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Family Life > Family Time & Vacations

Grandkids, Traveling With Them
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Have you ever taken a vacation with your grandkids? If possible, arrange it with their parents to take your grandkids for a week during the summer. While you can enjoy many fun activities locally, consider going on a trip together. Or if your grandkids haven't stayed away from Mom and Dad before, start slowly with just a day trip in their own hometown.

If you enjoying camping, take them to a national park. Or if you can afford it, maybe a trip to a theme park. There may be some interesting historic sites, cities, or other landmarks that they want to see. Wherever you take them, you will add a whole new dynamic to your relationship. You'll learn more about them and their individual personalities and interests.

So if you're planning to travel with your grandkids, take some practical advice from AARP:

Plan Thoroughly

As excited as you may be to have fun all day long, keep in mind that keeping up with young children all day is exhausting. For you own benefit, and theirs as well, plan some down time into your schedule. At the same time, remember that children get bored easily, so have plenty of activities available for them. Keep in mind your own physical limits when planning a trip and determining if you are able to handle the kids on your own.

When planning your trip, factor in issues such as your budget, their parents' rules, the grandchildren's interests, and places you feel comfortable taking them on your own. Your adult child can also fill you in on your grandchildren's do's and don'ts, how to handle their behavior, things they like and don't like.

Preparing to Go

Send pictures or books to your grandchildren on the places you will visit together. Tell them how you will be traveling, such as by plane or by car, and what your route will be like. Send them a small map with your destination and travel marked on it. Once the vacation time arrives, make sure to have plenty of snacks, activities, books and games to keep your grandchildren busy in the car or during down time. Or encourage your older grandchildren to bring their own music CDs, games and books. You might also want to have a small amount of cash handy to dole out for daily souvenirs or candy.

Develop a plan for emergencies, such as what to do if one of your grandchildren becomes lost. And make sure the children have identification on them, including the name and number of the hotel, and their parents' names and number.

In addition, you should probably have a notarized authorization for medical care from the children's parents, just in case there is a medical emergency. If you are leaving the country, make sure to have the parents' power of attorney statement. Keep along a small first aid kit, and ask the parents what type of medication they prefer. More than likely it will be a good idea to keep some children's acetaminophen with you, but make sure to check with the parents for any medical allergies or issues.

Also, set the rules up front on the behavior you expect and what the consequences will be for disobedience.

Having Fun

Preserve your memories together by giving each of your grandchildren a journal they can write in, some disposable cameras, or even a small tape recorder. At the end of the trip, you can each make your own scrapbooks together. You'll also have fun just experiencing new things together and getting to know each other better. If you need some help in keeping conversation interesting, iMom offers free printable lists of conversation starters for children and for teenagers. Or you can find a book of conversation starters in your library or bookstore. Don't worry about dazzling them the whole trip or going over budget in order for them to have a fun time. Just enjoy each other's company and treasure your time together.

Source

AARP (http://www.aarp.org)

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