Being a single parent comes with its own unique set of challenges, but one of the hardest things can be planning activities with your child that are feasible with one chaperone and no break time for the one parent. Travelling can be hard even with more parents around, but there are some hacks that single parents can make use of to make their trips more fun and less stressful. Your vacation journey with your child should be a period of bonding and joy, and there is no reason it cannot be a reality!

If you are looking to travel with your child post-divorce, this list of tips could be helpful. For additional useful information on tips and tricks on taking care of yourself and your family as a single parent, visit BetterHelp.

Make a list of things to carry

When you are travelling with your kids as the sole responsible adult, all your pre-travel actions should be focused on prepping as much as possible in advance so you don’t need to worry as much while on your trip.

A big part of travelling is taking care of your belongings. Before your trip, make a comprehensive list of all the things you are planning to carry with you, down to the last details. Include every small item, and even the quantities you will be carrying.

Such a list will be helpful both for packing before your trip and for keeping track of your things while you are travelling. Leaving hotels does not mean you need to leave behind any forgotten belongings.

Get insurance and all necessary shots

Travelling with kids means opening them up to a world of diseases, which can be really scary for parents. But there are precautions you can take to prevent that, and keep your kids safe.

Visit a physician and get a list of all shots, medicines, and other medical items you need based on your area of travel. Carry all of these medicines in an accessible bag, like a first aid kit. If you’re travelling out of the country, look into health insurance options.

Create a solid itinerary

Another important step before you start your trip is to create a foolproof plan, down to the last minute. All your flights, hotels, sightseeing tickets, and other necessary details should be taken care of before your step out of your home.

Keep all documents in one place and important contacts carefully marked on your phone. A quick tip: you can add “Trip” or any other label of your choice in the ‘Company/Organisation’ section of their contact details so that you can easily find all these contacts with a simple search.

Consider making copies of important documents and keeping them in a second location, like in your suitcase or in the safe at your hotel.

Remember to add a lot of activities for your kids, but do not pack your itinerary in such a way that they feel too exhausted after continuous activities. You know your kids best, so spreading out a few activities throughout the day or scheduling activities only every other day might work best for different kinds of children.

Early dinners and bedtimes 

Putting your kids to sleep early could be extremely helpful for single parents to help more during the day. This will preserve their energy for the next day’s plans and help them maintain a healthy routine, even while travelling. Avoid scheduling anything towards the evening side of the day, even if it’s just for yourself.

Another option is to avoid planning for a destination that will cause a big disruption to their sleep cycles because of jet lag, especially if they are travelling for the first time. Start with baby steps.

Teach your kids important details

Teach your children important details about getting back to you in the event that you lose them. These details should especially include the name and address of your hotel, and also your new contact number if you have chosen to take a temporary number in a new country.

Having a child memorize a phone number and your full name is also vital if they have not already taken that safety step. Maybe come up with a meeting place in the emergency event that you get separated, like if you’re at a mall, always meet at the food court if you get lost.

Also ensure they have some cash on them at all times. If possible, give them a phone, even if it is without a sim card, since they might be able to connect to public wifis in case of an emergency.

Have fun and enjoy the first of many trips

Vacations, education trips, trips to see family, or any other reason to travel are going to come up during your life as a single parent. While travelling with younger children may seem like a struggle, eventually, you will likely travel with your kid. With enough preparation, you can make a trip at any age possible and even enjoyable for everyone.

Remember to have lots of fun during this extremely special time with your kids! It might be scary to take the step, but it will be worth it and will get easier with time and more future trips.

Marie Miguel Biography

Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health- related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with BetterHelp.com. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.