Unforgettable Childhood

So it is the last week of school for my girls. We are headed out of town on vacation Thursday evening. Everyone has appointments for haircuts. My oldest daughter has basketball camp after school and a piano recital on Wednesday.

And I decided that this would be a great week to host my Mommy and Me tea with Gigi.

Doesn’t this look like loads of fun. Today we are busy baking and planning and decorating for a morning of make believe.

My living room is filled with suitcases. . .

But I am enjoying the chaos. We are making memories in the midst of it all. No matter what we try to do to keep our excitement at bay, our thoughts keep drifting to this.

I know that some call me crazy, but I think it is all part of being a mom. It may be a crazy week but we are making memories that we will never forget.

Sorry I haven’t posted much lately, but I am busy making a drawbridge for our make believe castle.

The girls are busy wrapping up another school year with field trips, school programs and cleaning out their desks. I am busy trying to pack for our vacation.

I made a Travel Packing List that each of the girls could use to help me with the packing process. I am so glad that we have a washer and dryer in our condo so that we can wash some clothes and not pack for all 12 days we will be gone.

I am following some tips from April Welch from Simply Organized Online to make our trip easier. Here are some of her tips for making a car trip more enjoyable. (We drive 7 hours before we fly)

• Present new toys or ideas (surprise themw/your thoughtfulness)
• Have them pack their “travel bag”
• Use craft organizers to bring along their Legos or Polly Pockets
• Pack the cooler w/healthy choices that won’t raise their sugar level
• Schedule for potty breaks
• Try to set up their own space
• Be realistic of their needs
• Have Fun!!!!!

In the tips above April talks about having each child pack a “travel bag” for the road trip. Here are some of her suggestions for this bag:

• a snack
• something to drink
• a book to read
• a book light
• playing cards or traveling game
• CD player/iPod
• a ‘new item’

I am actually packing their carry-on bags for the flight. The last time we flew with the girls I didn’t let them see their goodies in their carry-on bags until we got to the airport. I will write a post next week all about what I pack to keep them busy.

Do you let your kids pack their own bags when you go on vacation? How do you survive your traveling with your kids?

I am so excited about my guest today at Unforgettable Childhood. Megan Dahle is the creator of 1st Person History. She is also from my hometown. She is sharing her recent experiences in Orlando. She has some great tips for surviving the parks with kids.

My kids are traveling rock stars. I’ll take them anywhere. Even my brother-in-law had to admit that he was not looking forward to traveling with 9- and 5-year-old little girls, but was very pleasantly surprised by their attitudes and easy-going style of the entire week-long trip to Disney World.

We spent Easter at Disney World with 9 members of my family this year. Apparently, this is the worst time of year to go because of the lines, but the attitudes of everyone traveling with us and careful preparation before hand made it a great vacation.

I give all credit for this fabulous trip to my daughters. Their attitudes were above and beyond magical. Although we did have to overcome the initial disappointment of our 5-year-old, who was expecting the airplane to land in Magic Kingdom, everything else went off without a hitch.

The attitudes of your children can make or break an entire trip. All too often we would pass families in the parks where the children where breaking down and the parents scowled and scolded. No one was having fun. How miserable.

So here are a few tips on helping your kids have a whining-and-tantrum-free trip.

Make sure your kids know what to expect. We told the girls about the long lines before we ever got on the plane. We made them personally responsible for their own entertainment while standing in line. While we never waited more than 30 minutes in any line (Thank heaven for touringplans.com), 30 minutes is a lifetime for a 5 year-old. 

Our tools were miniature messenger bags that each child was responsible for. If my 5-year-old can lug a bag around the parks for 7 days, so can yours (she’s very small for her age). She was proud of it. It was hers, and she felt very grown-up having her own bag. Inside that bag were a Nintendo DS, gum, GORP, and a camera. She could snack whenever she wanted, take pictures whenever inspiration struck, and break out the DS when she got antsy in long lines. There was no reason to whine for anything because she had all the tools she needed.

