I don’t generally do product reviews or plugs but I am always on the look out for great tools to make a family vacation easier.  So when the people at eMotionCam contacted me about their helmet cameras, I thought it was worth a try.  Every time I ski, I see parents struggling to record their kids skiing down the mountain.  I don’t ski well enough to keep up with my kids, much less while trying to balance a camera so why not a helmet camera to memorialize the ski day?  Bottom line is that it was fantastic.  Crystal clear high definition footage with no hassle of a hand held camera!  It was a great way to capture the day.

The camera is incredibly easy to use.  It comes with a strap to attach to a helmet but I opted to attach it to my goggle strap.  Simply press the on button and slide the switch to record.   The record button is large enough to work with ski gloves on, which is important because the  battery only lasts for about 3 hours of record time.  When not recording,  the camera powers itself off after 10 minutes so it must be turned back on.  To confess, I didn’t know that it powered down so my first day with the camera was a total bust!  You can test that it is on by pushing the power button and looking for a red beam coming from the top of the camera.  I was worried about the weight of the camera on my goggle strap, but at a mere 4.3 ounces, it was barely noticeable.

You can rent the cameras at ski shops in California, Colorado, New Hampshire, and Wyoming (see the complete list here.)  I picked up mine at Lone Star Sports in Breckenridge.  It costs $34.95 plus an additional $4.95 for  a loss/damage waiver.  I highly recommend springing for the waiver – just in case you take a tumble on the camera!  Your credit card is charged a $300 deposit fee that is refunded when you return the camera.   When you return the camera, it takes about 20 minutes to download the footage to either a DVD or USB stick.  The DVD is included at no charge.  You can purchase a USB stick at the kiosk or bring your own.  The rental fees are mush less than most cameras and you don’t have the risk of breakage (if you follow my advice and purchase the waiver) – plus it’s on your helmet so you can capture all the action with the slide of a button.   I was also surprised by the clarity – it was much sharper than my hand held.

Overall I had a great experience with the camera and highly recommend trying one out.  Given the overall cost of a ski vacation, this is an inexpensive way to bring home memories from the slopes.   The hands free operation makes it easy to use when teaching little ones to ski – a difficult thing to capture with a traditional camera.  Older kids would love to record each other doing tricks in the terrain park!

Some tips on use:

• Don’t waste time recording while you are waiting in the lift line and riding the lift.
• Make sure the camera is on each time you start recording.
• Let everyone take a turn – the different perspectives are very interesting.
• Have someone check the camera angle periodically.  No one wants 2 hours of skis or sky because the camera was at the wrong angle.
• Look up the mountain so you can have footage of where you’ve been.
• Ski ahead of the family, stop,  and turn around to capture the rest of the family coming down the hill together.
• Be prepared for lots of comments – all the young boarders and skiers asked me questions about the camera all day long.  Nice to be cool on the mountain for a change!

Many thanks to eMotionCams for allowing me to use a camera free of charge for a day.  I plan on renting one for our next family ski day later in the season!  You can find all the details about rentals here.

Happy Travels!

Skiing with kids Hide

I hear that phrase a lot – especially from parents contemplating an expensive trip with kids.  Is it worth the time, expense and effort to take a vacation if you come back more tired than when you left?  Let’s face it, vacations with kids are tiring – just the thought of eating 3 meals a day in a restaurant with toddlers is daunting.

Back to the question – is it worth it?  Absolutely!  Will you arrive back home tired?  Likely – but help yourself out with these planning tips.

• Don’t over-schedule the vacation.  I know you are spending a fortune on the vacation but everyone will enjoy it more if you leave some breathing room in the itinerary.
• Come back on Saturday (or maybe even Friday).  This gives you some time to unpack, do laundry, and generally catch up.
• Actually unpack.  It is easy to leave bags packed and sitting out for days (or weeks) after a vacation.  Spend the time immediately after getting home to get unpacked and put stuff away.  Trust me, you will be glad you did!
• Go to bed early Sunday night.
• If you can, take Monday morning off from work.  Pack the kids off to school or hire a babysitter to come in for the morning.  Spend a few hours catching up on things (maybe even just reading the paper with a cup of coffee!) and then head to the office early.  If you are lucky, you might have a few quiet hours to catch up at work with no one expecting you to be there yet.

