The arrival of a baby in the family represents such a radical change in customs that it can lead to a crisis for the couple. Overwhelmed by the constant care that the baby requires, parents can find themselves overwhelmed by circumstances and are forced to totally transform their lives. Travel and vacations are one of those areas that will change completely after the arrival of a new member of the family. The complication of traveling with children is the reason why many parents do not decide to undertake any vacation trip. However, traveling is not something that we should give up, we simply have to take into account a series of recommendations.
Hotel or apartment?
One of the questions that arise when we plan a vacation with children is accommodation. Better a hotel or a holiday apartment? Undoubtedly it will depend somewhat on the characteristics of the trip itself, but in Spain, if you are traveling with children, it is still more comfortable to stay in a holiday apartment than in a hotel. A high percentage of the holiday apartments offer services for children, such as the availability of cots, high chairs, games for children and the possibility of daycare. In addition, the freedom of schedules and the possibility of cooking at home mean that parents can organize themselves better. The price, which is usually lower than that of a hotel, is another of the attractions of holiday apartments.
For their part, hotels are still beginning to offer services to better accommodate children. However, a promising hotel trend for families with children is emerging. These are theme hotels. These hotels have specific areas for children where the atmosphere of storybook or cartoon characters such as the Flintstones or Heidi, among many others, is recreated. Children receive gifts and have clubs for activities, workshops and games. It is undoubtedly a very attractive proposal, but it is still beginning.
Tips for traveling with children
If we are going to travel with children, there is one thing that does not fit in our trip, and it is improvisation. Both the needs of the child and the conditions imposed by transport and accommodation must be taken into account. If we travel by plane, we will need the child’s documentation. According to the airlines, they will require the child’s own document or, some simply, the family book. But in order not to risk it, it is convenient to make the child his own passport.
We must inform ourselves about the special rates for children, whether they are going to occupy a seat or not, and choose the most spacious places. Traveling by train with children is much more comfortable because we can carry the seat at all times.
It is important to plan well what we are going to take in hand luggage according to the needs of the child. Food requires special attention because not all places have what we need. It is much better to bring the food that the child will need during the trip ourselves. And also the toys, if it is a long-term trip, because we will have to keep the child entertained. In any case, it is not about giving up traveling if you go with children, but it does require more planning to be able to cover all the needs that the child needs.
