all agree, some preferring to keep family vacations, well, just for the family. If you decide to let your teen bring a friend "you have to be sure you take the right friend," cautions Karen Krzenski mom of a sixteen-year-old daughter and two younger sons. Work out the financial arrangement so that there are no surprises. Most common? The friend pays for her own airfare and brings her own spending money, the host family picks up the room and covers meals and activities done as a group.
Finally, choose your destination wisely. Key are locations that will excite all ages. And this is where Macaroni Kid can help. We have hunted down six great destinations, perfect for families with tots and teens.
But remember that the key to a great family vacation is reasonable expectations. "The most important thing when traveling with, and living with, tots and teens is patience. There will be arguing and crabbing and fussing. What makes the difference is how you deal with those things," advises Brei Callaway, mom of five kids ranging in age from 19 to 1.
