Before Leaving
Create anticipation for the family trip by starting a countdown calendar with a photo or illustration of the destination. Let kids pack their own bags. Decide on the type of clothing (preferably loose and comfortable), but allow them to choose their favorites and to pack a special toy. In a carry-on bag, pack some hard candies and gum, hand wipes, tissues, books, paper, markers (in a small, tightly sealed plastic bag), and perhaps a surprise toy for each child.

Update immunizations for the entire family. If traveling abroad, check with public health authorities for advisable additional vaccines. Depending on the destination and duration of stay, the following immunizations may be recommended (although some cannot be given to infants and young children):

• Hepatitis B vaccine
• Hepatitis A vaccine
• Yellow Fever vaccine
• Meningococcal vaccine
• Typhoid vaccine
• Immune globulin
• Japanese B Encephalitis vaccine
• Rabies vaccine

At the Airport
Allow plenty of time for check-in and between connecting flights. Arriving together, early, for boarding prevents last minute delays and confusion, especially with the new security regulations. Be sure to have a safety plan in case the family becomes separated at the airport; discuss in advance where to meet and what to do.

Review screening procedures with children before entering security checkpoints so they will not be frightened by the process. Every person, including children and babies, must undergo screening at security checkpoints. Also, all child-related equipment must go through the X-ray machine. To speed the process, remove children from their strollers or infant carriers and collapse and fold the equipment so it may be examined or put through the machine. When going through metal detectors with an infant, have one parent hold the baby and walk through the machine while holding the baby. Do not hand off the baby under the detector, and do not hand the baby to the screener to hold. Children who can walk should walk through the metal detector independently. For older children, it is important to stress that the process should be taken seriously and that threats made even as a joke could result in law enforcement being summoned.

On the Flight
Bring a child/infant seat on board that meets current safety standards and is not more than 16 inches wide. The Federal Aviation Administration recommends that children weighing less than 40 pounds be placed in child/infant seats.

The best coach seats to have when flying with small children are the first row in economy class. There’s a lot of leg room, and you’ll be farther away from most of the plane’s passengers when the kids get cranky from the long flight. If the front row seats are not available, place children away from the aisle, preferably between responsible adults. Also, remember to get the children up, stretch, and walk around often during the flight, but do not allow children to walk around unsupervised.

Getting your seat assignment in advance can help ensure families are seated together and that children and adults will be seated next to each other. If a flight is full and obtaining seat assignments in advance is not a possibility, advise the airline personnel at the airport that you would like to sit together. The airline may need to ask other passengers to change seats so children are not seated apart from parents.

Bring bottled water to drink and lotion to apply to skin to rehydrate during the dry flight. Chewing gum, pacifiers, and bottles help reduce air pressure on the children’s ears. A variety of toys brought in carry-on bags will help keep a child’s interest from waning.

Traveling by Car
Make the trip more comfortable by bringing pillows and blankets. Stop frequently at rest stops to stretch and make use of restrooms. Play games like “I Spy.” Make sure the car is stocked with plenty of engaging toys and tapes or CDs of their favorite songs or books. Most importantly, keep children involved in the vacation process. Save everything collected on vacation—brochures, napkins, ticket stubs—and have children paste them into a scrapbook.

Plan ahead with the rental company to make sure they offer car seats and installation. If not, you’ll have to bring your own, in addition to a collapsible stroller. If nothing else, a simple call to the rental car company may save you the hassle of bringing along one extra piece of equipment.

Once There
Have a daily schedule planned with some flexible, free time for each family member. Provide friends or relatives with phone numbers and addresses of hotels where the family will stay, and with transportation information and emergency contact information. If possible, each member of the family should have a cell phone or walkie-talkie to keep in touch at all times. Coming up with an emergency plan or meeting point is also a good idea in case family members become separated.

At the Hotel
Put safety first by avoiding a myriad of possible accidents. Bring outlet protectors and make a sweep of balconies and bathrooms for any potential dangers. Hide away small objects, accessible medications, and any cleaners that children could get their hands on. Familiarize yourself with the hotel’s fire and emergency evacuation routes and procedures.

Extra Precautions
If your vacation includes a trip to a pool, ocean, water park, or any other place involving water, the number one rule is to never let children venture off alone. Even if they know how to swim, children should wear a life jacket at all times. Also, it is important to know what is in the water, such as chemicals or jellyfish. Very cold temperatures, currents, and sudden drop-offs are all things to avoid, especially with children.

Always bring a hat with a wide brim and sunscreen of at least 30 SPF to shield children’s skin from the sun’s harmful rays. Sun poisoning can ruin any vacation.

