travelling as single parentBeing a single parent mom can be tough, and if you are planning to go on a road trip with your kid, it can be a difficult decision to make. There are all sorts of questions, like how are you going to manage your kid along with the luggage? How much would the trip cost?

Despite all the challenges, I recently went on a 10-day road trip with my kid to visit some friends and family members. It was one of the best trips of my life, and we had a lot of fun together. It was also a learning experience.

From what I experienced, a single mom-child trip is doable if you are prepared and plan ahead. 

Plan

It seems to be the obvious one, and yet somehow, single moms tend to take this lightly or end up doing it the wrong way. What you need to do along with all the other things that you usually plan is decide on all the fun things that you are going to do with your friends and family members when you are visiting them. Get organized and draw up a detailed schedule that will get you both excited.

Insurance

If you are planning to travel by road, which is simply an awesome idea, then you need to have insurance. This is very important and cannot be neglected. The site acceptanceinsurance.com provides a good outline of the most common insurance needs. They are hassle-free and their quotes are really reasonable.

Relax and take a chill pill

Vacations are for chilling out and relaxing. So don’t plan your vacation with all the spots and days super tight. Leave some hours to just relax with time to think. You need to learn how to waste time and give rest to your mind and body. Vacation doesn’t mean that you keep your schedule all perfectly planned out; what it means is that you enjoy every place and have time to cherish every moment. You should have a plan but do not micromanage yourself.

Plan a budget and stick to it

Most single moms plan their budgets carefully, but sometimes we all go overboard. I had to keep reminding myself about how I need to pay for my kids’ school and college in the future. Brutal, I know, but this helped me stay on budget. I realized that sometimes you just need a strong enough reason to keep things in check.

Avoid check-in lines

If, like me, your kid is small you need to stay away from lines. Imagine a small kiddo in your arm while you are trying to manage your luggage and your purse and your tickets. Nightmarish is an understatement.

To avoid all the fiasco, try to check-in 24 hours early from your home computer and avoid the lines altogether. Sign up for smartphone alerts so you are always in the loop and don’t have to rush to the counter to know what is happening.

Book your ride at the destination

This is what happened with me and I wouldn’t wish it upon my worst enemy…I landed at my destination without a prior booking of the taxi. So I had to wait in line, and you remember how it is never good to wait in line? So always book your ride from the airport to your hotel well in advance. Kids are especially more active after they stay on the flight for seven hours or more.

Kids Program

Some of the hotel chains have some special arrangements for kids that leave parents free to enjoy their vacations more peacefully. If possible, look for a hotel that offers a kids program. This will save you a lot of headache and leave you to try some new things in the town you are visiting. Also, ask what kind of facilities or amenities they provide for the kids–for example, a play school setup or attendants. Also, do not forget to pack your kid’s favorite toys.

Book a room with a fridge

Why? Because if your room has a fridge, you can stockpile on your kid’s food supplies in case he or she gets hungry at night. That way you don’t have to take him out or call in the room service. You can stock milk, juice, baby food, maybe fruits or yogurt and so on.

Eat inside, not outside

My kid is pretty fast and pretty loud too when he really wants to be. Eating out at a restaurant daily can be chore when there is no one to look out for your kid or take him out for a walk when he is throwing a fit. So sometimes instead of eating out, ordering something at the hotel itself or getting takeout is the most convenient option.

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Vicky Charles

Vicky is a single mother, writer and card reader.

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