Tips planning trips with tweens
I’ve often said my favorite trips require a passport, but there’s something to be said for a trip that requires me to do next to nothing short of making a reservation. My family has done more than a few all-inclusive resort vacations. There are definitely things to ask questions about before you make the reservation, like restaurants, accommodation options and kid-focused activities. The food will typically not excite a “foodie”, think buffets and lots of noise, but the plus side to all-inclusives is they work to offer something for everyone.
That’s huge in the tween crowds. While one of your tweens is taking surfing lessons, another may be in the art studio learning a local craft, and if you still have a little one, they can be in the kids club getting their face painted. And when the kids are off having a good time, parents can pick what truly interests them and go for it. Another huge perk with all-inclusives is that you can leave your wallet in your room. No worrying about the kids having money to buy a drink or get some food. You pay in advance. While it may sound like a dream vacation to some, it’s not a family-togetherness type of trip. Be prepared for some days where you have breakfast with the kids and don’t seem them again until it’s time for dinner. That’s hard for some parents.
Older Kids Want Space
Don’t skimp on space! You wouldn’t dream of sharing a room with your kids at home, why would you want to do it on vacation? Budgets are budgets and decisions have to be made. But I would rather stay at a more economical hotel and have my space then stuff everyone into one room at a 5-star hotel. The first time you let the tweens have a place of their own can be tough. You’ll worry a bit (or more) when bedtime arrives, but again, take a deep breath. Most hotels offer two (or more) keys at check-in. Keep one to the kid’s room for yourself, so you can get in when needed. Be forewarned, the first time you give this responsibility to your tweens, they will most likely lock themselves out of their room multiple times. Part of the learning curve.
Contact with Home
If your tween is worried they might be missing out on things at home, a trip can go south in a heartbeat. Parental reassurance only goes so far when social status is at play. Thanks to the internet, staying in touch is as easy as pulling out your technological device of choice (iTouch, iPhone, iPad) and jumping on the interet. All good holiday gift ideas for jetsetting tweens! Sending pictures to friends back home just seems to have more payoff than postcards. And once tweens realize they’re truly not missing much at home, they just might realize they’re on a fabulous vacation.
Take a Surprise Trip
Some of the best trips my family has taken are the ones the kids didn’t know about. It’s hard to keep under wraps, but surprise vacations are worth the sneaking around. We were headed to Florida for a surprise birthday party for my father. There was no way my girls would be able to keep the secret, so we didn’t tell them a thing. We went to dinner with some friends in San Francisco, and instead of heading home, we headed to the airport, and grabbed the bags out of the trunk. It was a week of pure glee.
Now that they’re tweens, I’d give them a little more notice, primarily so I wouldn’t have to pack their bags. I think it would be fun to announce they got a few hours to pack their bags and just go. The excitement would be next to impossible to contain.
Relax
It seems like a given, but it’s something that often gets forgotten. Make sure you give the family some time to relax. Tweens like to hang out by the pool, especially when it’s a fantastic swimming pool (check out FamilyGetaway’s Cool Pools page for ideas), and read a good book just as much as many adults.
Traveling with tweens doesn’t have to mean trouble. They may have a different way of traveling, but it has some great perks. Watch for them, and enjoy!