It is important to bring along needed medications. Diarrhea treatments (although these should not be given to very young children), pain relievers, insect repellants, antihistamines, and adhesive bandages are good staples. Consult your doctor about over-the-counter remedies before using them. Bringing a doctor’s phone number, even if traveling to a foreign country, is also a good idea.

To prevent diseases spread by drinking contaminated water, use only bottled or boiled water to mix formula and juices, or simply use pre-mixed liquid formula whenever possible for infants who are not being nursed.

Most Importantly
Maintain a good sense of humor while traveling to give your children a vacation to remember in spite of any unforeseen obstacles. Remember that problems do arise and accidents do happen, but being prepared may help avoid hassles and undue stress.

Source: ASTA, at travelsense.org

Create a Multi-Generational Itinerary
Too often seniors plan activities to please solely the children, running themselves ragged to keep the trip in a high gear of constant fun. But if you become unhappy, the kids will soon follow.

A travel agent will help you craft an itinerary that appeals to both generations, paying special attention to natural attractions, like mountains and canyons, and historical sites, like lost temples and medieval castles.

Consult the Parents
It may be awkward to turn to your own children for advice, but talking with your grandchild’s parents is a critical step in planning a successful trip. Parents know their children’s favorite activities and subjects, along with their sleeping and eating habits.

You’re the Guardian, So Be Prepared
One lesson travel agents teach time and time again is to always have proper identification and medical histories wherever you go, since emergencies are unpredictable. During the vacation, you are 100 percent responsible for the children, so make sure you have their proper identification, health insurance, contact information, recent photos, and notarized authorization from their parents in case they need medical attention. All identifying documents for the children should comply with the latest federal requirements for passports and other entry/exit documents. Also, it’s your job to know their medications and dietary needs.

Finally, some countries do not allow entry of minors not accompanied by both parents unless the children have written, notarized permission from the absent parents. The rules vary from country to country, so consult your travel agent before your trip.

Play Favorites
Since a child’s energy level escalates exponentially with each additional child in the room, it’s wise take no more than two grandchildren at time, or even just one. As much as you would like to include all eight grandkids, in reality you should play favorites and take only a few at a time. You can always plan more vacations for the others.

Keep the Kids Excited
Just like a movie studio builds excitement for an upcoming release, so should you for your impending excursion. Have your grandchildren help plan the trip by reading guidebooks or visiting your travel agent’s office together. As the date approaches, mail or e-mail your grandchild messages, maps, and pictures of the destination.

Take a Warm-Up Trip
Before traveling alone with your grandchildren for an entire week or two, discover how you all travel together by taking a day trip, or have them stay over for a weekend. If this short trip is more sour than sweet, maybe your grandchildren are not ready for a longer journey away from home. If that’s the case, don’t give up. Simply take more and more day trips until the group learns to have fun together.

Like E.T., Phone Home
An effective way to alleviate homesickness is to make periodic phone calls to the parents and let the kids gush about the day’s exciting adventures. Parents will feel better knowing their children are in good hands, and you’ll enjoy listening to the kids rave about the activities you planned.

You Need Downtime, Too
Many places provide supervised activities for kids. If the resort or cruise offers these, take them up on that offer and get some much-needed rest.

Music to Their Ears
If you’re traveling by car, especially with teens, let them enjoy their portable CD and MP3 players. Trust us—you won’t like what they’re listening to. Don’t try to force Sinatra on teens; they will learn to appreciate Old Blue Eyes later in life—everyone does.

Plan B? Call Your Agent
When life serves you lemons, your travel agent has a lemon squeezer, clean glasses, and a bucket of ice. Many unforeseen factors—illness, hurricanes, unscheduled closings—can dampen a vacation, no matter how thoroughly it was planned. When one of these occasions arises, stay positive, pull out your travel agent’s card, and give her a call. A travel agent has Plans B-through-Z at her fingertips.

Use a Travel Agent
Intergenerational travel is not a phrase created for this Web site; it’s a gratifying market that many resorts, cruises, and travel agents enjoy sustaining. If the idea of an intergenerational trip with your grandkids sounds appealing, but you feel uneasy about planning such a complex journey on your own, then turn to a trusted travel agent who specializes in family travel.

A travel agent can set up a fun-filled itinerary that will stimulate curiosity, encourage exploration and, most importantly, let you and your grandchild bond like never before. Drawing on a world of experience, travel agents know which cruise lines, safaris, or theme parks are the most family friendly, since they have most likely taken their own children there.

Ask your grandchildren if they want to see the world with you—the experience is simply priceless.

