Melo Villareal
Top 6 Tips for Surviving Your Beach Vacation with your Kids
A beach vacation can be a fun activity for the whole family. However, a lot of people have taken the activity to the extreme and have made it a harrowing annual summer experience. With some planning a beach vacation should not be a big problem for parents travelling with their kids. These are 6 top tips for surviving your beach vacation with your kids.
1. Try new food – or not.
It would be a great experience if you can sample the local cuisine. However, if you or any member of your family is allergic to any food, you should make it a habit to ask what ingredients were included in the food item before you order the food. Just remember, that swimming and a bum stomach do not mix. If you are going to swim, do so an hour after eating.
2. Rest when you can, rest when you want to.
Enjoying a beach vacation means you have to do a lot of activities. There are so many places to explore. There might be caves in the area, and the guides can show you around, enjoy your stay but always be cautious.
When you and your kids go out on the day, don’t forget to get some rest. Make sure your kids take a lot of short naps, and when they’re tired, slow down. A quick 10-minute nap can do wonders for a person especially for the kids. You and your little angels can enjoy more after a power nap. The kids will sleep when they get tired, wherever you may be.
3. Check the time, don’t forget the sunscreen.
The best time to take a swim, whether in a pool or in the ocean is before 10:00am and after 4:00pm. Even if the sky is heavily overcast, as long as it’s after 10:00am and before 3:00pm, you can still get sunburned. Otherwise, you would be prone to sunburn. Depending on the degree of burn, it can be a nuisance, or a downright pain.
However, when swimming under the bright sun, always wear sunscreen. Children have more sensitive skin and would burn more quickly. As much as possible, go for creams with the highest SPF. It would also be cool if you get on that’s waterproof because kids love stay under the sun when they’re in a beach.
5. Find the lifeguard, and check the surf.
One of the first things that you should do when you get to the beach is find the lifeguard. If you have small children with you, it is better to set up your towels and umbrella near the lifeguard station. Your kids are your responsibility but if you need any help, you want to be near the lifeguard.
6. Bring out the Girl Scout/Boy Scout in you.
Always bring a customized First Aid kit. Take note on the emphasis of the “customized” part. You know your kids’ need better than anyone so pack in the extra stuff like their allergies, or their specific medicine(like anti-histamines) and food supplement. You should make sure that you include them in there.
Also, put in the usual important stuff like anti-motility medicine (Lomotil, Diatabs and the like) and pain reliever. You also need to bring in bandages, gauze pads, alcohol, and cotton buds just in case they get injured along the way. Not that you’re expecting, but it’s better to be prepared.
