For many families, the arrival of summer means that a family trip is on the horizon. Traveling with children combines fun, learning, and family togetherness, but it can also be frustrating and not all that relaxing because the desires of various family members may be at odds. I have an overall vacation strategy that addresses this problem by allowing consideration of each family member's needs and desires.

One part of my strategy is to engage your children in details of the daily trip management; that is, put each child in charge of one aspect of the day's plan. For example, if you are traveling with three children, assign one child to choose optional activities, one child to supervise navigation, and another to select places to eat or what to cook for meals, rotating tasks among the children each day. Set out the parameters for each task, but then let the child in charge learn about the possibilities from you, solicit the opinions of all the siblings and grown-ups, and make a decision.  

For example, the navigator might look at the map, study routes with a parent, and ask who wants to drive by the ocean and who wants to drive by the inland parks; after everyone voices an opinion, the navigator chooses. The day's activity leader would use the same procedure to choose among a movie, a fair, or a fireworks show. Adapt this plan to the number of children traveling and, if you have one child, simply rotate which piece he's in charge of each day. If you have very young children, they can play the role of an assistant to an older child.

Our family has been using this strategy successfully for 24 years of trips together! You can adapt and use this technique of involving everyone in the execution of the trip, no matter the type of vacation. And, if there is a child involved who is too young to participate in the decision-making, it is up to the siblings to represent that child's needs as part of their planning. The crucial element is that everyone has a voice; an enjoyable experience is almost sure to follow.