A Trip is not a Vacation

One time my wife and I were taking a vacation so I appropriately asked for time off from work. Proudly told my boss, "I am going on vacation". Oddly enough he asked me to confirm the age of my children, "let's see, your daughter is 5, right? and your son, he is 3. He then relayed some great wisdom, "David, you are not going on vacation, you are going on a trip, there is a difference". Now anybody with small children knows what he was talking about, the packing, the loading and unloading of the car, chasing kids in strange places, food, bathroom breaks, the boring drive, etc, you know what I am talking about. That being said...

This week I took my kids to Orlando for a brief trip (vacation), due to health issues, Mom had to stay at home. I learned some travel tips that I would like to pass on to anybody that can use them. Proactive bathroom breaks can make a meal or break a meal. Invariably when I forgot to be proactive with this one of my children would require a bathroom break in the middle of a meal. Being that I have a daughter that is 5 and a son that is 3, when one goes, we all go. Taking a proactive bathroom break eliminates impending crises. Pack snacks - this will eliminate grumpiness when you are at a theme park and the lines for food are long. Packing snacks rolls right into my favorite tip, "Daddy pants", I refer to cargo pants with large pockets on the sides down the leg, "Daddy pants", these pockets are great for snacks, toys, shed clothing, or purchases, additionally in a crowded place I have each child grab a pocket when my hands were full or I was reading a map, I knew exactly where they were and my hands were free. Of course in the car bring drinks, snacks, and plenty of patience. I found myself quoting Mr. Incredible when he was flying the RV, "we get there when we get there". I hope you can use these tips I look forward to any you might have to share.