Stop the whining long before it starts. Our girls know it’s pointless to whine. This isn’t a philosophy that we adopted once we got to the gates of Disney World. This has been practiced over and over long before the idea of going to Disney World even entered our minds. (“I’m sorry, darling. I can’t understand a word you say when you whine. When you’re ready to talk in a normal voice, I’ll be here to listen.”) So why bother?

Kids reflect their parents’ attitudes. I love Disney World. I can’t help it. They can do no wrong in my eyes. (I think I was more excited for this trip than they were.) My girls could sense that. 

How you approach the day sets the stage. Sure, you may be up at the crack of dawn to get to the parks when they open, but plastering on a smile and concentrating on the anticipation of the fun to come is contagious. If you’re not feelin’ it, fake it.

Take breaks. No matter how great your kids are, once they tire out, moods sour quickly. Same goes for adults. And a cranky adult makes for cranky kids.

We went back to our house (we rented a 5 bedroom house for a dirt-cheap price – vrbo.com) every day around lunch time. This is when the crowds in the parks were at their worst. 

Once we got home the kids got to swim in the pool for an hour or so to thoroughly wear themselves out while lunch (or sometimes an early super) was getting prepared. Then a half hour in bed was mandatory. If you didn’t sleep, that’s okay. But these generally grew into 2 hour naps for everyone, including the adults.

We’d go back to the parks that evening, around 5-7 and be refreshed to stay up as long as we wanted and take advantage of the shorter evening lines.

Mix in some magic. Disney offers many different Character Breakfasts throughout their parks. We went to the Akershus Princess Breakfast and I made sure to get reservations for a time before the park opened. We got in the gates almost two hours before the park opened. It was a whole different world.

Disney really does the character meals up right. Cast Members were blowing bubbles for the kids to pop outside the restaurant while we waited for our table. We got to meet 5 (Five!!) princesses (Belle, Ariel, Aurora, Cinderella, and Snow White). That also meant we never had to stand in line to meet them in the parks.

The best part was the anticipation. Even the adults got excited when they see characters coming. It’s hard to be grumpy when Cinderella is making her way to your table.

Relax. It’s a vacation. Sure it took the car rental guy an hour to find your reservation, and maybe check-in didn’t go too smoothly, but shake it off! Breathe and remember you’re on vacation. If you’re relaxed, your kids will be relaxed. Don’t dwell on what went wrong. Just concentrate on the fun to come.

If you find your heart rate rising and your face getting hot, take a step back (and perhaps a nap is in order). Things are not going to go perfectly as planned. It’s no big deal. A stress-free parent makes for stress-free kids.

Maybe I lucked out with great kids, but their approach to travel makes me look forward to our next family vacation. Attitude is everything! I hope some of these tips struck a cord and will help make your next vacation a joy.

Make sure you check out 1st Person History. It is an amazing tool to help you capture your family heritage. Megan can also be found on twitter @mtjono.

In two weeks I get to meet the wonderful voice behind Layton Family Joy. She is sharing a little about her town today on Unforgettable Childhood. I love her tips and I can’t wait to use them when we arrive in Orlando. Don’t forget to stop by her blog and say hello.

When I tell most people we live in Orlando they automatically think Mickey Mouse.  Some people think Shamu.  We eat sushi not so much whale.  Very few people think Universal Studios.  Although I live directly in the middle of all of these attractions – my house is not shaped like Cinderella’s Castle.  But some days sure do feel like I just stepped off the Tea Cup rides!!

We live in sw Orlando – close enough to Disney to hear the fireworks at night (our very own little evening thunder concert), but thankfully we’re not too close we have to dress in costume to walk down the streets.  We enjoy the oak trees and Butler Chain of Lakes more so than concrete and skyscrapers of downtown Orlando.  I think Orlando is very interesting because you do not have to drive too far to find a completely different scene.  Less than 5 miles from my front door is a quaint town called Windermere where only 2 roads are paved.

