With the holidays right around the corner, many families start to travel more and this can be fun, rewarding and challening all at the same time. Traveling around the world is one of the many exciting experiences that families get to share, and the thrill of discovering a new destination really calls for bonding time! When children are included in this experience, their innate curiosity and overt excitability makes it even more fun for all. However, traveling with children could easily turn into a disaster if you are not prepared. Here are a few tips you might consider:

The first thing to consider when traveling with kids is your destination: are you going to a foreign country, is it in the tropics? What is the climate like?  Is that country prone to epidemics? All those things need to be taken into account when choosing your destination, because it allows you to take preventive measures (vaccines, vaccine boosters and other immunization options) well in advance. Since kids can easily become sick while abroad, a way to help prevent that would be to carry baby wipes and mild sanitizers to ensure that their hands are always neat and clean before and after meals.

Kids constantly seek excitement, so make the trip an exciting adventure for them! Ask your children what they would like to do and try to include their suggestions in your activity planning. For your trip, pack some games (a well loaded smartphone, tablet and books or magazines) that they could enjoy while in the car or on the plane. In addition, you could suggest they keep a “Travel Diary”, in which they would write down all the activities they had, the foods they ate and the places they visited. To add to that, you could reward them with a disposable camera that they could use to “remember the moments”. It’s amazing how kids could get creative, when we allow them to!

Security is probably the most concerning factor when traveling with kids. In addition to choosing a reliable hotel in a safe location, there are many other things that you could do to ensure that you always have an eye on your kids, without breaking a sweat. For instance, you could invest in a “child locator” that will allow you to find your child in case he/she gets lost. This can come in handy in crowded areas such as airports, trains stations, attraction parks, and others. With a child locator (a device strapped to your child’s belt or shoes), all you need to do is trigger the alarm on your transmitter and follow the sound where it leads you. Of course, the area needs to be relatively quiet for you to be able to hear the alarm properly.

These are just a few tips and tricks to help make your traveling experience with the kids easier and more fun! Remember, early planning is the key to ensure that you are fully prepared for whatever surprise come your way. Most importantly, don’t forget have fun!

Do you have a tip, trick or suggestion that you would like to share? If so, please leave your ideas in the comments below and we may use them in an upcoming article. If you like www.KidsDesk.net, please help us spread the word by sharing this article below. Thank you for visting!

One of the most difficult things about deployment is the waiting, and more often than not, military wives and moms find themselves slowly counting the days before their husband finally returns home from deployment. Sadly, everyone knows that the more you count the days, the longer they seem to be, and it seems like hours stretch into days and days stretch into weeks.

The wait is agonizing for moms, but it’s even more agonizing for the kids. Many children will be unable to process the thought of their parent leaving, and some might even think they’re to blame for their mom or dad’s departure. The important thing to do is to keep your kids feeling loved and cared for, and to communicate openly about the events going on in the family.

Keeping your kids informed on matters relating to your husband’s deployment is essential if you want to minimize stress and anxiety. More than this, however, kids need to feel involved, and to feel as though they’re still connected to their deployed parent in some way, even though they’re miles apart.

If you’re struggling to find ways to help your children pass the time, consider undertaking some simple projects that not only help them keep track of the days before their daddy comes home, but also give you a great gift to send to the hubby who’s missing his kids on the other side of the world. Creative handiwork and craft-making has been proven to lower stress levels and help kids stay positive, and it might just be what the kids need to help them express them and get in touch with their feelings.

Recognizing the wonderful effects that craft-making can have on children; various organizations have begun making strides to get more kids into making crafts. Many parents will remember the Disney Channel’s Art Attack, a show that taught kids to make creative and fun projects right from home. Companies like Molly-Meg have also made it a point to hold a series of make-and-do workshops to help kids get into crafting things with their hands.

Many different corporations have also recognized the benefits that allowing kids to be creative can have. Mommy Poppins lists various activities in the New York area that allow kids to make their own Muppets, cars, and even Madame Alexander Dolls. Childrenswear brand Tootsa has also released denim dresses with iron-on patches that parents can use to help kids customize their dresses and add their own personal flare. Child’s Own takes things a step further by allowing children to draw and design their own plushies, and then bringing them to life.   There are many benefits to creating crafts with your kids, and undertaking craft projects might be just what you need to get through the stresses of deployment. It’s also important to note that taking part in shared activities with your kids and being more involved in their lives can help them take their minds off of missing their deployed parent. If you find yourself strapped for ideas, then try out these fun-and-easy projects you can undertake with your kids as you eagerly await your hubby’s return:

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A Look at Master Karate Todd’s Workout
 
Designed for children, the Master Karate Todd’s Workout DVD is an interactive video that makes getting active a whole lot more fun. The DVD allows the entire family to get in on the excitement, encouraging healthy lifestyles and living a “green” life.  Additionally there are tons of other things that can be learned on the DVD, including organic food choices and basic karate moves. For those looking for a fun way to spend quality time together while learning at the same time, this is the DVD that can make it all happen.

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Everybody knows that life is simply not sustainable without the sun. What we tend to take for granted, though, is that too much sunlight can actually be harmful. There is the immediate risk of sunburn, of course, but being careless when it comes to sunlight can have long term effects as well. Too much exposure to ultra-violet (UV) radiation—a product of our beloved sun—can ultimately cause skin cancer and cataracts. It can make our skin age faster, and even weaken our immune system.
And the damage starts accumulating early in life. Our children are among the most susceptible to sun damage because they revel in sunlight. They live so freely, and play without any thought of consequence. As parents, we must teach them about safety in all things—even safety from sunlight. Check out some of these helpful tips...

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