Multi-Generational Family Getaways: Tips and Tricks!

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Multi-generational travel is becoming more and more popular; however, to be truly successful, a vacation that includes family members of varying ages with a broad range of personalities and interests involves a bit of forethought and planning. Below are some secrets, tips, and tricks that can help alleviate tension before it rears its ugly head, and ensure that a good time is had by all!

Financial Considerations -  

Discuss ahead of time how the expenses will be handled. Money can be a tricky family issue, so establishing who pays for what should be done well in advance and candidly to prevent hurt feelings or resentment that could ruin a trip. Be open and honest about what you would all like to do and what financial limitations you have; often creating an itinerary for a larger group of people can be challenging because of varied interests and financial resources. Cruises and all-inclusive resorts are good options as they tend to be better value and more equitable for all parties.  Likewise splitting the cost of a condo or houses can also help alleviate budget strain; jut be sure there is adequate room for everyone - you don't want to be so piled up on one another that you can't relax.

Great resources for planning: Vacation Rentals by Owner, airbnb (rental properties), Orbitz (cruises), Expedia (all-inclusive resorts).

Destination Deliberation - 

If financial considerations are the sticky wicket, selecting your destination is the fun part! Take into account weather, activity preferences, and seasonal availability, and start your list of possible destinations and simply whittle down until you have chosen! Once the location is determined, have each family member write down what they would like to do and piece together your itinerary by combining common elements and closely located spots of interest.  If there are wide gaps in interests, consider splitting up into separate groups for some activities!

Some of our favorite family fun spots include: National Parks, Disney World and Disney Land, Myrtle Beach, Washington D.C., New York, Boston, Anaheim, San Diego, and Chicago; most large cities are good choices because they offer zoos, museums, shows, and a variety of dining and shopping options.

Remember to Relax - 

Having an itinerary is great - forgetting to build in some down time for relaxation and rest is not.  Particularly when traveling with young children and older adults, rushing from one activity to another can breed weariness and exhaustion. So be sure to informally schedule some time for napping, relaxing by the beach or pool, or just sitting quietly and recording some of the great memories you are making in a journal!

Make Time for Multi-Generational Interaction - 

It sounds so complicated, but in truth, it's quite simple: give your children time alone with your parents. These are the opportunities grandparents crave; time to share stories of your crazy youth and a chance to spoil their grandchildren with ice cream for lunch! Try to also sped time together; if it works for your family, consider having a "girls night out" or a"boys night on the town!" Enjoy one another and make time to create special memories together!

Capture the Magic - 

When will you all have a chance to be together this way again? Whether it's a group selfie, a professional photo-shoot, or a snapshot taken by a passerby, be sure to get a picture of all of you together.  And use a good camera.  And take more than one shot.  You'll treasure it always, and I promise your children will thank you for it one day!

Safe and happy travels!

-Destination Mom

5 Common Fire Causes and Safety Tips

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Cold weather finds people spending more time at home, and more time indoors increases the risks of house fires. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) report that there are more than 350,000 home structure fires annually. Frighteningly, once started, it takes less than two minutes for a fire to complete engulf a structure, which is why it is so important to evacuate inhabitants as quickly as possible and to discourage efforts to extinguish large fires by occupants themselves. Below are 5 of the most common causes of house fires, as identified by the NFPA, along with safety tips to help avoid these tragedies:

1. Cooking Fires

• Safety tips:
• Pay attention when cooking and never leave food unattended.
• Never throw water on a grease fire, put a lid on the pan to smother the fire.
• If an oven fire flares up, turn it off and leave the door shut until the fire extinguishes itself.
• Keep clothing, pot holders, paper towels, napkins and other flammable items away from fires.
• Be certain smoke detectors are in working order and keep a fire extinguisher nearby.

2. Candles

• Safety tips:
• Never leave a candle burning near flammable items, or in an unoccupied room.
• Make sure candles fit securely into candle holders so they don’t tip over.
• Extinguish all candles before leaving a room or going to sleep.

3. Electrical Fires

• Safety tips:
• Never overload outlets or electrical cords, and be certain to use the proper cord for the job (i.e. inside cords for inside, heavy duty/outside cords for outdoor use).
• Never leave holiday lights, trees, or halogen lights on overnight or when not at home.

4. Smoking

• Safety tips:
• Smoke outside when possible.
• Use wide, sturdy ashtrays to catch butts and ashes.
• Never smoke in bed or on other soft furniture, when you’re tired or around medical oxygen.

5. Toddlers and Young Children Playing With Fire

• Safety tips:
• Always keep matches, lighters, etc. out of the reach of children.
• Teach children fire safety at an early age.
• Do not leave children unsupervised around fire.

Child-Proofing On the Go: Top 10 Tips!

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Traveling is one of life’s greatest joys; and, while sharing the traveling experience with your child can certainly add to the thrill of the journey, it can also be stressful. Investing just a bit of time to make certain that your accommodations will be safe for your child helps ensure as relaxing and enjoyable a trip as possible.

You can easily provide a basic level of protection from many common hazards in just minute’s time with a few simple items (like many of those conveniently provided in the Travel-Tot Childproofing Kit!) including; outlet covers, doorknob protectors, cord guards, door pinch guards, a bath thermometer, and safety latches.