I thought I’d give Amy and some other folks tips if you’re traveling to Orlando this summer.

1. Bring sunscreen! I don’t care if you have a great base tan – you will burn in Orlando. I’d bring a hat and sunglasses too.  It’s only early May and it’s already low 90*s

2. Bring a bathing suit – bring two!  There are enough opportunities to get wet from hotel pools, splash parks, and random fountains – you will not have time to dry one suit out before you need it again.  And you will need it again!

3. Plan for rain – it’s amazing but every day starts off bright and sunny and by afternoon we always have a random shower.  Don’t fret – it’ll be sunny again within an hour.

4. Bring your patience – there is a ton of traffic.  Even in October on Wednesdays at 2pm – there is a ton of traffic.  And people honk here – all the time!  Don’t take offense it’s normal.  This is a must – do not go on green. If you’re waiting for a green light stay patient!  Do not go right away.  There is usually someone running the red light in the opposite direction.  I’m not kidding! I’ve traveled around and Orlando is the worst for red light running.  Better to get honked at than t-boned!

5. Bring your pennies - everything costs more inside the parks!  But definitely bring some cash for Twistee Treat, the best soft ice-cream drive thru spot outside of Downtown Disney on South Apopka and 535. I gained 10 extra lbs during my pregnancy because of stops by Twistee Treat.

6. Bring your appetite – Orlando is great because there are so many different types of food and varieties - it’s a chore deciding where to eat!

If you can’t decide we’re usually at Anthony’s off I4 & Sand Lake Road (closer to Universal than Disney), brick fire pizza!
7. Plan a day to nap - when you get home you will be exhausted!  There is plenty to see and do in Orlando I haven’t seen it all in the 4years I’ve been here! You won’t see it all – relax and enjoy what you will see!

8. Hit Walmart for souvenirs – What?? – Your WalMart doesn’t have Disney magnets, shirts, cups, towels, and hats?  It’s cheaper in Super WalMart off Sand Lake Road and I4.

I hope these few tips will help you out when planning for your fun trip to Orlando!  Safe travels - and reapply that sunscreen!!

Stef blogs about her faith at Layton Family Joy and is a contributor to Gather Inspirit.

Yesterday I spent hours on the computer making car rental reservations, agendas and itineraries, and crunching numbers for my banker husband for our upcoming trip to Disney World. I am trying to bring all the of the Magic to my girls while still keeping within my budget for him.

Lucky for me I have connected with some women online that have some great Disney insight and they have been sharing it with me. Today Amber from Dixon Dialogue is sharing about her last trip to Disney World with her 11 month old son. I really appreciate her insight. My girls are a little older, but she has some great advice that I am adding into my plan.

Walt Disney World (WDW) is one of my favorite places in the entire world – it truly is magical! I have been several times as an adult and had so much fun! I always wondered why people would bring their small children to WDW. Sure, it is meant for kids (and kids at heart) but crowds, lines, heat and long days don’t usually equal happy kids or parents.  For these reasons, I said that I would not take my son to WDW one day before he turned 10 years old!

Well, that plan changed when my husband’s parents treated us to a Disney vacation last October. My son was a mere 11 months old! We traveled with my husband’s family which consisted of 6 adults and 3 kids (7 months, 11 months, and 3 years old). We had a great time and it was magical to see WDW through the eyes of a child. I almost cried when my niece met a princess for the first time – the wonder and awe on her face was priceless. And it will be fun to tell my son about the time we took him to WDW before he could even walk.

I have found that this tips really made our vacation relaxing and fun! I hope they work for you too.

Have a Plan

WDW is a huge place – 4 parks, 2 water parks, mini-golf, Downtown Disney and the list goes on and on. If you like to wander around aimlessly for several hours each day trying to decide what to do – don’t make an itinerary. But if you prefer to make the most out of every minute of your vacation – make an itinerary. I made an itinerary for each of the four parks. I listed attractions I wanted to make sure we got to, food options that my family would eat and show times for the shows we were interested in.

