For spring break we went to Cancun. No, not the crazy paryting part of Cancun, but the more family friendly area closer to Playa Del Carmen. Beautiful resort with loads of swimming pools and beautiful sandy beaches. We went with 3 other couples some of whom had children the same ages as ours. It really was a wonderful week long vacation. Very relaxing and entertaining for all of us.

What made my vacation one of the best ever is that I had a chance to do what I really wanted to do (for the most part). Not only did I have lots of pool time, quality time with my children, fun times with my friends, quiet time with my hubby, but I also had some quality time at the gym for myself. Yes, the gym during my vacation. Each morning I would get up early, get to the gym for a good cardio session and hang out at the spa area before getting showered and dressed (into a clean bathing suit) for the rest of the day. It felt fantastic!

The rest of the day was spent by the pool or the beach. Sipping my fruity beverage and eating poolside food without a care in the world for the calories I was consuming. It was as though I was in spa retreat with my family and friends. Thinking back now makes me want to do it all over again.

My kids are at an age now where traveling with them is so awesome!

They walk on their own, they can carry (some) things, they know when they need to go potty, know when to hold it and best of all, they’re pretty good at keeping themselves entertained.

Keeping my kids comfy is key for a good travel experience. I always make sure that we have some food on hand in case someone gets hungry. We take time between flights to give them some running around to get rid of any excess energy. We keep them entertained with their toys, activities and iPods throughout long flights. And most importantly, we make sure they take naps or get some quiet time when they’re getting tired.

Of course, children’s entertainment these days is a far cry from what we had when we were young. Now my kids have books, activity books and iPods. The iPods are probably the best in entertainment for traveling with kids. They’re small and hold music, movies and games. Sharing your laptop with your children is another option, just pop in a movie, have them share some headphones and you’re all set. Ah, and now, with the iPad, we’ll that’s a whole other dimension

On our recent trip, we travelled 10 hours in one day. That didn’t include the time before the flight left and the time it took for us to get our bags and catch a cab home. The kids were awesome on the 2 flights and the short layover in Philly. The layover gave us enough time to stretch our legs as we ran to grab some dinner and head over to our next gate for the 6 hour flight home.

The key to happy traveling kids would be to always stay in tune with their needs. Know when they’re getting tired, bored, hungry or restless. Figure out how to address these issues before they become major meltdowns. As parents, we all know how to take care of a child that’s hungry, tired or bored. To avoid the ordeal, be cognizant of your child’s needs and address them before it’s too late. Kids are pretty simple if you’re paying attention to them.