My husband and I couldn’t wait for our kids to get a little older so we could all start traveling the world together. I really feel like we learn so much through travel. I am not talking about a go to a resort and sit there kind of vacation, and don’t get me wrong, I LOVE those kinds of vacations too! I am talking about the kind of trip where you have the opportunity to explore, meet, and learn about other cultures, and to experience things we normally do not get to experience.
We have now taken a few trips together as a family, and what I have learned is to expect the best while being prepared for anything. Traveling with kids is a whole other ballgame than traveling alone or with adults. When I plan a trip with the kids, I always try to balance some adventure with plenty of leisurely downtime, because who likes coming back from a trip feeling more exhausted than when they left? I have also found that it’s good to have breaks in our schedule, because you never know if someone will get sick, hurt, or just have an epic meltdown. In the past, when I traveled alone, I tended to try to do and see as much as I could, but on our latest trip to Costa Rica with the kids, I learned I sometimes have to compromise.
I knew our Costa Rica trip would entail a lot of driving. We were staying in three different parts of the country, with a three- to five-hour drive between each destination. Since a day of traveling can take its toll on kids, (and sometimes adults too) I made sure not to squeeze anything else in on the days we were traveling, and I am so glad I did that. Our 3-5-hour drives quickly turned into 4-7-hour drives because both kids (and mom, too) ended up getting car sick. We had to have the driver pull over numerous times on each leg of the trip so the kids could throw up by the side of the road. Yuck! I need to preface this by saying it was the first time my kids had ever thrown up from being car sick, so it was really unexpected. Thank goodness my husband was prepared, having fashioned a makeshift bucket from his hat and a plastic bag. That saved us from having to power through our drives in a foul-smelling van.
In addition to our car-sickness debacle, my son started complaining of an earache and a sore throat on the very first day of our vacation. By the second day it had gotten so bad I had to take him to the clinic. We were lucky to be staying at The Springs Resort and Spa, a great family hotel. They understood our situation and were accommodating about rescheduling our excursions without penalty. Also, since I spoke only limited Spanish, they called us a cab and set up an appointment at a nearby clinic. My poor baby ended up with a double ear infection, but with the strong antibiotics the doctor prescribed, he was up and feeling much better by the next morning. We made sure to lie low and relax the rest of the evening.
This was the first time we ever had to see a doctor on a vacation, so you could imagine my surprise when we had to see one again at the very end of our trip! This time, for both kids, one with a sore throat, and the other with ear problems again. Luckily, this doctor made house calls and got them both feeling better in no time.
I always expect the best from our trips, but especially after this one, I have learned to plan for the occasional hiccups along the way. Seriously, who has to go to the doctor twice on one trip?! I have found that when traveling with smaller kids, everything takes longer and ends up being a bit more complicated. Geez, even potty breaks take longer and can definitely have their complications! I will be honest: there was so much more I wanted to see and do in Costa Rica, but as a family, we just couldn’t make it all happen. I mean, yes, I could have booked up every hour of the day with something, but in the end, we would have missed half of it, and we would have all been pretty crabby by the end of the trip.
I am learning that traveling with kids (or at least my kids) is all about balance. Yes, we will do all the exploring, learning, and adventuring, but I won’t forget to fit in plenty of downtime. And sometimes the downtimes are some of the best times. It’s when we can all relax as a family and talk about our fabulous adventures. Below is a list of items I now take with us on each trip. I keep them in my “Just in Case” bag. They are items I like to have around “just in case” something goes wrong. Happy Travels
- Thermometer
- Ibuprofen or Tylenol
- Dramamine
- Ziplock Baggies
- Plastic Bag
- Google Translate (an app on your phone that can come in handy if you are in another country)
- Band-aids
- Neosporin
- Hydrocortisone
Mom of two and seeking sanity in the everyday. Let’s chat about family, school struggles, travel, and living our best life. Located in the San Francisco Bay area.
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