Recommendations for Surviving Travel With Kids
If you’ve got kids, or even just one child, you probably know that traveling with them can sometimes be an unbelievable challenge. Traveling with others can be difficult enough, but with young children or teenagers can be extremely stressful.
If you’re traveling with kids this week I wish you much luck. On top of the child travel challenge, experts are predicting that this Thanksgiving holiday is going to be the busiest travel weekend ever.
Millions of travelers are expected to hit the roads and airports during the holidays, leading to crowded travel conditions. It’s recommended to consider traveling during off-peak days to avoid disruptions.
Add that you’ll be traveling with kids, it can create the perfect travel storm and become a very challenging experience. However, with some helpful tips, you can survive and thrive during your next family adventure. Remember to leave and arrive earlier than you think you need to, pack entertainment like tablets and toys for long journeys, and don’t forget essential items like toenail clippers in your diaper bag.
A very helpful tip is to be patient with your children as they adjust to new things while you’re traveling. This will benefit everybody and everything involved with the family.
It’s also important to take breaks for yourself and you’ll enjoy the trip with your kids more. You’ll need to prepare yourself for unexpected delays and mishaps by your kids. Stay calm and enjoy the adventure.
According to their website, City Dads Group is a “dynamic, diverse and inclusive community of fathers dedicated to being active in their children’s lives and, by example, redefining what it means to be a dad in the 21st century.”
Contributor Christopher Mannino reminds us that everything takes longer when kids are involved, and the restroom stops alone can be a costly time stealer.
Tips for Traveling with Kids
He suggests in his article that there are a few things to consider if you’re traveling with children. They include showing up early, bringing things to keep kids busy, packing minimally and intelligently, being patient, and trying to laugh at the unfortunate setbacks.
Regardless of the other recommendations, I have found that being patient and making light of the problems have been most helpful for my wife and me when traveling with kids.
5 Life Lessons From Coaching Youth Sports
The Meaning of Hard Work
There’s no better feeling than working tirelessly for something you really want, and then accomplishing it. Especially if you are an underdog. You learn to enjoy the struggle. It makes the reward that much sweeter. The most valuable lesson from this piece is that once you dedicate yourself to putting in whatever it takes, this becomes a mindset. No win comes for free. You aren’t entitled to playing time. Both of those must be earned. There’s nothing wrong with reminding yourself of that while preaching to your kids about how to get playing time.
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The Importance of Exercise
Your definition of exercise might be a sweaty cardio workout in the gym. But as a coach, exercise has a broad meaning. Certainly, getting yourself outside with a team and teaching them the importance of stretching and preparing your body is essential to physical success. Coaching a sport like football, for example, your two hours a day on the field are laser-focused on just that. There, you are giving yourself some mental exercise, taking a break from all the other work, stress, or life-circumstances. You can forget everything else when you hit the field, court, or rink.
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Treat Everyone The Same, But Coach Them Differently
Whether you manage a soccer team or a sales team, you’re leading a collection of individuals. What makes your top performer tick is not the same as what makes a lesser player (or employee) with potential, tick. This lesson centers around relationship-building and listening. How you run your team is about you, and how your players apply these guidelines is about them.
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Nobody Is Going Pro At 10 Years Old...
…Nor are they getting a full scholarship offer to a top NCAA college at this age. You may see things in your kid or another on the team where your experience makes you think a certain player has a shot at the big time. But that time is not right now. Your coaching duty is to give the best experience possible to your players. How does creating an entire game plan around one super-talented 10-year old give the other 20 kids a fair chance? How does it give them a memorable experience? Or something to build off for next year. Or confidence. Again, those refereeing your games are most likely high school or college kids themselves. They’re just trying to work and earn some money. Again, cut them some slack.
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You Matter
Your tone in addressing your players, the refs, and the other team matters, too. Be cognizant of how you deliver your messages. You may have an incredibly impactful point to make, but if you don’t articulate it correctly, and cater to your audience, it can be useless. Coaching youth sports is about the overall experience, not the final score, and not the final record. Your stats don’t matter, your voice does.
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