As many of you know, I have 4 children (my son is 10, I have twin girls who are 8 and we have a young one who is almost 5), and every year we try to get away for Spring break. Spring break is the perfect time to be outside, spend time with family and have a short vacation to break our routine cycle. We have had some great trips and not so great trips over the years.
Like last year. We tried to go skiing and as soon as we landed in Colorado, we received a text saying the ski mountains were closed due to Covid. Thankfully, my sister lives in Colorado so we spent the week hanging out at her house. This year, we decided to try again and we were able to go skiing! (Yay!!!)
Here are 5 tips I learned that have helped me survive and thrive during Spring break as a mom of little ones, especially now during these Covid times.
Tip 1 – Have a Plan.
My first tip to you is to have a plan. Even if the plan blows up in your face like it did for us last year, have that plan and think well in advance about what you want to do with your family especially during times like these. Think about travel restrictions, vaccinations, how you want to spend your time and what kind of experiences you want to have (camping, skiing, horseback riding, etc.). Make sure to book everything in advance so you are prepared ahead of time.
Tip 2 – Pack Your Patience.
In the middle of a pandemic, traveling, going to the airport, boarding a plane, etc. is not the same. My husband and I were fortunate to get vaccinated so we felt a bit more comfortable traveling on a plane but we still wore our masks, arrived at the airport a couple hours early so we’re not rushing and (frankly) yelling at our kids. If you are rushed, that stress level goes up and your tolerance goes down and you’re more prone to lose your temper. Make sure to eat before heading to the airport so you don’t have to pull down your mask in the airport to eat or drink. Get to the airport extra early to avoid long lines and make sure you bring your own antibacterial wipes, gloves, masks, etc.
Also, make sure your kids have their own entertainment gear (headphones, ipads, chargers) so everyone is happy and not on the plane or in the car trying to play different games or movies at the same time…creating stress for you.
Tip 3 – Think About Your Options.
If you are running out of time or on a tighter budget, consider a staycation. If we weren’t able to go ski, we would have gone to a local Marriot Hotel (they have fabulous pools!) and just stayed there because rates are cheap right now since hotel occupancies are relatively low. Due to Covid, hotels are stepping up their game and are looking for more people to book a stay. They are also sanitizing rooms really well (they even add a sticker on your door so you know that your room is sanitized). If you go to a hotel with those types of policies, a staycation would be a great and safe option for you to enjoy Spring Break. You can either go to these hotels in town or drive a couple hours and go somewhere else close to where you live. We are in Houston and a couple hours away we have San Antonio, Austin and Hill Country. Wherever you are, I’m sure there are a few options that you can drive to and don’t have to stress about going to an airport. And frankly, kids don’t care about where you are going, all they want is to get away from home and have a good time! Any new environment makes it new for them (especially when they are young)!
Tip 4 – Explore Your City.
Sometimes we take our city for granted and we think we have to go over the top to have a fun Spring Break. If you are worried about your budget or your time, sometimes the best experience can be right there in your backyard. Sometimes, going back and learning more about your local zoo, aquarium, amusement park, etc. could be just as fun for your kids as traveling with them in a plane. Let your kids plan their day and you’d be surprised where you go…and see…that you haven’t done before! And you can still decompress in your backyard or watch the sunset and just enjoy some relaxing time at home.
Tip 5 – Come Back Home Early.
It’s a lot to go on vacation, whether you’re doing a staycation, going a couple hours away or taking a flight somewhere. Whatever that might be, make sure to build some time to get back home to recover and reflect. We used to travel all week long and I would come back home to tons of laundry, kids accustomed to staying up late, etc. I struggled to get my kids re-oriented and used to a school schedule and an earlier bedtime. Transitioning back on Monday morning is always challenging, so what we do now (and I highly recommend this!), is come back on a Wednesday or a Thursday to leave us enough time to get readjusted, wash our clothes and make sure we got everything back in order. This also gives us time to sit back and reflect about our vacation and let my kids talk or journal about their favorite part of the vacation, what they would like to do again, etc.
Whether you do a staycation or go out of town, when you come back it still takes time to adjust. Because of Covid I will encourage all of you to explore as many outdoor options as possible. Look for things you can do outdoors as a family and that doesn’t require a lot of crowds and/or time indoors for you and your family. And remember, you are on vacation, so take a breath and relax – wherever you are.
Bonus Tip: All of these bits of advice can be applied to ANY time when you are faced with extended time with your family… Summer vacation, Easter break, Christmas and Thanksgiving break. The rules don’t change…just the time of year!
xoxo
Renee @LifeByRenee