How do you ease the transition from vacation back to work/school?

Travel With Kids, vacations with kids Hide

We often make the 2 hour trek to Breckenridge.  When we first starting making the drive, I was completely prepared:  fully loaded snack bag, ample drinks, movies, toys, sicky cups, etc.  For those of you wondering why I need so much stuff for a 2 hour drive, I should clarify that it should take 2 hours but can take up to 6, depending on traffic.

Lately I have been slacking on the preparations-  forgetting the snack bag (or worse, bringing the bag but forgetting to pack it), not restocking the ziploc bags, sicky cups and wipes – you get the idea.   On the last trip home, I paid the price.  I-70 is notoriously bad on Sundays so I made the fateful decision to go the back way – the windy, twisty, 2 lane road with no shoulder way.  About half way home, Natalie (the 4 year old) calls from the back row that she wants a cracker.  Unfortunately, the snack bag is filled with empty wrappers and crushed crackers but nothing remotely edible.  About 60 seconds later, she yells, “my tummy hurts” followed immediately by her throwing up all over her blanket.   Of course we are on a stretch of road where there is absolutely no place to pull over.  There are no sicky cups in the car so I dump the snack bag out and toss it to the back.  15 minutes and 2 “episodes” later  I manage to pull off.   There are no wipes, tissues, or napkins to be found so I use another clean blanket to clean her up (of course we have no fresh clothes!).  Luckily, my parents happened to be following us home so we packed the sick kid in their car, threw the smelly blankets in their trunk and drove the rest of the way without incident.

After a good cleaning and airing, my car recovered and is now, once again, fully stocked!

No tags Hide

I dread packing.  Actually, the packing itself isn’t bad but the logistics of packing are the worst – especially when flying!   There are thousands of packing systems, checklists, and tip sheets.  Who has time to comb through all that information to find the perfect solution?   Instead of spending hours analyzing all the options, spend 15 minutes determining packing style and goals and spend 30 minutes on the web finding specifically what you need.   No distractions – stay focused and stick to the time limits!

I make lists.  I have tried using various printed versions but always end up creating my own.  Starting about a week before the trip, I make 3 lists:  clothes for girls, gear, and everything me.  It eases my mind to write things down and the lists make my packing much easier.

Two days before the trip I finish all laundry and warn people that anything they wear can’t go on the trip.  This never works – but I can dream!  The day before a trip, I pack – recognizing that packing takes as little or as long as I let it.  Instead of fretting (especially with clothes), I make fast decisions and don’t second guess.  I did forget enough pants on one trip so I do double check the number of outfits now – cleaning in the hotel is very expensive (especially considering how small a pair of size 2t pants is!).  How many outfits to take is always an issue for me.  The standard rule of thumb is 2 or 3 outfits per day.  I could never fit that many clothes for the girls in a manageable number of suitcases so I allow for one and a half per day (give or take a few for each girl).

With four girls, I need organized suitcases to stay sane.   Unfortunately,  I have not perfected this.  My latest attempt involved Eagle Creek packing cubes of various sizes for the panties and PJs (each girl had a small cube for panties and a larger one for PJs).  I must admit, that worked well.  It kept them organized and easy to find throughout the trip.  Now does anyone have a magic solution for keeping the clothes of 4 indecisive, opinionated girls organized in a suitcase for the duration of a trip?

packing, Travel With Kids Hide

On almost every flight I see families that failed to bring any activities for their kids.  My classic example occurred on a 14 hour flight from Hong Kong to the US.  The family in the seats behind us brought nothing for their kids (ages 4 and 2) to play with, no snacks, and no comfort items – despite the fact that they had a huge carry-on with two laptops (apparently not for the kids as the adults used them the entire flight), books, blankets, and snacks (again, apparently not for the kids as they didn’t seem to share).   Their kids cried until my oldest could stand no more and offered to share her toys with them.

Seriously, what are people thinking?  The days of free playing cards and kid’s travel packs on US carriers are long past – now you are lucky to get a beverage!  Want to avoid a serious mid-flight meltdown?  Plan ahead and buy a TravelKiddy or spend the time, money, and effort to create your own.

