Successful summer. Successful summer.
Vacation plan tips so that you & your kids feel aligned to have fun
– 3 minutes read –
Have you already made any Summer vacation plans yet? Honestly, I’m not a big fan of planning all vacations too far ahead of time….
I know it’s better to plan ahead, but I don’t plan six months ahead when it comes to a family vacation. How about you?
Anyway, whether you have done it or not, the five tips below will help you to have a successful vacation with your ADHD child. If you have witnessed unknown tantrums or meltdowns during trips in the past, these are musts because they really help to reduce anxiety, which is often a cause of such dramas.
👇These are the steps I’ve been using for a few years after many miserable failures👇
1) Involve your ADHD kid in the planning
- If your child is old enough, you can have them search for hotels with criteria such as budget, pool, breakfast, etc., in the area you’re planning to visit. Let them select the top 5 according to their preferences, and you can make a final decision among the 5 choices.
2) Show him/her enough photos of the places/hotels you plan to visit and explain what to expect there
- This step really helps alleviate anxiety regarding the unknown and creates excitement through dopamine! You can simply Google photos and extra info about your destination!
3) Write down a daily schedule – Make it visible before the trip (ex. on the fridge, their room) and bring a copy with you
- I highly recommend this step so that you’re not the only one answering the same question (“What are we doing next?”) over and over. Also, having this visible schedule reduces anxiety about the unknown, which is very common for ADHD kids. If you haven’t yet, download it here.
4) Discuss Expected behaviors & Rules during the trip
- You might think you have repeated the same thing enough by now, but it’s always a good idea to review. What I tell my three kids (8 years old to teenagers) is:;
1. Stay Together
2. Listen and Follow Instructions
3. Be Respectful and Polite
4. Take Care of Personal Belongings
5. Try New Things and Have Fun
*More details and tips are here
5) Bring familiar objects & snacks (ex. little blanket, stuffed animal)
- This helps them feel at home even in an unfamiliar place.
Feel free to save or print out this so that you can do all 5 steps for each vacation trip with your kids 🙂