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Vacationing with Children
 By Barbara Hemphill		 Travel Potty Chairs
Traveling with children will be a memorable event – the question is “What kind?” Your chances of a lifetime memory you will cherish increase significantly with some advance communication and preparation.

The book, Love It or Lose It: Living Clutter-Free Forever, outlines a five-step process you can apply to organizing any area of your life – including traveling with children of any age. Make the children a part of the trip by letting them help you plan. Your children will enjoy the trip more if they feel they have some say about the agenda. Get books from the library, or do an Internet search, on the area you plan to visit. Give them some options of what to do and actually use some of their suggestions. Who knows? You may enjoy their suggestions more than you think.

Here is a guide to vacationing with children, using the 5 steps:

1. Design your vision.

The first step to happy memories is good communication. Start scheduling family meetings to plan – the earlier the better. At the first meeting, ask each member of the family to describe what he or she would like to have in order to have a wildly successful vacation. It’s a great idea to put some structure into this discussion. Use a flip chart and have family members take turns recording answers. Subsequent meetings can be used to work out each of the next steps.

2. Eliminate your obstacles.

Mark Twain is credited with saying “Progress starts with the truth.” Certainly that applies in this situation. For example, some teens simply do not think it’s “cool” to travel with mom and dad. If you want your teens to enjoy their travel experience, make sure you understand what they like and dislike. With young children, keep in mind “less is more.” A swim in the hotel pool may be a much better choice than another two hours at the theme park.

3. Commit your time

There could be several issues here. If your teens are working, they may resent having to miss work – or they may be delighted. In either case, find out their preferences, and see what you can do to accommodate them without jeopardizing your own needs. One of the issues likely to come up is the daily travel schedule itself. Young children need naps, teens may want to sleep late, while parents relish the idea of “getting an early start.” Compromise is probably the best solution here.

4. Select your tools

Growing up on a farm in Nebraska, one of the things my daddy taught me was “Half of any job is having the right tool.” While you may think it’s ridiculous to think about “tools” for a vacation, it is really essential. For example, if it is impossible to reach a compromise about the music on the car CD player, headphones for individual players could be a godsend!

Tools can also include systems for the way you handle situations. One of the major keys to success in organizing any activity is focusing on individual strengths – if one child is particularly adept at photography, make them the official family photographer, while another might be a great navigator.

5. Maintain your success
At the end of each day, take a few minutes for a “Check-In” session. What was the best thing that happened that day? Why? How can we make sure we have more like it? What didn’t work? Why? How can we eliminate the situation in the future? Make sure you use this process at the end of the vacation – make some notes and put them in your GO System File for next year’s planning.

Here are some general tips you can use to ensure a great vacation:

• Choose age appropriate destinations. This doesn’t mean every trip has to involve a theme park or sports event; it simply means keep the trip’s educational value at a level they can comprehend and appreciate. If your children’s ages span a wide range, have at least one activity geared to each child. Picking a hotel with a pool can make a big difference!

• Lay the ground rules early. Before you even leave the house, make sure your children know what is and isn’t acceptable behavior on the road. As elementary as this may seem, if you don’t tell your children what you expect, how can they oblige?

• Let the children pack their own suitcases as much as possible. Make sure each child has a small carry-on bag for which they are responsible. Include things they can do on the road or in the air--a walkman and tapes, comic books, handheld video games, etc.

• Decide ahead of time about seating arrangements and make contingency plans in case requested seats are not available.

• Establish a meeting place at each stop. Nothing could be worse that having a child get lost in an unfamiliar environment. Whenever you visit a location, identify a spot where the family can meet if you happen to get separated, or carry cell phones or pagers.

• Carry current photos of your children. That way others can help you locate your lost child. If your child can tell time, make sure they take a watch!

• Pack a first aid kit. Face it. Kids will be kids. That means scraped knees, bug bites, and cuts and bruises. When traveling with children, always keep a first aid kit handy.

• Check for children travel specials. Pre-planning can save you lots of money. Many airlines, restaurants, and hotels offer discounts for children, whether it’s a "kids stay or eat free" deal or a "half-off children’s rate.” Let Internet-savvy children put their mouse to work for a happier vacation.

The most important thing to remember – flexibility. Traveling with children of any age is always a challenge. Spend more time enjoying the precious memories you will be creating and less time fretting over what could go wrong. Keep your sense of humor in full swing and happy traveling.

© Barbara Hemphill is the author of Kiplinger's Taming the Paper Tiger at Work and Taming the Paper Tiger at Home and co-author of Love It or Lose It: Living Clutter-Free Forever. The mission of Hemphill Productivity Institute is to help individuals and organizations create and sustain a productive environment so they can accomplish their work and enjoy their lives. We do this by organizing space, information, and time. We can be reached at 800-427-0237 or at www.ProductiveEnvironment.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/ 

  
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RV Vacations: Ten Tips By Jill Ferrer

Perhaps you have wondered about taking an RV vacation. It seems like fun and you'd like to try it, but you aren't sure if it's for you. Well, it's a growing industry. Annual RV retail sales topped $14 billion in 2004. As baby boomers take to the road, the RVing pastime and lifestyle are becoming increasingly popular. If you have a hint of the RV itch, then here are 10 common reasons for taking an RV vacation: 

 1.  Getting Back to Nature: If you are interested in the great outdoors, an RV is a great way to vacation. You can visit state or national parks, tour famous landmarks and simply enjoy some fresh air and natural settings. Take a hike or go fishing. Try white water rafting or canoeing. Play some golf, go swimming, ride your bike. Get some exercise or simply do nothing but enjoy your surroundings. 

