Planning to take Kids to Mexico
Common sense tips for a family vacation to Mexico
Bringing kids to Mexico is a fantastic opportunity to have
some concerted family time while exploring a different culture. Children of any
age are a challenge though so I will be making some recommendations based on 3
kids and nearly two decades coming to Mexico. I will also be soliciting advice
and suggestions from other parents who have made the journey with their kids.
In general I begin with saying that you as tourist will
garner more positive attention when you bring your kids with you than if you
were only two adults traveling alone. Mexicans love kids and you will get a
great opportunity to interact with the natives when you bring your family with
you.
Planning
Documentation,
Accommodation, Schooling
We have written an extensive packing and documents section
in our website; however I will emphasize that while it does cost money to
obtain, a passport is the best and easiest form of identification once you and
your family are here. If the children are NOT your birth kids, ensure you have a
letter from the missing parent notarized before you leave.
Hotels
If you are staying at a hotel ask before you leave, ask if
they have high chairs, playpens, cribs etc and plan accordingly. For those of
you who are planning to “hotel it”, consider accommodation other than an all
inclusive resort. Of course they are handy, but your family will probably not
experience other restaurants and your resort and eating schedule seduces you to
stay put. Hey what are you coming to Mexico for anyway…..A high class hotel?
Many resort hotels have fridges. The high-end ones that
also sell timeshares often even have full kitchens in every guest suite. If your room doesn’t have a kitchen or a fridge, there are
plenty of cheap Styrofoam coolers you can purchase to store snack foods and
beverages. We always bring an electric coffeepot for morning coffee and to heat
up liquid for whatever emergency or experiment comes our way. Remember that two
prong plugs are standard in Mexico so pack an adapter if your appliance needs a
3 prong outlet.
An advantage of staying in a large 4 + star hotel is that
they often have a child minding service. It is expensive and our understanding
is that the majority of the money is given to the hotel and not the worker. We
have not used this option very often as we find that we go to sleep earlier in
Mexico and that the 4 hour minimum was not worth the price. We were also
concerned about the kids when on one occasion the woman spoke no English and our
children were very small. We have altered our schedule and made our adult times
in the mornings when the children are snoozing.
Not to worry though. Children are allowed in
restaurants/bars. Many of our most fond and romantic memories are when we went
to restaurants with our kids. When they were toddlers they would often sleep in
their strollers – zonking out right after dinner. When they were older we would
take them to Senior Frogs or someplace cool as a treat and dance and play well
into the evening.
Schooling
If you are taking your children out of school for a week or
two you will still need to discuss this with their schools. Often there are
homework assignments or special projects given to the kids. My experience is
that the homework gets forgotten until the last day and that the special
assignments are generally a journal, again begun a day or two before we returned
home.
If you are going on an extended trip, distance education
may be the answer. Many school districts in Canada and the US have distance
education and or internet schools. There are so many internet cafes in Mexico
that the former option is entirely possible. My kids completed high school over
the internet and will received the same degree as the kid
living just down the block back in our home town.
Medical
You should plan to visit your local doctor or health clinic
before you go to ensure that any medical issue is addressed before you go. If
you are flying with a baby or small child discuss ear aches caused by altitude
as well as “while you are there issues.” Ensure you have considered medical
insurance.
My whole family got the total package of shots just in
case we decided to go a little further south. Our experience of the medical care
in Mexico has been very favorable but for most the language barrier can be
frustrating in times of an emergency.
Co Planning
Don’t leave your kids out of the loop when you are planning
your journey. While you ultimately make the decisions, ask them their
preferences for various things such as lodging, food, attractions. If your kids
are happy, you’re happy. I have found that mine are happiest at a place where
they have access to a pool. Once teenagers, they want to be near people their
own age and a pool or ocean matters less.
Bring out an atlas, online or paper based, and discuss the
area you are about to explore. As a family, chat about the weather, food,
various side trips. Learn a little about the history of the place. Indulge in
audio CDs or language tapes.
If they are old enough, take them to a Dollar Store or
inexpensive supply store before you leave. Get them to help select pencils, pens
and other school supplies that they can give as gifts to other children while
they are there. $10 each goes a long way back home.
Via Plane
Babies and toddlers are a challenge on an aircraft so
request a “bulkhead” while you are making your reservations. A bulkhead gives
you more legroom and allows kids a little area to sit on the floor or play with
their toys. Request a few more pillows so they can lie down and a blanket so
they can hopefully sleep. Request a kids menu and take kids snacks in case you
need it. For sure pack extra bottles and diapers.
Once they could walk not toddle, we gave them their own
luggage. Not only did it instill responsibility for their own items, but when
they were young it slowed them down considerably at the airport; a good thing.
We ensured that they packed the required T shirts, shorts etc and they had
choices in terms of toys and other items.
We purchased standard overnight size roller-type bags for
each child (not Disney or cute overpriced character bags) and as they grew the
luggage increased in size as well. Even when they outgrew the overnight luggage,
the bags still had use as sleepover bags.
Teenagers like walkmans, ipods, ipads etc. Get something
for each teenager. There is lots of
down time at airports, immigration and stopovers. Pack something onboard that
can keep them occupied.
