With children ages 11 and 13, I’m (happily) long past that cumbersome stage when travel with kids means road-tripping with everything but the kitchen sink: sippy cups and stroller, Pampers and pack-n-play, bibs and blankie.
That said, traveling with a tween and teen can present its own set of problems — namely, they can talk. And they let you know loudly when a vacation isn’t going to their liking.
Still, no matter if you’re dealing with a toddler or a teenager, the methods for maintaining harmony away from home remain the same: When the kiddos are as comfortable, well fed, well rested and entertained as possible, you’re already halfway to a fabulous family vacation.
Here are my tips for keeping your kids, ages 10 and up, content on your summer vacation — whether you’re camping in Colorado or hopping on a plane to the tropics:
Let each family member choose a vacation activity. My son is much more willing to put up with an hour of antiquing with me in the morning if he knows his requested ziplining is planned for the afternoon.
Allow the electronics. You can always declare a laptop-free hour (or two or three) in the car or hotel room and, of course, you can forbid the smartphone on a hike. But I absolutely recommend movies for long car trips to help pass the time. I also allow my teen to text friends back home. Just set the rules for electronics usage before you leave so there are no surprises when you suggest your children open a book or play cards (and don’t forget to pack both).
Reserve a condo. Sharing two double beds in a standard hotel room with children who are nearly your height is no fun at all. With a multi-bedroom condominium or house rental, everyone appreciates the space to spread out, not to mention the extra privacy for all. Having a full kitchen for storing midnight snacks for constantly ravenous teens is ideal.
Bring along their buddies. This works especially well for road trips and condo accommodations, since you won’t have to pay for friends’ plane tickets or an additional hotel room. Having a buddy for each kid means your children may not bicker as much with one another (I speak from experience). Also, they tend to entertain themselves better (i.e., when your child has a friend to splash in the pool with, you can opt out, hanging back on a lounge chair with a good book).
Let them sleep. My children still get up when the rooster crows, but I’m told that once they reach high school, teenagers will happily sleep until noon if you let them. I’m not suggesting you always start sightseeing after lunch just to accommodate your night owl, but if you can avoid extra-early wake-up calls for the majority of your vacation, everyone will be well rested — and happier all around.
Freelance writer makes her home near Aspen. She covers family travel, romantic escapes and girlfriend getaways at .
