If kids have to leave behind a beloved pet or family member, photos can help. Also, a calling card for older children who can use the phone will enable them to call the person they're missing at any time. The nightmare: Fear of flying or airplane boredom Distractions can be key.
Maggie and Liza started flying as babies and so were used to it quickly, but they got bored easily on longer flights. Having their own little carry-on suitcases helped; we would fill them with small toys, snacks, books, paper and crayons, often new things we had collected or bought for the trip. Just the joy of discovery took up some time, and then they were focused for much of the trip working through all of the stuff.
And Maggie says, "You can't go wrong with a deck of cards, and bring a rule book so that you have variety and there are fewer fights." We also think fondly of the aunt and uncle who bought them personal DVD players (decent ones can be had for about $60). With headphones, they can watch whatever they bring, helpful when the movie on the plane is annoyingly adult or one they've seen 20 times, or when there's no movie at all.
They also come in handy on long road trips. The nightmare: Disrupted sleep schedules, or as we call it, "Everyone is acting foul" Deal with it: Winding down at night can be a challenge. If the hotel has a pool, that sometimes will help make everyone sleepy, as will a warm bath.
Gathering everyone in one bed to watch a low-key movie or simply lie around to chat about the day can help make the transition. Younger ones like to be read to, and older ones can be encouraged to read to themselves and sometimes are willing to be read to, as well. "That'll put you to sleep.
" Travel editor Kyle Wagner can be reached at 303-954-1599 or travel@denverpost.com. If kids have to leave behind a beloved pet or family member, photos can help.
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