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Sharon Baillie is a private villa owner in
Kissimmee area outside Orlando, just a few miles from Disney World, whose property is listed at Last Minute Florida Villas and Vacation Rentals. "Our guests enjoy
spaciousness of our 6-bedroom home. They love
private pool and
private yard in which they can relax," she says. "Parents love
space for children to run around outside, and we leave a box of toys in
garage. So while
parents rest,
children play – and let their parents rest!"
Be prepared for "children being children" events.
Sometimes, stress hits you from behind when
unexpected happens. Like a cut or a scrape ... or a child getting sick. Sharon Baillie told me that is why she tells all her villa rental guests where
first aid kit can be found, and exactly where to go for medical attention. This is particularly helpful for her many guests from abroad, who are unfamiliar with
US healthcare system.
She also makes sure her guests are informed about local pollen and viruses in Florida, so that parents can be prepared. Stress is so much more enjoyable when you are prepared for it, don't you think?
Booking tickets to theme parks and making reservations for just about everything in advance makes
trip less stressful. There is little more difficult than managing young children while trying to get into a theme park or show that requires prior booking.
And to prevent wandering around lost, pick up a AAA Triptik in advance – not that it ever helped us.
Try having your children baby-sat. This might mean bringing along a nanny, such as a grand parent (It's a tough job, but somebody has to do it.). The car might be more crowded, but if you've rented a spacious home for
week, it could just be doable. The other option is to hire a local baby-sitter once or twice. Vacation Home owners can set this up for you, and some hotels might be willing to, too.
When you are single, you can go on adventure vacations. When you are a parent, you get little vacation adventures. Here are three of my family vacation adventures.
So there you have it. Three ways to reduce
stress of traveling with kids, so you can actually relax on vacation. After all, isn't that what vacations are supposed to be about?

David Leonhardt is a website marketing consultant in Canada, who is building his own vacation rentals listing website and related travel and tourism directory.