Source: ASTA, at travelsense.org

Space, the First and Final Frontier
Teenagers need space like fish need water. Give them space by having your travel agent select accommodations that offer more than just one room, such as a suite, or book adjacent rooms if the budget permits. Mental space is important too, so don’t plan a schedule jam-packed with activities for every minute of the day. Have plenty of time for relaxing.

To teenagers, space equals privacy, and privacy is hard to come by in a cramped hotel room. Plus, the more space your teens have to get away from you, the more you’ll have to get away from them.

They’ll Love It When a Good Plan Comes Together
Planning is an important step of every vacation. If you want to plan a trip your teenagers will get excited about, the solution is easy: get them involved with the planning. Your teens will enjoy sifting through the guidebooks with you or researching activities online. Bring teens along to your travel agent’s office and urge them to ask as many questions as they like.

Brainstorm with your entire family and listen to their input. Your teens may surprise you with some of things they might like to do on vacation. The more you show that you are listening, the more your teens will share ideas. Take their interests into consideration, whether it’s a love of the outdoors, history, or music.

Once the family plan is in place, keep teens involved by putting them in charge of at least one aspect of the trip. If they’re good with maps, make them the navigator. Do they have an eye for photos? Make them the official vacation photographer, in charge of not only taking photos during the trip, but also of compiling the album once you return. They will enjoy the responsibility of the project and the trust you have in them to accomplish it.

They Love the Night Life
Going out at night is a necessity for some teenagers, so it can be vital to visit an area with many nightlife options. Your travel agent will know which towns or resorts have something going on in the evening, and how to avoid quiet communities that close the streets at 5 p.m.

Aim to go places where teens are, so that your kids can interact with others in their age group.

Give your teens a night off. Allow older teens to go out on their own for a few hours, to just hang out at the local shops, and trust them to be back at the hotel at a designated time. For peace of mind, have your travel agent set up an international cell phone plan that can keep you and your teens constantly connected.

Even if they don’t feel like going out, you can still give teens a night off to simply chill out in the hotel while you enjoy the nightlife. Let them rent a movie and order room service.

Dollars and Sense
Set a budget with your teens for incidental spending and stick with it. One good idea is to make a deal with your teens, stating that they will get a percentage of the money left over at the end of the vacation. This often works in reducing the number of “I wants” that escape their lips.

Sleeping Beauties
Let your teens sleep in as much as your schedule allows. It’s a win-win situation. They happily get to sleep in, and you have time for a quick nine holes on the course or a trip to the spa. Teens love to sleep late, and research has shown that their body clocks demand it. Try not to think of it as wasted vacation time, since letting them sleep is an easy way to eliminate tension.

Food for Thought
Part of experiencing a new destination is enjoying the local cuisine. While most travelers eagerly anticipate this savory part of world discovery, teens often fear it—especially during international exploration. When the food ranges from the exotic to the bizarre, forcing your teen to experiment day in and day out may not yield positive results.

Allow teens an occasional fast-food trip to cleanse their delicate palates. One great trick, travel agents tell us, is to let older teens eat on their own, especially in a foreign town. Give them enough money and set them free. This will force them to find their way around, communicate with locals, and handle money responsibly. Meanwhile, you and your spouse can slip off for a romantic dinner. Just be sure to discuss with your teens the need for them to respect and obey the local customs while they’re out on their own.

Take a CyberBreak
As many parents can affirm, it’s difficult at times to pry your teenagers from their computers. While a vacation is a great opportunity for teens to experience the World Wide without the Web, don’t force them to quit cold turkey. Make it easy for them to stay in touch with their friends back home by visiting cyber-cafés. You know you’ll want to check your e-mail, too.

Where to Go
Now that you have a better grasp on how to peacefully coexist with your teens while on vacation, the next logical question is where to take them? A question like that is best directed to a travel agent. Travel agents know of many places that cater to the entertainment and cultural needs of all ages.

Travel agents recommend cruises as a great option for families; teens can bond with others their age onboard and enjoy a great amount of space and freedom. Ski holidays also come highly recommended; your teen will most likely choose to snowboard, and most resorts have special programs designed just for their age group.

“Family adventures” are another travel agent specialty, in which you’ll enjoy guided, multi-sport tours in amazing locales. If multi-sports are not your idea of vacation bliss, you may prefer to keep things low-key. Perhaps a visit with relatives or a trek to see an historic site is more what you had in mind. Just make sure to include some activities that your teen can look forward to, or even include a side trip to an amusement or water park.

Source: ASTA, at travelsense.org