10 Vacation Essentials Every Parent Should Pack to Avoid a Hassle-Free Getaway Taking a trip with kids is really a lot like taking a military mission. You need strategy, you need precision, and a back-up plan for your back-up plan. Whether you’re heading off into the weekend by car or heading out far, far away on an airplane to a tropical oasis, being fully armed with the right stuff can make or break your vacation. So, let’s talk about the 10 travel must-haves that every parent should pack to keep things running smoothly, minimize meltdowns (yours included), and actually have fun on the adventure! 1. Emergency Coffee Packs – Because Caffeine is Non-Negotiable If you’ve ever tried to function without coffee when surrounded by overtired, sugar-stimulated children, you understand it’s nasty. Enter emergency coffee packets. These little heroes come in instant, single-serve sachets, cold brew concentrate travel packs, or even espresso shots on-the-go. Pour in hot water (or cold milk for an iced coffee), and you’re ready to roll. For parents who are variety-seekers, toss in a few flavored coffee packets or single-serve creamers to include in your pack…

How to Manage Sibling Conflict on Family Vacation: A Complete Handbook for Parents Travel with your children can be daunting as someone who has multiple kids, but it is possible to manage sibling conflict on family vacation. Traveling with kids as part of a family holiday not only offers a wonderful experience, but also represents a perfect way of forming unforgettable memories, discovering interesting and novel environments, and reinforcing the bond between your children and yourself. But if you are a parent with more than a single child, then I need not say more because I am fully acquainted—and I know I am not the only one—of the way sibling rivalries seem inevitable even when every effort has been made for preparing for the journey ahead.  Sibling squabbles can take many forms, including fiery exchanges of insults on who has the rights to the prized window seat, squabbles on what the next thing on your schedule should be, and general short-tempereds from being trapped with each other in small spaces for a significant amount of time. If such sibling squabbles are not nipped in the bud and dealt with, then there exists the…