In addition to the TravelKiddy, here are our other “must have” carry-on items:

1. Complete change of clothes for each child and a fresh shirt for each adult (accidents and spills will happen – be prepared)
2. Supply of children’s Tylenol/Motrin, Pepto, and bandages
3. Tissues, wipes, and Tide-To-Go pen
4. Chap stick
5. Snacks – no experimenting!  Bring a selection of sweet and savory items
6. Water purchased after clearing security
7. Zip top bags
8. Favorite comfort items (blanky, binky, stuffy, etc.)
9. Kid friendly maps and/or books about destination
10. Sense of humor
11. Sock puppets

Happy Travels

Flying with Kids, travel activities Hide

I hate hearing news stories about unruly children on flights.  The coverage inevitably leans toward the family with the airline and flight attendants looking like the bad guys.  While there are situations where flight attendants over-react to a crying child, many times the blame should fall on the unprepared parents.  If a child is unwilling to sit safely in a seat, should everyone on the plane be forced to wait for the tantrum to end?  Certainly not if it means delaying the flight.

Kids often board planes in a state of hyper-stimulation combined with utter exhaustion – in other words, primed for a meltdown.  Parents, having just negotiated a late night packing blitz and the obstacle course that is today’s airport experience, board the plane in a frenzied state and ignore their kids until a tantrum starts.  With the kids in a completely irrational state, things quickly escalate out of control.

Meltdowns happen – often at the most inconvenient times.   Be prepared to deal with the situation and respond quickly and appropriately – don’t check your common sense and sense of humor at the gate!   With some patience, planning, and a little luck, things will end up being ok.

Plan ahead

• Pack fun snacks and water in an easily accessible location.  We always pack M&Ms in fun containers for the plane because they are easy to eat (and good for counting, sorting, pouring, and other fun games).

• Have a mini activity or toy ready.  This should be something new – a small car, activity pad, or stickers work well.  Keep in mind that the tray table will need to be in the upright position so do not count on using it for the toy or activity.

• Carry-on only what you need.  Check the extra bag instead of trying to bring everything on the plane.

Boarding Process

Spend a few minutes prior to boarding calming everyone down and discussing expected behavior on the plane.  Kids are quick to pick up on adult anxiety so this is the time for parents to relax as well.

Board as early as possible and focus first on the kids, then on storing the carry-on bags.  Pull out a favorite stuffed animal or blanket and give them their snack.  Once the kids are comfortable and eating, get the carry-on bags stashed away.

Before the snacks have been exhausted, pull out the new toy or activity.  The miniKiddy was originally designed for my kids to use while waiting for take-off.  If you don’t want to buy a pre-packaged solution, browse the toy stores and create something on your own.

Mid Melt-Down

Suppose you follow the advice above and one of the kids still melts down and/or refuses to sit in their seat?  Desperate times call for desperate measures.

• Bribery.  i.e., you won’t get special travel surprises if you don’t settle down.  My kids are the beta testers for new TravelKiddy items so they know there will be loads of fun surprises and this trick often works on them.

• Making faces.  Sometimes the mere act of mimicking the child’s distorted, crying face will shock them out of it.

• Cry.  A friend broke down into tears in the middle of her child’s tantrum and the little girl was so concerned that she stopped mid-cry to console her mom.

• Sing.  Sing funny songs, nursery rhymes, anything.  This so irritates one of my girls that she will stop crying to tell me to stop singing.

• Ask the flight attendant to try talking to them.  Sometimes a stranger can have a big impact.

• If sitting in the seat is an issue, try bringing a car seat or booster seat – the familiarity might be helpful.  My kids can wiggle out of the lap belt very easily but there are airplane child restraint systems on the market that fit similar to a 5 point harness and leave little wiggle room.

When all else fails…

• Splash some cold water on their face.  Often just a few drops of cold water on their forehead or cheeks will snap them out of their fit (or at least give them something else to cry about).

If my kids have a tantrum at home, I will often make sure they are safe and then ignore them until the moment has passed.  Kids are incapable of understanding a logical argument at that moment and often just need to get their frustration out of their systems.  I don’t recommend this approach while flying because I have experienced it as a passenger and nothing is more irritating than seeing a parent ignore a crying child.  Try something, even if it doesn’t work, it will garner sympathy from the other passengers (and maybe their passing smile will be just the thing to stop the meltdown!).

