INTRODUCTION - France 2014 - page 40

For breakfast, croissants are a hit, though a good pain au chocolat (croissant
withchocolatebits)willbeappreciatedevenmore.Hotchocolate,fruit,cereals,and
yogurt are usually available. For lunch and dinner, it's easy to find fast-food places
and restaurants with kids' menus, or crêperies , which have a wide variety of kid-
friendly stuffings for both savory crêpes and sweet dessert crêpes. In the south of
France, pizza is omnipresent. Many restaurants have a kid's menu. For food emer-
gencies, I travel with a plastic container of peanut butter brought from home.
Kids homesick for friends can keep in touch with cheap international phone
cards and by email. Hotel guest computers, cybercafés, and Wi-Fi hotspots are a
godsend for parents with teenagers. Readily available Wi-Fi (at hotels, many TIs,
some cafés, and all Starbucks and McDonald's) makes bringing a laptop, smart-
phone, or tablet computer worthwhile. Some parents find buying a French mobile
phone—or roaming with an American mobile phone—a helpful investment; adults
can stay connected to teenagers while allowing them maximum independence (see
here ) . Some American mobile-phone plans have automatic call forwarding and text
settings that can save you money—and satisfy your teen.
Swapbabysittingdutieswithyourpartnerifoneofyouwantstotakeinanextra
sight, or ask at hotels for babysitting services. And for memories that will last long
after the trip, keep a family journal. Pack a small diary and a glue stick. While re-
laxing at a café over a citron - pressé (lemonade), take turns writing down the day's
events, and include mementos such as ticket stubs from museums, postcards, or
stalks of lavender.
What to Bring: Children's books in English are scarce and pricey in France.
My children read more when traveling in Europe than while at home in the US, so
don't skimp here. If your kids love peanut butter, bring it from home (hard to find
in France)...or help them acquire a taste for Nutella, the tasty hazelnut-chocolate
spread available everywhere.
Chooseitemsthataresmallandconvenientforuseonplanes,trains,andinyour
hotel room: compact travel games, a deck of cards, a handheld video game, an MP3
player, and a tablet or lightweight laptop. Bring your own drawing paper, pens, and
crayons (expensive in France).
For younger kids, Legos are easily packed and practical (it's also fun to pur-
chase kits overseas, as Legos are sometimes different in Europe from those in
the US). Budding fashionistas might enjoy traveling with—and buying new outfits
for—aCorelledolloranother16-inchdoll.TheFrenchhavewonderfuldollclothes,
with a better selection than what you'll typically find in the US.