Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Our family mostly talked about what to do next with very little sharing or discussion
about what we had seen. [The conversation] was pretty task-oriented.
Two observations: First, fighting the crowds and keeping the family moving
along can easily escalate into a pressure-driven outing. Having a plan or itinerary
eliminates moment-to-moment guesswork and decision making, thus creating more
time for savoring and connecting. Second, external variables such as crowd size,
noise, and weather, among others, can be so distracting as to preclude any meaningful
togetherness. These negative impacts can be moderated, as previously discussed in
Part One
, by being selective concerning the time of year, day of the week, and the
time of day you visit the theme parks, as well as the number of days of your visit.
Thebottom line isthat youcanachieve thedegree ofconnection andtogetherness you
desire with a little advance planning and a realistic awareness of the distractions you
will encounter.
LIGHTEN UP
PREPAREYOURSELFMENTALLY
tobealittlelesscompulsiveonvacationaboutcorrect-
ingsmall behavioral deviations andpoundinghomethelessonsoflife. Certainly,little
Mildred will have to learn eventually that it's very un-Disney-like to take off her top
at the pool. But there's plenty of time for that later. So what if Matt eats hamburgers
for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day? You can make him eat peas and broccoli
when you get home. Roll with the little stuff, and remember when your children act
out that they are wired to the max. At least some of that adrenaline is bound to spill
out in undesirable ways. Coming down hard will send an already frayed little nervous
system into orbit.
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
IF YOU TRAVEL WITH AN INFANT,
toddler, or any child who requires a lot of special at-
tention, make sure that you have some energy and time remaining for the rest of your
brood. In the course of your planning, invite each child to name something special
to do or see at Disneyland with Mom or Dad alone. Work these special activities in-
to your trip itinerary. Whatever else, if you commit, write it down so that you don't
forget. Remember that a casually expressed willingness to do this or that may be per-
ceived as a promise.
WHOSE IDEA
WAS
THIS, ANYWAY?
THE DISCORD THAT MANY VACATIONING
families experience arises from the kids being
on a completely different wavelength from Mom and Dad. Parents and grandparents
are often worse than children when it comes to conjuring fantasy scenarios of what a
