Vacation with children: 7 tips for parents

1. Choosing a resort

Here is what you should pay attention to, if you do not want to regret later about a spoiled beach vacation with children:

• Climate. Make sure that at your destination there are no surprises: prolonged rains, sandstorms or temperatures that make it impossible to get out of the air-conditioned room during the day. Also take into account that with a small child pediatricians recommend going to a country where the climate is not too different from the Ukrainian climate: Bulgaria, Croatia or Montenegro, for example;

• remoteness. For traveling with babies, a 2-3 hour flight is considered optimal, but be guided by your child - there are those who calmly tolerate multi-hour journeys with connections, feeling on board better than adults;
• the location of the resort in relation to the nearest international airport. If it's not nearby, find out how you can get there, and ideally budget for cabs or transfers. In some countries, intercity public transportation is irregular or not suitable for traveling with small children (no air conditioning, buses are packed to capacity, bad roads, etc.);
• contingent. There are resorts where mostly young people come to have fun and party to the full - you are unlikely to please disco under the windows at 2 am, when the child (and adults) want to sleep. In addition, kids on vacation is much easier to occupy when there are other children around, with whom you can play together.

• Suitability of the coastline for a vacation with a child: no strong currents and waves, gentle entrance to the water, clean beaches, suitable coating (not sharp stones that quickly get hot in the sun, but sand or small pebbles), convenient location (no stairs, for example, which will have to go down and up every day);
• infrastructure: whether it is convenient to move around the resort with a stroller, whether there are stores and what assortment in them, whether there are pharmacies, how things are with cafes and restaurants, where you can relax with children (there are high chairs, changing tables in toilets, toys), whether there are playgrounds and entertainment centers;
• the level of medicine: whether there are hospitals with modern equipment and qualified doctors in the resort or nearby.

The easiest way to find out about all the important nuances: find people who live or often vacation in the attractive city, and ask them about it, read reviews. These can be bloggers, participants of travel forums and communities in social networks.

If you buy a trip in a travel agency, do not rely on the words of the manager - check his recommendations yourself. It is not uncommon for family vacations to be ruined - people were sold what was profitable, not what suited them. As a result, a family with a small child, for example, ended up in a resort with dirty beaches, plenty of bars and drunken British tourists swimming naked in pools.

2. Choose the type of accommodation

The main options are three: hotel room, apartment, villa. Let's consider the pros and cons of the first two as the most affordable.

Hotel

The main argument "for" - the opportunity to transfer daily care on someone else's shoulders. The room will be cleaned, bed linen and towels will be replaced with clean ones, any request will be fulfilled. If the hotel works on the system All inclusive, then also feed several times a day - it is usually cheaper than eating in cafes and restaurants. The third plus is the presence of game rooms, animators, and sometimes nannies to whom you can entrust your child for some time (it is relevant mainly for family hotels).

Additional bonuses: the ability to install a crib in the room (free of charge or for a small surcharge), rent a stroller, car seat and other necessary accessories.

Minuses are mainly related to food. As a rule, it will not be possible to cook independently (except for apart-hotels, where the rooms have kitchens). If the child is on a special diet or is simply picky about food, the proposed dishes may not suit him, and the meal schedule often does not clash with the schedule of the restaurant. Many hotels, claiming to have a "children's menu", mean fries, sausages and burgers, which is unacceptable for some families. Another nuance - where there are many children at the same time, quickly spread chicken pox, intestinal infections and other diseases.

Apartments

The first plus - often this option is cheaper than a hotel, especially for a large family or a company with children.

The second advantage is the availability of an equipped kitchen where you can cook and eat what you want and when you want.

The third is that there is less chance of getting noisy neighbors. If the house where you rent an apartment, live mostly locals, they will also sleep at night. However, no one is safe from parties behind the wall or neighborly repairs.

You can book a hotel with a discount of up to -65% on the website.

Minuses:

1. The need to solve household issues: do daily cleaning, take out the trash, buy groceries, cook, etc.

2. entertaining the child will have to entertain yourself. When choosing housing, pay attention to whether there are nearby playgrounds and play centers, you can also find a variant with its own yard or garden, sometimes - a swimming pool.