Keep in mind this really is a safety issue.  Crying is NOT a reason to remove a family from a plane; however, if a child is unwilling to sit safely in their seat and the parents are not able to control the situation, it places the child and other passengers at risk and the flight attendants should deal with the matter in a professional manner.

Happy travels.

Flying with Kids Hide

I love to ski.  Unfortunately, I am a terrible skier.  So, when we moved to Denver four years ago, I jumped at the chance to have the girls learn to ski.  Now we spend almost every weekend on the slopes and the girls easily out-ski me (the oldest can literally ski circles around me!).  Breckenridge is our mountain of choice because it has wide open greens & blues for me,  “fun” blues and blacks for the girls, a great ski/ride school and, most importantly, a family friendly atmosphere throughout the historic town.  More on Breck in future posts…

No matter your destination, these tips can help create a great family vacation.

Where to stay:

You’ve spent the time deciding on the perfect destination for your family ski vacation and now you need to select your lodging.  Ski resorts & towns have a variety of options but our favorite are the condos or houses.   You can find numerous choices by doing a google search or on www.vrbo.com.  The biggest factor  impacting price is the option of ski-in/out places.  At first thought this sounds great – no need to schlep gear to the slopes, just walk out your door and hit the slopes.  But wait – there is no set definition for ski-in/out.  We found several places advertising they were ski-in but they required a back country ski adventure of over a mile to reach the rental house.  Also, consider where the kids are skiing.  If they are in ski school, is the rental property near the drop off point?  With four kids, we find it easier to drive to slope-side parking near the ski school and pay to park.  It isn’t cheap (often $15 – $20 per day) but still likely cheaper than paying a premium for a ski-in/out place that really isn’t that convenient.

Renting Ski/Ride Gear:

It is always cheaper to rent gear away from the mountain but the savings may not be worth it.  Many resorts offer rental with their ski/ride school.  It is sure to be more expensive but you don’t have to lug their gear to the school and if something breaks or doesn’t fit, the ski school can easily replace it. Helmets are highly recommended and can also be rented at most shops. 

Where to Scrimp/Places to Splurge

Skiing is expensive – from the gear rental to the lift tickets, it is easy to spend a small fortune on the mountain.  I am not a budget traveler but also don’t like to spend money for things that don’t add value to the overall experience.  Here is my list of scrimps and splurges:

• Scrimp on food – Bring snacks.  I am not one to ski with a backpack filled with every necessity but I do carry a few snacks to get through the day.  Granola bars, peanut butter crackers, and trail mix are easy to stash in a pocket and don’t get smashed.
  
• Splurge on parking – pay for slope-side.  Parking in the free lots and taking buses to the slopes is great for adults but add in a few kids and their gear and it just isn’t worth the time and effort (especially when someone forgets something in the car and you have to backtrack to get it).
• Scrimp on lift tickets – pre-purchase on-line.  Search for deals on-line to save money.   Ski rental shops often have discount tickets as well.
• Splurge on ski school.  Even if you are an expert skier, let the professionals teach your kids for at least a day.   Every time I ski I see kids crying because their parents are yelling at them while “teaching” them to ski.  Or worse, parents push kids into dangerous situations by taking them on runs before the kids are ready.
  
• Scrimp on lodging by staying farther from the slopes but do spend enough to get a place that comfortably accommodates your family.
  
• Scrimp and Splurge on snow gear.  Look for off-season bargains and borrow what you can from friends.  BUT it is no fun to be cold.  Spend enough so that the coats/pants are warm and waterproof, mittens/gloves are designed for skiing/boarding.  neck gators, hats & ear warmers are worth the money!
  
• Splurge on socks & base layers.  Buy socks made for skiing/boarding.  Base layers should be wicking fabrics (not cotton) and not overly heavy.  Use layers to create warmth.
  

The Finishing Touch

What to do after the lifts close?  Hopefully the kids are tired so play some family games or work a puzzle and start the bedtime routine early with a warming bath.  Bring some new bathtoys and soothing bubbles to calm everyone down.

Happy Travels!

Skiing with kids, traveling with kids Hide

Stuck on a plane with a bored toddler?  Stave off a meltdown with these tips for amusing toddlers with things you can find on a plane (or in a restaurant).