10 Quick and Easy Child-Proofing Measures For On-The-Go!

   

Here are some simple steps you can take to make your home-away-from-home safe and relaxing:

1. Get down on your hands and knees and explore the room from your toddler’s perspective; be sure to thoroughly check under beds and furniture for stray pills, buttons, pins, or other items that could pose a poisoning or choking hazard.
2. Arrange furniture away from windows or doors to prevent accidental escapes or falls.
3. Use guards to tie up electrical and blind cords which can pose a choking hazard to your little explorer.
4. Secure low cabinet doors shut with pinch guards to reduce risk of injury.
5. Ensure that all locks and latches on exterior doors are in working order and secure them to prevent unsupervised access to stairs, balconies, and terraces.
6. If your little traveler is curious about the toilet, be sure to place a doorknob protector on the handle to prevent unsupervised access.
7. Sanitize surfaces, door handles, faucets, remotes, phone handsets, light switches, and any other object from which your toddler could potentially contract germs with disinfecting wipes.
8. Check water temperatures before you give your child a bath; the water may be hotter than what you are accustomed to at home and could pose a burn hazard.
9. If your toddler is a restless sleeper or is new to sleeping in a “big bed,” you may want to pack a portable guard-rail, or move the bed against a wall and use a chair along the open side to prevent a fall.
10. Finally, be sure to arrange the furniture in a way that allows for some play space; a room full of “no-nos” will result in a bored and irritated toddler, which will lead to a stressed and anxious parent!

Bottom line: when you are traveling with a toddler, a little planning goes a long way - it could be the difference between an enjoyable vacation and a travel nightmare.  Safe and happy travels!

- Destination Mom

Winter Road Safety!

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Winter driving emergencies can present a hazard for families, particularly those with young children.  Be prepared for any road-travel emergency by keeping a winter safety kit in the trunk of your car.  In addition to:

• jumper cables, 
• flares, 
• flags, 
• an ice scraper, 
• sand (or kitty litter), and 
• a shovel,  

remember to pack:

• blankets, 
• snacks, 
• formula, 
• water, 
• diapers, 
• wipes and 
• several changes of clothing for each child. 

Also, consider enrolling in a roadside assistance program and always travel with your cell phone (and charger) so you can call for help in an emergency. 

Products We Love: Piddle Pouch!

How many times have you taken your son to the park or playground and within mere moments of arriving, had him mutter the dreaded phrase: "Mommy, I need to go potty!"?  And how many times have you tracked down a restroom only to discover that it is filthy, occupied, or inaccessible?  If you are like us, it's too many to count!  That's why we are so excited to share a fantastic new product we recently learned of: the Piddle Pouch™! 

Developed by proud moms Lynn Gutner and Julie Rosenberg, Piddle Pouch is a portable, biodegradable, disposable, no mess, easy to use pee pee bag for young boys. Inspired one day at a playground in New York City, where both live, the Piddle Pouch was the culmination of brainstorming to find a solution to an ongoing challenge: how to alleviate the problem of their boys having to pee when there were no toilets around.

This brilliant little pouch gives parents and caregivers an easy, discreet, germ-free solution when there is no potty available or close by. Perfect for everything from city parks/playgrounds/other venues, to parked cars, potty training, dirty restrooms, camping/hunting trips, boats, and even beaches.  Best of all, if you order through the Piddle Pouch website, an 8-pack of Piddle Pouches is only $9.99 and if you hurry, they are offering free shipping through the end of February! 

As avid fans of all things "family travel," we love this this company and their product!  For more information on Piddle Pouch, LLC, check out their website, Facebook page, and Twitter feeds.  Piddle Pouch; for life's little emergenpees!

Safe, happy, and stress-free travels!

-Destination Mom

The Keys to Success!

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As any parent of a toddler or baby can tell you, traveling with children in tow can result in a lot of forgotten items! After all, out of sight, out of mind. So if you're always leaving baby's bottles or snacks in foreign fridges when you visit friends or family, try this: place your keys in the fridge with the items you need to remember to pack back up... we promise, you won't get far without them!

Product Recalls: Invaluable Safety Information



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Travel-Tot believes knowledge is one of the most valuable tools for keeping your children safe; to that end, we'd like to share information about the quintessential online resource for finding out about product recalls; the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). 

According to their website, the CPSC is "charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction...  [they are] committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard or can injure children." The page further reports that the CPSC's work has contributed significantly to the 30 percent decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

The CPSC hosts a fantastic website, featuring a homepage where the most current recalls can be found. In addition, the homepage offers a link to report unsafe products, and a search feature to locate products that may have been recalled less recently. There are also links to a Consumer Opinion Forum (where users can sign-up, at no cost, to join a panel of consumers that the CPSC consults on matters of product usage and phrasing of warning messages), an Education section (with great safety information and kid-friendly safety tips), and a variety of sub-classified safety information with links to specific resources on ATVs, Cribs, Pool/Spas, Drywall, Magnets, Smoke Alarms, and Resale/Thrift Stores.

The site is truly an invaluable resource for safety information.  So next time you find yourself online, give the CPSC's site a visit; the information you find there just might save a life. 

Safe and happy travels!

-Destination Mom