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?

General Travel With Kids · vacations with kids