1. Cups:  Ask the flight attendant for 2 cups.  Fill one of them 1/2 full of water and let your toddler practice pouring back and forth.  Getting wet just adds to the fun!
2. More cups:  After the water is gone, ask for a third cup and play shell games.
3. In-flight magazine:  Find the crossword puzzle and color designs in the squares.
4. In-flight magazine:  Flip to an ad with lots of big letters and go on a letter hunt.  Draw a letter and have your toddler find it on the page.  Continue the game by counting how many times you can find it on the page.
5. Make paper airplanes out of subscription cards or scrap paper (dig those old receipts out!)
6. Skymall Magazine: There are always a few pages of puppies or toys.  Send them on a scavenger hunt through the magazine to find them.
7. Teach your toddler how to play rock, paper, scissors.  Be flexible with the rules and see how fun their logic is.
8. Play I Spy using pages out of SkyMall or colorful ads.
9. Make funny faces and/or play peek-a-boo.
10. When all else fails, never underestimate the power of a sock puppet!

Happy Travels!

Flying with Kids, flying with toddlers, tips for traveling Hide

I recently read an editorial extolling the virtues of child-free dining.   I immediately got defensive – what is wrong with kids eating out in an establishment that has table service and real silverware?   So I paid attention the last time we ate at a nice restaurant and I still disagree with the editorial – it isn’t the kids, it’s the parents!   In a restaurant of about 60 tables, about 16 had children under the age of 10 and half of those had misbehaving children.  And WOW were they bad.  They were screaming, running around, throwing food and crawling under the tables (and yes that is plural!).   Every child has bad nights but I suspect this was routine behavior especially given the practiced way the parents ignored their children!

So what makes a good dining experience?  I discreetly observed the other tables and we all had a few things in common.  While these tips can’t guarantee a successful night out, they can help!

• Make reservations or go at a slow time.
• Request a table large enough for your entire party.  I have noticed a trend of seating families with small children at undersized tables -  sitting a family of 6 at a four-top table, for example.
• Check the menu ahead of time.  A nice dinner is not necessarily the time for trying new things.  What if there is nothing the kids will eat?
  • Discreetly bring a sandwich from home and ask the waiter to plate it for you.  I generally offer to pay a plating fee (it has never been charged but the waiter seems to appreciate the offer).
  • Feed the kids at home and order them dessert while you have entrees – this likely means that you will not be getting dessert.
  • It is NEVER ok to take food from another establishment into the restaurant (especially fast food!) – if this is your only alternative, leave the kids at home.
• Be ready to order for the kids when you order drinks or appetizers.
• Set very clear behavior expectations and consequences for misbehaving and stick with them.
• Bring entertainment.  The BusyKiddy was created first for my kids – we always bring small activity kits to restaurants.  Crayons, activity books, stickers, and small toys will work wonders toward a peaceful meal.
• Too much energy?  Take a walk after ordering but walk to the lobby or outside the building.  Do not wander through the tables and no running.
• Pay attention to what the kids are doing – no one likes to have an intimate dinner with the 2 year old from the next table staring at them!
• Recognize that kids have a finite amount of patience.  This may not be the time for a 6 course meal.  Watch for the signs of kid melt down and act appropriately (eat fast, get it to go, or ask for the check!)
  • One melting down?  Have a parent take them for a walk while the others eat.  Trade places and have the kids head to the car.  Personally, I love this option -I eat second and enjoy a peaceful 10 minutes finishing my meal and paying the tab.
• Be prepared to leave the minute your child starts to create a fuss.  Crying, loud whining, and screaming are not ok – one parent should be ready to take the offending child outside until they calm down.

What works for you?  Any other suggestions to add to the list?

Eating out with kids, kids activities Hide

Movies and video games are great in-flight entertainment – let’s face it, sometimes they are life savers!  What I am going to propose next will sound crazy, but hear me out… Turn off the electronics on your next flight. That’s right, turn them off.

In today’s hyper-stimulated world, it is hard to find quality time to connect with your kids without the distractions of everyday life.  The plane is the perfect place to spend a few hours engaging with your kids.  Spend the time playing games, reading, and talking.  It will be a better flight for both of you.

Flying with Kids, unplug Hide