Yesterday was a big day of cleaning, tidying and packing the van. The boys watched DVDs all morning and into the afternoon!! But it was the only way to ensure we could get everything done.
We've got some friends who will be staying at our house while we are away, so we have to do a good job making it look good!
The trip took four hours in our van which was packed fit to bursting! I was disappointed that there wasn't room for the boys' bikes :(
The boys are seasoned travellers whether by car, train or plane, and so we don't have much trouble when we are on the road. In the van, which is a small campervan, there is a small shelf of books which the boys help themselves to during the trip. I have no idea how they don't get carsick when they look at books in the moving van, because both me and their Dad get really carsick if reading in a moving vehicle!
They hadn't had their nap by the time we left, so it was really good timing that they slept for about half the trip up.
We got some drivethu Maccas on the way through, and two quick toilet stops, but other than that drove straight through. The Maccas was good in that the boys were occupied for a long time eating their fillet of fish - half each! It's handy that they're packaged in cardboard boxes so that the boys can balance the box on their laps and eat.
Before we got to our destination, Bright, a beautiful alpine village on the way to the NSW border, it started to rain in the distance. Suddenly JJ spoted a rainbow in the sky! It was the most incredible rainbow we have ever seen! We could see both ends of it, and it lasted for a good 10 minutes! The colours were so vivid, and it was so BIG! I saw it as God saying that he would bless the time we spend with our friends and our family.
My parents and siblings are driving down to meet us in a few days, and we also have many friends who will be meeting up with us while we're here. So it will certainly be a great time of friendship and laughter :)
The boys were a bit hyperactive when we arrived after being cooped up for so long. It was 8pm when we finally got in! They ran up and down our friend's house and made lots of noise. After a yummy BBQ, and many servings of fresh berries and yoghurt, the boys finally went to bed close on 10:30pm!!!
The boys get to sleep in our room for these holidays - a whole month! They each have a mattress on the floor next to our bed. We were here only a few months ago, and so it's not totally unfamiliar to them. However, they are very good with adjusting to sleeping in new places. I think it's because we have travelled so much since they were small.
Some Tips On Getting Children to Sleep in New Surroundings When on Holidays!
To get children to settle into new surroundings it's a good idea to spend time in the room they will be sleeping in during the first day so that they get familiar with it. It's not just what the room looks like, children are very sensitive - even the smell of the room, and feel of the room they need to get used to. If you play some games or read a book with them, they'll feel much more settled when they have to sleep there later.
Bring their pillow slips from home, and blankets that they're used to, a soft toy etc. this will help them feel more at home with their new surroundings and settle faster.
Let them watch or help you prepare their beds and tell them specifically who is sleeping where. It's also nice to point out where you are going to sleep, and reassure them that it's very close!
If you turn on special music for them to sleep to, take all efforts to bring it with you and play it! We have a beautiful lullabies CD that we've played for the boys since they've been tiny babies. Playing the music is incorporated into their sleep routine. It's called 'Bedtime Prayers: Lullabies & Peaceful Worship' by Twila Paris, it is soooo awesome! The lyrics are just amaaazing, and the music is restful. I also believe that the words will sink into their spirits while they sleep. We've put a copy on our mobile phone and play it through some compact travel speakers.
The boys were asleep without any problems (except for rolling on each other because I put their mattresses too close together - I had to intervene and put more space between them). By the time the third song on the CD started, they were both fast asleep.
We've got some friends who will be staying at our house while we are away, so we have to do a good job making it look good!
The trip took four hours in our van which was packed fit to bursting! I was disappointed that there wasn't room for the boys' bikes :(
The boys are seasoned travellers whether by car, train or plane, and so we don't have much trouble when we are on the road. In the van, which is a small campervan, there is a small shelf of books which the boys help themselves to during the trip. I have no idea how they don't get carsick when they look at books in the moving van, because both me and their Dad get really carsick if reading in a moving vehicle!
They hadn't had their nap by the time we left, so it was really good timing that they slept for about half the trip up.
We got some drivethu Maccas on the way through, and two quick toilet stops, but other than that drove straight through. The Maccas was good in that the boys were occupied for a long time eating their fillet of fish - half each! It's handy that they're packaged in cardboard boxes so that the boys can balance the box on their laps and eat.
My parents and siblings are driving down to meet us in a few days, and we also have many friends who will be meeting up with us while we're here. So it will certainly be a great time of friendship and laughter :)
The boys were a bit hyperactive when we arrived after being cooped up for so long. It was 8pm when we finally got in! They ran up and down our friend's house and made lots of noise. After a yummy BBQ, and many servings of fresh berries and yoghurt, the boys finally went to bed close on 10:30pm!!!
The boys get to sleep in our room for these holidays - a whole month! They each have a mattress on the floor next to our bed. We were here only a few months ago, and so it's not totally unfamiliar to them. However, they are very good with adjusting to sleeping in new places. I think it's because we have travelled so much since they were small.
Some Tips On Getting Children to Sleep in New Surroundings When on Holidays!
To get children to settle into new surroundings it's a good idea to spend time in the room they will be sleeping in during the first day so that they get familiar with it. It's not just what the room looks like, children are very sensitive - even the smell of the room, and feel of the room they need to get used to. If you play some games or read a book with them, they'll feel much more settled when they have to sleep there later.
Bring their pillow slips from home, and blankets that they're used to, a soft toy etc. this will help them feel more at home with their new surroundings and settle faster.
Let them watch or help you prepare their beds and tell them specifically who is sleeping where. It's also nice to point out where you are going to sleep, and reassure them that it's very close!
The boys were asleep without any problems (except for rolling on each other because I put their mattresses too close together - I had to intervene and put more space between them). By the time the third song on the CD started, they were both fast asleep.
No comments:
Post a Comment