 2.  The Comforts of Home: In an RV, you can have the best of both worlds. Enjoy the great outdoors with more creature comforts than tent camping. Whether you own an RV or try a rental, most RVs are well equipped. You will likely have a kitchen with microwave, fridge and stove, a TV and VCR, beds, living and dining areas and bathroom with shower. Many RVs have slide out rooms that increase the living area at the touch of a button. You can sit outside under your awning, get out of the rain if the weather changes, and turn on the air conditioner if it gets too hot. 

 3.  Family Matters: Family members of all ages tend to connect with each other when they are away from their normal routine enjoying a simpler lifestyle. Remember that family togetherness can be a double-edged sword. While the RV is comfortable, it is a small living area for a large family. If you are renting, bear this in mind in choosing the size of your rental RV. During the day, try to spend time outdoors or in different activities, so that each family member gets a bit of personal space and time for themselves. But the minor logistics can be managed. The general consensus among RVing families is that an RV vacation tends to bring the family closer together with more communication and the sharing of good times.

 4.  Cool for Kids: An RV vacation can be a great way to travel with children. They can go out to play or take part in campground activities. There are likely to be other kids to meet and new places to explore. Children of all ages will enjoy an old-fashioned campfire complete with stories, songs and stargazing. And most kids think it's pretty cool to be in an RV "home on wheels".

 5.  Campgrounds: There are many choices in campgrounds and RV parks. In peak season and tourist areas, you should make reservations. Look for the amenities that are important to you. Campgrounds may have swimming pools, lakes, boating, fishing ponds, miniature golf, playgrounds, hiking trails, game rooms, walking or bike paths, tennis courts and activities for kids and adults. You may find dances, barbeques, contests or other entertainment. RV Clubs are worth joining to get campground discounts and other services. Consider the size and setting of the campsites and check out overall campground ratings in campground directories. Also consider proximity to other attractions or landmarks that you want to visit. 

 6.  Flexibility: In an RV, you have the flexibility to change locations if you get the whim. But take this with a grain of salt. For popular destinations, you may not be able to pick up and find another campground without a reservation. You also want to strike the right balance between seeing different areas, the amount of time spent driving and ensuring you have enough time to relax. Cautions aside, an RV can give you a lot of freedom and spontaneity. RV travel appeals to an inner pioneering spirit and allows you to create your own adventure as you go along your way. You can explore the country at your own pace or take off for last minute mini-vacations, tailgating events and weekend trips.

 7.  Affordability: The question of whether it is cheaper to take an RV vacation doesn't have a "one size fits all" answer. The comparison really depends on the type of vacations you would take instead, as well as the way in which you plan to RV. For a one-time trip, you can compare the costs of renting a suitable RV to the costs of hotels, airfare or other means of travel. Or if you are considering regular RV vacations, you may want to purchase a motor home or towable trailer. In this case, you would need to factor in operating costs, maintenance and the purchase price. In an RV, you can save money by cooking meals at home vs. dining out. You can minimize expenses if you take advantage of activities and amenities already included in the campground rate. Fuel expenses can be managed by reducing the distances traveled and staying longer at a given campground or park. 

 8.  Driving the RV: Driving yourself gives you control over where you go and the pace of your travel. You don’t have the hassle of airline counters and keeping to schedules. You can stop and take a break when you choose. You don't need a special license to drive an RV. Sure, it takes some getting used to -- but the number of RVs on the road should tell you that it is doable. Practice on your own (or with one other person) before you load up your passengers. Take advantage of any classes available through your dealer or one of the many RV organizations. 

 9.  How about a relaxing vacation for a change? How many times have you returned from a trip saying you need a vacation from the vacation? Now don't kid yourself - if you are the type who likes to schedule all the details of a trip, that's not going to change simply because you are traveling in an RV. But in choosing an RV vacation, you may shift your thinking and be more apt to use your time off as an opportunity to truly relax and unwind. 

10.  Test out the RV Lifestyle: The RV vacation may serve as a test drive to gauge your overall interest in the RV lifestyle. There are RVers who spend several weeks per year in RV travel. Other RVers take off for months. Snowbirds are RVers who make an annual trek to warmer climates for the winter season. And then there are fulltime RVers whose only home is their RV. Many of these people started out by vacationing in an RV as a way to try out the RV lifestyle.

Copyright 2005 Your RV Lifestyle, all rights reserved. Reprinted with permission. Publication is permitted provided the resource information at the end of the article remains intact, and links are live. Please notify the author via the Contact Us form at http://www.your-rv-lifestyle.com, providing a link to the location of the article, or a copy of the newsletter. About The Author Jill is a fulltime RVer  and the editor of http://www.your-rv-lifestyle.com, where you can find more advice for choosing, affording and enjoying your RV lifestyle. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/