Parentopia on Vacation
Welcome to Parentopia on Vacation. We’re Devra and Aviva and we are passionate advocates of having fun as a family. If you want the inside scoop on tools and ideas you can take along and use on trip and beyond, you’ve just clicked through to the right place. Just ask; no situation is too strange, no question is too quirky. Bring it!
If we don’t have an answer, we’ll ask the Village People. No, not the disco group from the 70s-although if you sing YMCA we’ll sing back up- in this case, were talking about the forum area at Club Med Insider. We’ll be hanging there to share our own Club Med experiences and, since this is a family column, we won’t shy away from cutting off the whine if we see it’s impairing your judgment.
We look forward to tackling questions like, “May I pee alone at Club Med?” “Will there be unlimited Jell-O for my picky eater?” “Do I bring an iron or will the humidity take care of wrinkles?” “Where will my children be when I am getting a massage in a beach cabana?” and the many others you will be submitting to the “Traveling with Kids” forum. We’ll share pictures and stories from our visit to Club Med Cancun and the resorts we will be visiting with our families in the future. If you are hesitant about showing us yours, you won’t be after seeing ours. Trust us; it’s going to be, as the children say, “Big fun!”
No doubt there will be those times when M.O.M may really be code word for My Own Margarita and we encourage all of you to MOM it up on vacation. Whether it’s really a margarita you crave or just a bestseller on the beach we want you to get the most out of traveling with your family.
Yes, you can still take home all of the sample size soap and shampoo, but we’ll have bigger and better things available here on the site for your winning enjoyment. So even if you don’t need travel questions answered right now, enter the contests to win exclusive gifts to use before, during or after your sojourn.
Whether you are planning your trip, currently at a resort or just getting back home, we’re here to share our ideas, listen to yours and discover how everyone can experience Parentopia on Vacation!
7 Comments
Becky says Yay! Good to see you here ... can't wait to read more. :)
Becky (who could use a Club Med vacation while trying to survive my first Winter That Never Ends in Iowa) Posted February 26, 2009, 9:33 am
Kurt says I look forward to your helpful tips on traveling with kids and getting a relaxing vacation out of a trip. Posted February 26, 2009, 1:22 pm
Jerry says How far to the topless beach? Posted February 26, 2009, 6:57 pm
Bobbie says How can I find a reliable babysitter on a vacation so that I can have a few hours of peace? Posted February 27, 2009, 2:18 am
ParentopiaAviva says Bobbie, The beauty of an all inclusive vacation is that part of the all includes kids programming! The age of your children will determine what they are eligible to participate in and many resorts even offer babysitting services for the very young. Do a little research when planning your vacation. You may be shocked to find how many places are willing and able to cater to your need for peace. Posted February 27, 2009, 12:07 pm
Parentopia Devra says Hi Bobbie, Here are a few things you can try to get that much desired peace on vacation. 1. Ask around, you may find that you have a trusted friend or co-worker who has family or friends in the area where you will be on vacation. I did this for a friends' wedding in New Orleans, got a great sitter who was cousins to a friend of mine from home. Worked out wonderfully! 2. Contact the hotel ahead of time and ask if they provide a sitter service or if the hotel recommends a babysitting service in the area. Ask about the costs per hour as well as if they have different pricing for ages and amount of hours. 3. Consider sharing a sitter with another family if you are all staying at the same resort and your kids get along with their kids. 4. Find out if the resort or vacation area offers children's programs or has a drop in child care arrangement. Some resorts offer one or both. Sometimes there is an extra charge, so make sure to ask. Posted March 2, 2009, 10:53 pm
Parentopia Devra says Hey Becky, Cancun in winter definitely trumps Iowa in winter! You need to go! All three of your kids would adore the miniclub, and you'd get some time to get some reading done too. Thank you for coming over and checking out our new digs. We hope you'll contribute your own tips and tricks for family travel because I know you got some! Jerry, there was no top on the beach in Cancun. Totally wide open space and blue sky. ; ) Posted March 2, 2009, 10:58 pm