A few weeks ago, my family took our first family vacation. Not just us (daddy, mommy and baby), but uncles and aunties and grandparents all went down to Niagara Falls. Four families under one roof, oh what adventures await.
I wasn’t sure what to expect. I knew I would be away from home and so I knew to expect the unexpected. Not for myself but for Mercy. But surprisingly, she adapted quite easily…until she didn’t.
1. Keep Snacks, Toys and Entertainment Available
We drove down and back, which is about six hours drive with one stop in between. My daughter gets pretty fussy if she can’t get move around. The only time she’s ok being still is when she is asleep. So we had to keep her entertained. We spoke to her, fed her snacks, played The Backyardigans off of my phone, etc. whatever to make her ride down as comfortable as possible. If she’s comfortable, we’re comfortable.
2. Sunscreen and Mosquito Repellent is Gold!
The sun was super high and it was humid. We stayed close to the falls so the mosquitos were out. I knew that she would suffer later on if she didn’t put on any sunscreen and mosquito repellent. Not just her, but me too. Sunscreen helps to avoid sunburn and mosquito repellent keep the mosquitos away. I mean who wants to go on vacation just to get burned and eaten by mosquitos?
3. Toddlers Get Sick
The worst feeling is seeing your little one sick. What do you do? I knew that our schedule was completely and with so many hands willing to help ultimately the next course of action was up to me. I’m the type who starts blaming herself (which I need to stop doing by the way). Eventually she felt better. Some orange juice, a light lunch and many cuddles got her back to her feet. I had to remember that these things happen and that no one was judging me.
4. Parks are Awesome!
I didn’t realize how much this little girl loved running around freely until I found this little neighborhood park. She just ran around to her heart’s content. The place structure was a little intimidating for her at first because it was so big. However, she quickly found her groove and kept on having fun. I even had time to give myself an impromtu shoot.
5. Kids Are NOT Adults
It’s easy to dismiss the little ones on a family vacation and that can be the most annoying thing ever. I saw my daughter bored for the first time ever! It was not a good sight in fact it was heartbreaking. I could tell she was trying to make the best of every opportunity but she was so limited that she just ended up being whiny and cranky. That’s how I ended up finding the neighborhood park. The little ones need to be able to have fun just like the big kids and the teenagers and the adults. Otherwise is it really a family vacation?
I hope this is helpful. How do you make a family vacation fun for the whole family?
Sandy Esprit 
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