By Car or RV
I have come to the unfortunate conclusion that scenery
bores kids up until the age of 18. Then if you are lucky they take an interest
outside their window. Ensure there are plenty of things to do to keep them
occupied. If you don’t they will fight amongst themselves or with you or if
there is only one, they will become agitated and moody.
There are numerous car games that can be played or songs to
be sung but they too can get aggravating over the long haul. Unfortunately
reading extensively often brings on motion sickness and board games get spilt
everywhere when the brakes are applied. The truth of it is that you have to come
up with some strategies for occupying them so they don’t drive you nuts.
Drive Very Early
Plan the evening before for an early get away. In Canada or
the US we get up about an hour before sunrise and have a cup of coffee and a
roll. In Mexico we won’t leave until we can see the road clearly. We wake the
snoozing kids, still and Po’s, and strap them down while they lay or slouched
over pillows. We play softer music as we drive and chat - usually for 4 or 5
hours - before the kids wake up and we stop for breakfast. This strategy allowed
us a lot of adult time and ensured that those first 5 hours gave us lots of
distance. If it is hot outside, it ensures that we are comfortable in the
morning air.
Try to consider stopping soon afterwards. Sure the town
might not be that interesting to you, but your kids just probably want to be
near you and a body of water to swim in. Plan accordingly. You are not on a
family holiday to be driving 24/7. You are there to explore together as a
family.
If we drive further, we make sure that the kids are
separated as much as possible physically and that they have their own “space” to
call home. Their own toys or books and games are placed close to each of them to
make it easier to access without stopping.
I am not a big TV advocate nor do I hate it. When we are
traveling fast I ensure that we have a number of movie CD’s available for the
kids, an accessible TV and CD player. It is worth approximately two precious
hours of peace and adult time. We limit viewing to one movie a day, alternating
the “chooser.”
No matter how much they moan or want to sleep, ensure they
are belted in at all times. Even if you are in an RV and they need to go to the
washroom, stop the vehicle. Be an example.
Bring snacks. Usually you get better nutrition if you
preplan this. Picking up candy or chips at a gas station is a poor alternative.
Stopping for Meals
Try to plan your meal stops in interesting places. Allow
the kids to walk around. Visit something. Take care of the dog. Walmart parking
lots can be interesting for kids if they can pick out something they need. Keep
them occupied and tire them out.
Mexico
Food
Kids can be picky eaters and can make travel difficult.
Pabulum, oatmeal and cereals are all available in any small or large grocery
store. Baby foods with all the familiar labels and flavors are waiting for you
to purchase. Obviously there is plenty of fruit available: pineapples, oranges,
cantaloupes, watermelons, papaya. Add milk and yogurt and you have yourself a
gourmet breakfast.
Just about any food item you need to cook with is available
in Mexico. Milk is readily available now in plastic liter and 4 liter sizes. You
can also purchase milk in tetra-packs which are handy because you don’t need to
refrigerate them until they are opened. See the food section on our web.
Restaurants can be a challenge for parents. Many do not
have high chairs. We used to pack a plastic seat for our toddlers and a portable
strap with Velcro to sling around chairs and give some height to allow eating at
the table. Pancakes, eggs, hamburgers are a standard on just about any menu. We
always encouraged our kids to eat local dishes.
Vegetarian dining is not as readily available as it is in
Canada and the US and smoking regulations are just now being enforced.
Sometimes.
Activities
Kids under 5 just seem to want to have a shovel and some
sand to keep them occupied for hours. There lots of planned activities for older
kids especially in or around resort communities. In Puerto Vallarta for example,
there is a water park for all day entertainment, go-carts, Banana Boats. Of
course there is swimming, horseback riding, fishing and hiking. You can take
tours on jungle boats or rides to hot springs. A simple walk through the crowned
Church or a walk along the Malecon is pleasant and fun. While a long history is
lacking here, you might want to show the kids Elizabeth Taylor and Richard
Burtons love bridge between their houses.
If you are planning your trip to the Yucatan, you couldn’t
visit all the ancient sites and explore the underground rivers even if you
stayed a whole year. This intriguing peninsula also has three major ecological
theme parks that make Disney look boring. They are definitely family oriented
and provide fun and activities for all age levels. I still get belly laughs when
I think of rafting down an underground river with all the kids in tow.
We encourage you to read up on local history and visit
various monuments or sites that are available near your location. Not every
location has a pyramid, but you can bet that the majority of places have a
church or spectacular cathedral. Take a moment to look at local monuments and
statues. If you are going to teach your kids about the importance of education
you will want to explore and explain the relevance of various historic figures
and events.
And while you are researching the local history, find out
if there is a festival happening in the city or a nearby community. We are not
talking about the booze-party Fiestas hosted by hotel chains or the like.
Explore a town on Constitution Day, Marti Gras, Day of the Dead or biggest of
all, Semana Santa. Enjoy local parades and festivities that are made for the
community NOT the tourists. Oh sure you are welcome to enjoy the fun; but the
focus is on the specific town and the Mexican community.
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