3. A small percentage of apartments are equipped with everything you need for children. It is worth asking the owner in advance if there is a crib and high chair available. If not, you will have to rent them yourself or make do with what is available.

3. Compose a cultural and entertainment program

Some parents want not only to lie on the beach or by the pool, but also to see the surrounding sights. In order not to be angry at your child for "not behaving like normal people", it is important to take into account their age, routines and personality traits.

• With a baby under a year old, you can most often go anywhere with a sling or stroller for sleeping. It is enough to find on the route suitable places for feeding and diaper changing and bring everything you need;
• with those who have already learned to walk, it is sometimes more difficult to organize a vacation, but it is also possible. It is important that it was interesting not only to you, but also to children: include in the program to visit playgrounds or cafes, choose museums with interesting expositions for young travelers (cars, planes, steam trains, toys), avoid places where you have to stand in line for a long time or walk in a crowd of people;
• with children of a conscious age, it is usually enough to consult and choose options that are acceptable to all.

Consider traveling independently (by car or public transportation) instead of taking a group tour: this way you don't depend on anyone and you don't disturb anyone. A nice bonus - it's often cheaper too.

4. Collecting documents

If both parents are going on a family vacation, it is enough to take the child's passport (we remind you that since April 1, 2018 its presence is mandatory, travel documents and data about the child in the parent's passport have lost their force) and birth certificate. Spouses who have different surnames should also bring their marriage certificate: it is not in the official list of documents, but some border guards ask to show it. It's up to you whether to be nervous about proving your case or to bring it just in case.

If one of the parents of a child under the age of 16 is absent at the border crossing point, a notarized authorization in the name of the accompanying person will be required. This document must specify the country of destination (or countries) and is issued for the period of one trip or a specific period of time (a year or more). Permission is not needed if:

1. The absent parent is a foreigner or stateless person.
2. The child's passport has a mark on leaving for permanent residence in another country or a mark on taking consular registration in the representative office of Ukraine abroad.
3. The parent is deprived of parental rights, recognized as missing or incapacitated, which is confirmed by relevant documents.

5. Buying insurance and learning how to use it

Step 1: Choose a reliable insurance company: read as many reviews as possible about how events unfolded when an insured event occurred and draw conclusions.

Step 2: Memorize how to behave if the insured is ill or injured:

• Call the assistance number listed on the policy right away. If you go to the hospital without notifying the insurance company, it may result in denial of compensation;
• you will be offered one of the following options: call a doctor at your hotel/apartment or drive yourself to the clinic (this depends on the country and the severity of the patient's condition). Follow the instructions given by the operator and do not self-medicate;
• sometimes the clinic or doctor is paid directly by the insurance company, but often patients have to part with their own money (keep all receipts, statements and other documents!). Just in case, you should put aside an untouchable 100-200 dollars/euros in cash or have them on your card. When you return to Ukraine, you will need to contact your insurance company and request compensation;
• not only treatment costs, but also mobile communication costs (for example, the cost of calls to the assistance service) are subject to compensation.

How much does the insurance policy cost?

Depends on the company you choose, but in any case, it is not money worth risking. For example, travel insurance from one of the leaders of the Ukrainian market - AXA, will cost you from 170 to 450 hryvnias for a week (there are several packages). For active vacation with children (visiting water parks, etc.) this policy is also suitable!

6. Packing a suitcase

Often parents take a lot of unnecessary things on the principle of "just in case they come in handy". We have studied the reports of experienced travelers and made this list of must have:

• stroller, sling or ergo-backpack. What is better? It depends on the child's age, parents' preferences, infrastructure of the chosen resort and how active you plan to be on vacation. If you take a stroller, make sure that it will not be useless: some models with small wheels, for example, do not ride well on paving stones;
• clothes. You can do with the minimum: shorts, T-shirts, underwear, swimsuit or swim trunks, a few hats. In the heat, washed things dry quickly, there is no need to bring the whole closet. It remains to convince the child of this;
• shoes. Do not take new sandals or flip-flops to the resort, they should be worn and comfortable;
• sunglasses;
• first aid kit. If the child takes any medications on a regular basis, first of all take them, as well as something that can come in handy for minor troubles on vacation: electronic thermometer; bactericidal plaster of several shapes and sizes, bandages, absorbent cotton, hydrogen peroxide; Panthenol or another remedy that will help reduce pain and irritation in sunburns; the usual antipyretic (suppositories or syrup); medication in case of an eating disorder on the recommendation of the pediatrician; remedy for motion sickness (if relevant) on the recommendation of the pediatrician.

