If your single parent travel plans include bringing along a teenager, you may be wondering if you all can have a good time together since kids this age often don’t care much for family time. Traveling with your teen will be easier if you follow a few simple tips.
Be sure to include your teen when planning your vacation. This will help them feel more a part of the trip and give them a chance to express their opinions and preferences.
You might consider letting your child bring a friend along. This can go a long way towards combatting boredom and bad scenes with your child. The amount of stress caused by the extra kid may be far outweighed by the benefits.
Bring plenty of snacks, drinks, and entertainment on your trip. CD or DVD players and hand-held video games offer hours of distraction during long car rides. If your teenager is close to driving age or has their license, involve him or her in reading maps and locating exits.
While on your vacation, if your teen is uncooperative or behaves improperly, deal with the problem in private. Teens get embarrassed easily and will resent a public reprimand.
Be sure to include some teen-friendly stops during your trip. Amusement parks or even shopping in outlet malls could give your child an outlet for fun.
When you are a single parent, travel with a rebellious teen may not sound enjoyable. However, following the tips above will help your vacation go smoother and maybe even lead to some quality moments with your child.
The Single Parent Travel Handbook
Birnbaum’s Walt Disney World 2009