HELP - ABBYMUMSNET NEEDS YOUR HOLIDAY SURVIVAL TIPS

[AbbyMumsnet]

Hi all,
I'm doing a couple of pieces for a travel web-site that I need your help with.
The first is focusing on holiday "survival" tips. For example: surviving the family packing without incurring massive excessive baggage fees - so what are the essential items you shouldn't travel without and what can you leave behind? Surviving the journey itself - tricks to make the time fly/what must come in your flight bag and so on. Surviving the heat... and the insect life - so tips on good child-friendly products and sun protection clothing that won't make your kids look dead weird. Surviving foreign food when you're child's a fussy eater... It's not a very long piece, but if you have any top tips please send them my way. I'll use your MN names if I use your tips.
Also, I'd be really interested for any tips and anecdotes re' what elements combine to make the perfect beach holiday for a family? And how do you ensure that you keep varying ages of kids happy?
Thanks in advance. x

If you are flying, take snacks for childrne and activities.

You don't need a suitcase just for shoes - said to me by DH

(lol at muslin hat LL)

(WHY do i alwasy sound like a ponce when I write tips?)

don't take amooncup through customs unless you are prepared to explain

Take your own travel cot matress and sheets. Its lighter than taking a whole travel cot and that way if you have to use a travel cot provided by the hotel, you can rest assured that the matress/sheet has only been slept on by your child and conforms to safety standards. An insect net also very handy to keep bugs at bay!

Just keep telling yourself, there is no such thing as a holiday. It is just childcare in a different climate.

Once you accept this,you will enjoy yourself.

Ignore your DH wehn you book self catering. you WON'T be eating out most of the time. He WON'T muck in. you WILL do it all

make sure the pool is heated before you book the villa,especially if you ds is a wimp.

take car seat with you

take plenty of brufen for hangovers

let teenagers pack themselves,my dd has been packing for herself since she was about 10

take snacks in flight bag ,I take food for ds as he's allergic to nuts.

I get a translation card explaining his allergy ,makes eating out easier

Relax and don't worry if your fussy childs eats chips every day for the entire holiday,because that's all he likes.You are on holiday so don't stress about it.

Take some anti-histamine as you know you'll getstung to buggery despite spraying everyone with toxic chemicals daily.

If you have a teenager take a friend for them,saves having to watch them mope around missing their mates.

If you have more than one buggy, I'd always bring the one that reclines for naps - then you can be out and about but the baby can have some semblance of routine.

Bring a supply of finger foods in wee pots - ds spent a v happy 20 minutes on our last flight eating grapes and then playing with the pot and lid.

Work out how many nappies you'll need for the holiday and then decide how many to bring with you - either bring them all or enough to last 2/3 days. Bear in mind that in some countries it can be hard to buy small packs, in Spain last year DH and I spent a whole afternoon searching for nappies, all the supermarkets sold them in packs of 144!

Holidays? I always look at it as a different window to look out of whilst doing the washing up.

If its a beach/pool type holiday take sunsuits for the children -lightweight, they can wear them all day on the beach etc, can be washed and dried quickly and means you need to take less real clothes for them.

Bring a supply of finger foods in wee pots - ds spent a v happy 20 minutes on our last flight eating grapes and then playing with the pot and lid.

MY DS is very discerning, he will not eat fruit out of pot that has been wee'd in.

Just remembered - lots of airlines will charge you for the car seat, but a Group 0/0+ seat will often sit in a buggy, even if it's not actually a travel system.

Our own carset had a base, so we borrowed a friend's and just set the seat into the buggy with the seat reclined. We've done this a few times and when getting luggage labels for the buggy just said 'it's in 2 pieces'

betty - you're back! - Heelllooo

ROFL Sherlock - N Irish dialect obviously open to misinterpretation! AbbyMumsnet - I mean small pots, or food pots, whatever those things are called.

Hi there furball -you missed me then, how sweet

Yes internet connection is back (thanks to computer geek neighbour) but laptop held together precariously with gaffer tape so could go horribly wrong at any point.

check if you can hire the bulkier stuff when you get there. Lots of places will hire out most of the things you need - and of course wherever you go generally there will be shops!

Thank you for all your help so far. Re' beach hols' - where have you lot been that ticks all the boxes? And, if you're recalling that perfect holiday, what was it that made it so special? (Keep it decent!)

Dubai!!! Fantastic beaches, lovely people, lots of shopping malls for the evening when its too dark to swim and a very child friendly culture

Great beach Holiday - Near Scarborough

Stayed south of Scraborough near very quiet beach, avoiding crowds (Cayton Bay). Obligatory van selling foodstuffs.

Could visit big beaches in the town to appease children's demands for donkeys (everyone loves a donkey).

Loads of other things to do nearby when NOT at bloody beach.

England's shabby chic is var jolly.

Perfect beach holiday: Isles of Scilly for sandy beaches, rockpools, pottering in boats, good food, safety and usually sun.

Travel survival tips: Never go anywhere without thermometer, calpol/nurofen, savlon and earplugs.

bettys did i meet you once at the scilly isles? YOu rented a place in Tresco. This was about... hmm May 2001?

(cest moi - le poisson)

Pas moi, we alway stay on Bryher.

Hmm.

Mark warner, San Ag - what made it perfect? Childcare!

"Mark warner, San Ag"

Am I supposed to know where that is?