Remember that medicines must be in their original packages with instructions, and liquids larger than 100 ml and sprays will have to be checked in the luggage.

You can buy all this on the spot, if necessary, but, first of all, first aid kit for a vacation at sea with a child - a guarantee of peace of mind for parents. If something happens, you won't have to run anywhere, everything is at hand. Secondly, in some countries familiar drugs may not be sold, prescription or cost more, and pharmacies work only on weekdays and until 18 hours (the rest of the time open on duty, usually one per district).

When you arrive, be sure to keep the first aid kit safely hidden from your child.

• A few toys and books for the road, a favorite toy (it will help the baby feel more confident in a new place). Some also recommend buying an inflatable circle, mattress or wristbands for swimming, as prices will be higher at the resort.

Should I bring diapers, sunscreen and baby food?

It depends on where you are going. If you manage to find out in advance the range of goods in local stores and what you usually use, there are, significantly ease your burden. If not, you need to decide whether to take everything with you or experiment with what you find at the resort.

It is recommended to put in your hand luggage:

• all family members' documents, insurance policies, money and valuables;
• food and entertainment for the child;
• for babies: a spare set of clothes, diapers, wet and dry wipes (plenty);
• warm clothes for yourself and the baby. Flights are sometimes delayed, and you have to wait in a hall where the air conditioning can work;
• a first aid kit with basic medicines, band-aids and products for treating abrasions;
• phone chargers and a Power Bank (portable battery).

7. Preparing for the flight

"Calm, only calm," as a moderately well-fed man in the prime of his life used to say. If you read the comments on the Internet (don't), children on the plane only do what they do, yelling and disturbing neighbors with fragile psyche, but proper preparation will save your trip (and save the nerves of others):

1. Think through the entertainment. Whether the child will fall asleep during the flight - no one can predict, you must be ready to keep him busy. Depending on the age of your child you will need toys (ideally - new and a lot), books with stickers, a tablet with cartoons or music (don't forget headphones), coloring books and pencils. Items available on board usually include empty disposable cups, magazines and safety instructions.
2. Take food and drinks with you. A timely apple or cookie from mom's bag will do wonders to distract a tired baby, a lollipop or a drink with a tube will help with ear popping on takeoff and landing. Travelers with small children are not subject to restrictions on the volume of liquids carried in hand luggage, so you can safely take a drinker and a couple of packs of your favorite juice.
3. For safety reasons, passengers with children under the age of two are only allowed seats against the cabin wall. If your child is older and does not like to sit in a seat, it is better to choose aisle seats.

And most importantly, relax, parental nervousness is passed on to the children. Despite your efforts, any child can throw a tantrum, but that doesn't mean you're a bad mother (or father).

Safe beach vacation with children: 7 rules

1. If you swim where there is a risk of injury from coral or stepping on someone from the sea creatures, go into the water should only in special shoes.
2. Visit the beach is better in the morning or evening to avoid the consequences of overexposure: sunburn and overheating. Make sure that children (especially toddlers under a year) were not long in direct sunlight, use an umbrella or choose a place under a canopy.
3. In exotic countries, drink only bottled water and do not buy iced drinks in cafes.
4. Observe hygiene: wash your hands, as well as fruits and vegetables, and make sure children do the same.
5. If the local food is very different from what your family eats, introduce it gradually. Eat only in cafes and restaurants that do not arouse suspicion, and do not buy food from street vendors.
6. Going to a nature reserve or national park, make sure that the young explorer does not eat any brightly colored berries, avoid contact with wild animals and birds.
7. Do not leave your children unattended in a body of water, or allow them to swim during a storm or in places where you know the current is strong.