By Holly Sosa
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and Walmart Family Mobile. All opinions are mine alone. #Tips4Trips #CollectiveBias
Aside from our mid-June Michigan vacation, we have stayed pretty close to home this summer. But in a couple of weeks, we have a special travel surprise in store for my step-daughters that will blow their minds. Growing up in a blended family, I understand how vacations and blended family travel is a little different, so I draw on my experiences as a child to apply to my life now, as the mother of a blended family. While travel is a little different, it’s still fun, creates lasting family memories, and is a great way to strengthen that familial bond.
1. Be sure to call or text your child’s other set of parents before leaving and after you’ve arrived at your destination. When your child is traveling and their other set of parents isn’t involved, it’s a simple courtesy to let them know you’ve left and then arrived safely. This helps put everyone at ease and helps avoid later calls or texts from the other parents who are (rightfully!) worried about whether or not their child has arrived at your destination.
2. Allow your child to call their other parent at the end of the day. Offer for your child to call their other parent at the end of your day, once you’ve settled in. Chances are they want to share their experience with their parent. The other parent is also probably feeling a little left out of their child’s life, especially during big life events, like a vacation. Communication and involvement is key.
3. Be present with your children/stepchildren. Put the phones and devices away. Lock them in your hotel room if you have to. In a stepfamily, you aren’t with your child/stepchild 100% of the time; use this special time together to strengthen your bond and create memories. Be silly, splurge a little. Give them your undivided attention.
4. Give your child a small allowance to purchase a souvenir for their other parent. Drawing on my own experience as a child, I often felt sad that my dad was left out of family vacations with my mother and stepfather. This is a small way to let your child feel validated in their feelings and take a piece of their vacation back to their other home. It can be something as simple as a magnet or a pen, but it will help your child feel like they are sharing their special memories with their other parent rather that without them.
5. Take a few minutes at the end of your day to sent photos to the other parent of their child. When you’re sharing a child in separate homes, the other parent is often left feeling as if they’re missing part of their child’s childhood. This can help them feel connected and as if they’re sharing in the experience.
Did you happen to notice a pattern here? Communication is key and especially where blended families are concerned. With all five of our children being in two blended families, we rely on our mobile phones to keep us all connected and we rely on Walmart Family Mobile for affordability. Their $29.88 per month for Unlimited Talk/Text and Data service plan (which includes up to 1G of 4G LTE data) is our solution to what could potentially be astronomical communication costs. Those phone calls, texts, and photos being sent back and forth add up quickly and I’m thankful that I have peace of mind and no overage fees to worry about. They offer a variety of phones for all budgets, but I love my ZTE ZMAX ($179.00 – was $199.88) smart phone. It takes crisp photos and keeps me connected with Collin’s dad.
Disclaimer: All prices for phones and plans included in this post are accurate as of the date of posting; however, these prices are subject to change. Please refer to http://cbi.as/fs1l or your local Walmart for current pricing.
Be sure to check out Walmart’s lowest price unlimited plans and their great prices on smart phones by visiting their website.
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