A mum with a big family has said if you fail to prepare for a holiday, you should prepare to fail.
Jen Hogan, a travel writer, recently took her seven kids on a holiday to the Canary Islands - so she knows a thing or two about how to keep things as relaxed as possible.
Rather than just crossing her fingers and hoping everything is going to be alright, she is a big proponent of planning ahead and making sure everything has the best chance of going as smoothly as possible.
Her top tip? "Bring a small backpack for each child. Include lots of things to distract them en route to your destination," she told the Irish Times.
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Snacks, colouring books and crayons, books and mini travel games can be helpful, as is downloading films or TV programmes before you head off.
Having enough earphones is crucial if you are going to watch something without annoying everybody else on the plane, train or ferry.
If members of your party struggle to sleep while travelling, a little pillow or blanket can make things a lot more comfortable, as can something to suck on for those who struggle with air pressure changes.
Thinking about who sits next to who and who is important for the peace of the journey, given that some siblings have a habit of setting others off.
It wasn't her only packing tip.
Jen added that writing lists and packing light is the way to go, especially as a list can help you keep tabs on who has packed what, and if there's anything left to add to the case.
Once on holiday, she reckons it's important to manage expectations; being on holiday won't prevent tantrums or arguments.
"Don’t plan activities for every single day – just give yourself time to relax and go with the flow (well, as much as you can with kids in tow)," she suggests.
Have you got any handy tips for travelling with kids? Let us know in the comments below.
