Another very common utterance from children when on vacation is:
I’m bored.
Other variations may include “I’m tired.” or “I’m hungry.” Said once or twice, it is not a problem – after all, children do really get bored, tired, or hungry. We cannot expect them not to feel these things and not to express their feeling as well! Then again, hearing these things over and over again just might get on your nerves, especially if you are flying solo.
So what do you do?
Again, we should go back to the initial stages of a family vacation – the planning. Involve the kids in the planning. Let them have their say as to what you are going to do and where you are going to go. During the trip, if they start saying that they are bored, you can gently remind them that this was what everyone decided on and that there is nothing to be done as of yet. More importantly, if they were part of the planning process, the chances are that they would not get bored as they wanted to do the activity or see the sights in the first place.
Another thing to remember is to set clear expectations as to their behavior. Let them know what to expect on the trip and let them know how you expect them to behave. Condition children this way is very important and will help them behave better. Oh, and don’t forget the rewards – when they behave well, give them incentives.
Image from: Fotosearch