Two years ago, I was lucky enough to be able to take a European vacation with my tween sons. For 19 glorious days we explored the sights, enjoyed our time together, and made lasting memories. To this day, we still find ourselves talking about something we did, saw, or ate. We definitely had a few missteps early on-from activities that were boring to food they thought was weird-but we soon found our feet and had a really fantastic time. What I learned traveling with my tweens can save you some frustration-and money.
• Rule 1-Include them in planning. We watched travel channel shows of our destinies then spent time during dinner talking about the cool places we would see or fun things we could do. They each chose the one place on our itinerary they were most excited to visit then did some internet research to find fun facts for everyone to learn before we left. The months leading up to the trip connected us as much as the trip itself because they were part of it at every step.
• Rule 2-Pack light and do not check baggage. Travel is an adventure. Treat it like one. One of our favorite family shows is The Amazing Race. Inspired by it, I gave them travel backpacks and told them that if the racers could pack for every situation without having a clue where they are going, we could manage 19 days in known locations in the middle of summer. I saved hundreds on checked bag fees alone.
• Rule 3-Rewards points. Our whole family signed up for United's mileage plus plan-at no charge-then paid a small fee to transfer their miles to me post trip. I was thrilled to learn that I had nearly enough miles for a free ticket.
• Rule 4-Daypacks are a must. We packed snacks and refillable water bottles (another great money saver) along with maps, sunscreen, and whatever else we needed for a day of exploring.
• Rule 5-Give them a camera. Nothing fancy, a cheap digital or even a disposable works great. Now they can see and record their vacation their way. Side benefits to you are lower souvenir costs and easy packing for the trip home.
• Rule 6-Budgeting lessons. I gave each of them 20 euro per day. It was up to them to figure out what was worth spending it on-be it souvenirs or gelato. The rule was: once it's gone, it's gone. I promised not to question how they spend their money as long as they promised not to ask me for more. It wound up being a terrific lesson in money management for them and I am proud to say that they each returned home with nearly half of their allowances unspent.
• Rule 7-Build in time for calls and updates home. We bought a calling card right away for nightly calls home. It helped keep away the homesickness that inevitably sets in on long trips. Internet cafés provided great (and cheap) opportunities to send emails and check in with family and friends.
• Rule 8-Build in downtime. Take a break from the museums, cathedrals, and ancient architecture to explore the parks, shopping malls, and McDonald's. The fries really do taste the same everywhere.
• Rule 9-Break the rules. This is your vacation. Gelato before bedtime will not hurt. Neither will be up past midnight laughing, playing, and talking. The parenting hat never really comes off, but there is nothing wrong with tipping it towards fun and memory-making now and then.
• Rule 10-Enjoy the moments and enjoy your kids. This is a huge time in their lives and you do not want to miss a second of it.
