Assign One Person in Charge of Each Task When You’re Ready to Travel
As I learned from this failed group project in Mr. Palazzo’s 10th grade history lesson, sometimes we don’t work better in teams. Aside from class projects, this also applies to preparing for a family trip. Usually, a night or two before the flight, my husband and I decide that it is “time to pack our things,” and at the same time we begin to put things in suitcases for ourselves and our daughter. And then, like clockwork, we will later realize that we forgot something very important, for example, toothpaste or children’s underwear.
Next time I’ll use this travel rule from My Little Nomads : One parent should be responsible for each task.
Do not share the burden of any one responsibility when traveling. Packaging for example. One person collects things and knows where everything is. Two people are packing, and no one really knows where what is. It’s the same with hotels. One person plans, arranges and writes them down. Do you have this confirmation email or me?
When you are assigned a specific task, you take responsibility for it and therefore are less likely to mess it up. There is no misunderstanding or confusion.
Here are some of the responsibilities that need to be shared between partners.
- Arrange and book hotels
- Arrange flights, car rentals and other transportation.
- Search and book restaurant tables
- Pack your clothes and toiletries
- Pack electronics and chargers
- Collect travel documents, cash and credit cards
- Prepare your home. (Organize pet and plant care, ask the post office to hold up your mail, stop delivering newspapers, empty the refrigerator, take out the trash.)
- Talk to your child’s teacher about getting homework ahead of time.
If your children are old enough, you can give them assignments, such as packing suitcases with a visual list of things . And then I wish you a wonderful trip! Of course, planning a trip with kids in tow is especially dangerous, but this advice holds true for any trip you may be taking as a couple or in a group. And if something goes wrong, you know who to blame.