Here’s a little secret. My husband and I are fast approaching our 20 year wedding anniversary. Shh! Don’t tell anyone we’re that old! Despite our many years of marriage, we do have a five-year-old at home as well as a 13-year-old. Believe it or not, the idea of traveling without our kids gives us a bit of anxiety.

While not everyone can empathize, most people will likely identify with the stress that accompanies planning a getaway without the kids. Many steps and situations need to be planned for where little ones are concerned, and that alone can be anxiety-inducing!

If you’re a busy working mom like me, you might be coming to the internet to find a few pointers for organizing your kiddos’ time while you’re away. Scouring top mom blogs for lists, tips, and ideas can ease anxiety. Luckily, the Mom’s Tribute blog is amongst these ranks! I have compiled my own list of tips for others who find themselves in my situation—trying to arrange care for my kids while I’m away.

Prepare Childcare

Securing care for your kids is an important first step. My husband and I are taking 8 days in Europe from the United State. That’s a long trip when it comes to securing childcare. We are grateful to live near a lot of family, so our first asks were the grandparents. Next, we asked a couple of aunts. Between all these loved ones we know our kids will be well cared for.

If you don’t have family to help, you can consider close friends or even the families of your children’s friends. You might find it helpful to suggest a swap—they keep your little ones for a few days, and you’ll keep theirs when the time comes.

If this option is also off the table, nanny services are available in larger metropolitan areas. You’ll want to be certain you thoroughly vet any prospects, getting references and agreeing to terms ahead of time. You can also consider things like nanny cams for added peace of mind, as well as face-to-face video calls while you’re away.

Prepare the Basics

Once childcare is fixed, you’ll want to consider all the important basics. I’ve compiled a list of items I want to be sure my kids have available. Along with a phone so they can call me whenever they need to, I’ll make sure they have their favorite nighttime comfort items. I’m putting together a first aid kid they’ll carry from house to house, and this kit will have children’s meds they might need. It’ll also have bandages and antibacterial ointment.

As we considered what else our kids would need, we decided it would be prudent to leave a few legal documents with them. We will leave a list with the phone numbers of my kids’ pediatrician and dentist, as well as a letter giving their guardians permission to seek out care for them if needed. I will also provide a copy of their health insurance cards.

Along with these healthcare basics, we also had a will drawn up to appoint guardianship of the kids, as well as to properly divide any assets in the case of an emergency. These steps gave us immense peace of mind about leaving our kids well cared for in a worst-case scenario.

Prepare for Fun!

The last step we are taking in prep for our trip is to be sure our kids, too, get to have fun while we’re gone! We’ve created a super fun itinerary, making sure they’ll hit up a few kid friendly venues while they’re out and about with their grandparents. They’ll be visiting a movie theater to see an upcoming film, going to a popular local bowling alley, and playing at an arcade throughout the week.

Knowing they’ll be looking forward to these activities helps them get excited for our trip instead of feeling nervous about it. It gives us peace of mind, too, knowing they’ll be having a blast while we have our own good time!

Time management tools like the KFV app are perfect for these types of itinerary planning. This app helps you narrow down great spots for families with kids so you can be sure your little ones are having the time of their lives.

I’m not going to lie. As our trip gets closer I feel my anxiety building. Stepping onto our airplane is going to be a whole new level of stress! Knowing I’ve taken all the possible steps to keep my kids safe, happy, and healthy takes some of the stress away.

If you’re going away without your kids—whether it’s for a work trip or a vacation—you’ll find these tips helpful in your planning. I wish you all the best for your travels!

Katie C