It takes a little time compiling your list before you leave for vacation but it will save you so much time once you get there.  The point is not to have every minute of your vacation scheduled but to have an idea of the things you want to fit in so you can prioritize. And if you’re an overachiever like me you can print and laminate your itinerary so that a spilt drink or a sudden rain doesn’t ruin your planning.

Take a Good Stroller

When traveling with small children and preschoolers it is absolutely necessary to have a good stroller. “Good” can be defined several ways but I define it as lightweight and fully reclining with a small basket underneath to hold any purchases. My son can sleep just about anywhere so a fully reclining stroller was a must for us – we could stay at the park all day without him missing his afternoon nap.  Our stroller happens to be lightweight but I would go with your full size/travel system over a cheap umbrella stroller. You and your child will be more comfortable. And there are designated places to park your stroller while you enjoy an attraction or restaurant.

Stay in a WDW Resort

Staying in a WDW resort is the most convenient accommodation. WDW offers several modes of transportation from their hotels so all you have to do is hop on a bus or ferry each morning to get to your destination. WDW resorts have a wide range of price points from tent camping to elaborate 5 star hotels. My family has stayed in the All Star Sports hotel which is very budget friendly.

Eat Good and Bring Snacks

Eating in the parks can be costly and it is tempting to eat burgers and fries for every meal. But be good to your body and schedule a few good meals during your vacation. Many of the restaurants offer healthy options and it can also be a chance to sit down, relax and recharge.

Pack healthy snacks for your little ones. The parks do not offer too many healthy snack options and they are priced astronomically. Some snacks that we took were goldfish crackers, juice boxes, fruit strips, cheerios, and apples.

Use Fast Passes and Single Rider Lines

Using these options will save you many hours of waiting in line. This is especially important if only 1 or a few in your party want to ride a roller coaster. Fast Passes allow you to get a ticket to come back and ride the ride during a certain time frame. These are great because they are FREE and allow you to use that time to do other things. But, these can run out especially on the most popular rides.

WDW is, in my opinion, genius for implementing Single Rider Lines – on some of their most popular roller coasters you can wait in this considerably shorter line if you don’t care who you ride with – they fill in the empty spaces on the ride. I am the only one who rides roller coasters in my family so this is what I did all week. I rode a roller coaster 3 times in about 15 minutes!

Be Flexible and Have Fun

And this is the most important tip! Even the most well planned trip can run into a few bumps! Being flexible is the key when traveling with small children – go with the flow, enjoy the magical moments, dance in the street parade, and take a gazillion pictures!

Amber Dixon is a Christian, wife, mommy, avid reader and social worker. She blogs about her family and life at www.DixonDialogue.com. You can also follow Amber on Twitter: @DixonDialogue.

Well we are down to three weeks before our Disney World vacation. This weekend we sat down together and tried to start making a plan. What is going to make a 4, 7 and 9 year old happy. Plus keep Grandma and Grandpa sane. . . Well let’s just say we have a lot more planning to do.

This month I am going to have some guest posts from moms that travel with kids. I am also going to have some posts on being a tourist in your own town. I am going to add vacation tips and tricks to surviving car trips and plane rides.

Join the fun! If you have a fun story to share, let me know I would love to feature you here.

Today I am compiling a list of ideas for us to hash out as a family and try to make a plan before we get on the plane. Join us tomorrow as Amber shares her recent experience in Disney with her 11 month old.

Coming soon. . .

A new Traveling with your Kids series. By moms, for moms, how to survive Car trips, plane trips, motel stays, etc. How to pack your car and your bags when you are traveling with kids.

Travel Games, Movies and more to keep your kids entertained until you get there.

Destinations that are family friendly.

A chance to highlight where you live and why it makes a great place to visit.

Miles of Memories begins here at Unforgettable Childhood. Come and Excover with us!