Tuesday 27 August 2013

Leaving Your Pets While You Travel

Let us assume that you are ready to undertake holidays to Gran Canaria with the family. Everyone involved in this trip is definitely excited and happy. Everyone has packed their travel essentials. All follow-up calls to the providers are done, and everything ---flights, hotels, tours, restaurant reservations, etc.---are confirmed.

But hold on. Aren’t you forgetting something? What about fluffy Rover or little kitty? That’s right, your pets need attention to. But in many cases, you won’t be able to bring them along with you during your vacation. Indeed, travelling with pets can be difficult; it’s expensive, requires a lot of paperwork, and a hassle for everyone.

Thus, if you are like many other people, you may want to leave your pet behind. Here are a few tips on how to do just that without constantly worrying about your precious fluffy friend.

1. Request someone close to you to look after your pet. That someone can be a sibling, relative, friend, or colleague. Assure them that your pet won’t bring them any headaches. Here’s something for your comfort: many people who don’t have pets long for one. You’d be surprised as to how people are very willing to take care of your pet for you.

2. If no one is available to watch over your furry friend, call a pet sitter. As the name implies, a pet sitter is a specialised provider that looks after pets when their owners are away. During such time, a pet sitter walks your pet, feeds him, or even plays with him. Depending on the service, you may pay the provider by the hour or day.

3. No pet sitter may be available in your area. Well, no need to worry. You can ask the local animal pound to take care of him for you. Just make sure to specify that little Rover or Kitty is not up for adoption.

4. Whatever option you choose, make sure to provide the caretaker with plenty of pet food. Remember that you are asking them to look after your pet. Having them buy your pet’s food is just too much to ask. The same thing applies to pet supplies such as kitty litter, dog shampoo, and other

5. If your pet has special needs, inform the caretaker ahead of time. Rover needs to be taken out for a walk every morning. Little Kitty needs her vitamins every evening. You can list down these special needs and hand that list to the caretaker.

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Keeping Your Children Under Control During Trips

Let us say you have purchased cheap all inclusive holidays to Lanzarote. The deal was so good that you were able to afford extra tickets and rooms for the entire family. Yes, that means you’re going to bring your kids with you.

Now, think about this for a minute. While having your children accompany you in your trips can bring joy and wonderful moments, doing so can also bring lots of headaches. Just imagine Junior throwing tantrums after you spent too long taking photos of an interesting tourist site. Just imagine little Sarah crying her heart out after she demands to drink some water, which you forgot to bring. Just imagine carrying your baby around for a tour that involves long walks.

Here are a few easy and effective tips to ponder when you’re out there with your precious ones:

1. To avoid children from getting bored and restless (and often throwing a tantrum), give them simple toys and games to have fun with. For example, during flights that last an hour or more, I usually bring coloring books, crayons, and simple toys for my little tot whenever I take him along. He preoccupies himself by drawing or coloring pictures, or playing with some toys while I get some much-deserved rest.

2. No matter where you go with your child, always have snacks at hand. Kids easily get riled up when they’re hungry. I usually put each child’s snack in a zip lock bag, which I can access any time. To avoid a minor scuffle between two kids fighting for a chocolate bar or sweet, I always ensure that each zip lock for each kid has the same content.

3. Share responsibilities. You would be surprised how delighted kids when they are given tasks. When going on a trip, assign each family member a responsibility that is appropriate for his or her age and ability. For example, one child may be tasked to fold used linens in the hotel while the other is responsible for filling the water bottles. A teenager may be assigned to watch over his or her younger siblings in the pool. Giving children tasks also instills in them the value and importance of responsibility.

4. Let kids enjoy the trip. Don’t reprimand them for exploring an interesting part of a ruin or trying out a local food. A trip is supposed to be an opportunity for children to discover the world; so let your cheap holidays be an enjoyable, educational one.

With these tips, you are now ready to take your kids with you anywhere in the world.