Admittedly I roll my eyes every time I pick up the phone and hear a client say..."We're looking for an affordable family vacation - We want to go SOMEPLACE WARM AND CHEAP".
Sally Black
Recent Posts
there are important rules parents need to know when flying with a baby.The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) sets the standards for airline safety in the United States. The FAA does recommend that all children fly seated in an approved child safety seat but it does not MANDATE the use of child safety seats on airplanes. The word mandate is an important one here. Because the FAA does not mandate the use of a safety seat, airlines will allow children UNDER the age of 2 to fly for either a small fee or 10% of the cost of an adult ticket, seated in the lap of their parent. Airlines and travel agents use the lingo of LAPCHILD to describe a baby or toddler flying seated in their parent's lap. Everyone likes the idea of a "free ride" but there are some important points parents need to consider when deciding whether or not to buy an airline seat for their baby.
Parents often request more than one hotel room from us when making their family hotel reservations. It may be that they have 3 or 4 children and need a family of five or six hotel room. It could be that they have young children with early bedtimes and they want a separate space so that the kids can sleep undisturbed. They may have teenager and need an extra bathroom for sanity sake. Mom and Dad may be looking for some "adult" time and "need to ensure extra privacy for themselves so that their family vacation can also become a romantic escape."
I used this gentle explanation once during a consultation with a hotelier. He wanted my opinions while desinging blue prints for construction of his family friendly resort. I could tell he just wasn't grasping what I was trying to say. Finally I was forced to spell it out for him and I said..."Listen, you need to build more connecting rooms because parents want to have sex while on vacation and do not want to worry about having their kids watch." Brutally honest and perhaps a bit too graphic, but at least my honesty got more family connecting rooms from that hotel chain that are now available to parents in need of a great vacation!
Layaway payment plans for family vacations makes SMART financial sense and will save your family money. I enjoyed a good chuckle recently after seeing a reading a CNN Money article about Sears touting their brand new Vacation Layaway program. Kudos to the PR dept and their spin while trying to keep Sears in business. I laughed because we've been offering affordable family vacation payment plans to our parents for YEARS. We just never put out a national press release about it. Perhaps we should have gotten the news out about this sooner?
Family beach vacations are a right of passage for most families. Sun and surf offer kids hours of entertainment. While the kids are occupied, hopefully mom and dad get enjoy a few minutes of peace. Whether your family is trying to escape the cold of a northern winter or hitting the waves during summer vacation there is much to consider when planning when taking your kids to the beach.
When planning a vacation with kids, it's not just about the kids. Family vacations really do need to be about the entire family. A family's needs will evolve and change over the years. Parents with young infants can be exhausted and in desperate need of help with baby care so that they can have a little time to themselves to relax. Active families with young kids may need lots of activities that will keep the kids busy and engaged. Parents know if the kids are happy then EVERYBODY is happy (and vise versa). As your children grow into tweens and teens, parents are faced with the fine balance of independence verses safety and responsibility. Then of course, there are families with children at all different lifestages so balancing the needs of every family member becomes even more of a challenge. Each family member also comes with their own travel personality. They can be excited about the idea of travel and adventure or reluctant to leave the comforts of home. Blended families may also need to consider the input and influence of co-parents.
Every summer our family looks forward to gathering for our annual family reunion. This year our family gathering will be on July 8th at the home of one of our cousins. It's a lot of work despite the fact that everyone chips in with cooking and preparation. We all live fairly close to one another so only a few folks have to worry about travel arrangements. Still after a fun filled day of conversation, BBQ and horse shoes everyone is reluctant to depart because we're all having such a good time. This year is a bit different, we all have a second "reunion" to look forward too.
