My husband and I are preparing for a weekend getaway to Asheville, NC.  ListPlanIt is sponsoring the Type-A Mom Conference and during the day, I will be attending some of the wonderful sessions and meeting some lovely people.  My parents are willing volunteers to care for our 3 children while we are away.  While they are all in school during the day, the morning routine and evening routines are pretty rigorous, so I want to be sure to have instructions ready in order to make this a smooth trip for everyone.  It is even more important if you have children home during the day to leave good instructions and schedules so that everyone gets done what is necessary to get done.  Here are some things to consider.

• Kids’ Schedules – Each child may have their own things that they do.  One may be in preschool with a certain drop off or pickup time.  Another may be in school with a different start and end time.  One child may be taking piano lessons.  Another child may play soccer.  You should note practice times and lesson/game times.
• Morning Routine – What time do the children need to be up?  What do they need to do to be ready?  Do they dress themselves or will they need some help?  What do they need in their backpacks?
• Meals – List some good options for Breakfast and Lunch.  Be sure to include the likes and dislikes of you each child.  Try to make things as convenient as possible for whomever is caring for your children.
• Homework – Be sure to describe homework practices.  This is important because homework must be done even though you are not there.
• Afterschool Routine – What time do the children need to be picked up?  Do they have any chores that must be done?  What is your snack policy?  What activities are acceptable?
• Evening Routine – What time is bedtime?  What steps should the children take to be ready for bed?
• Weekend Routine – This might either be your most flexible part of the instructions, or your most detailed.  This may be a time for just relaxing and playing, but if you have weekend activities such as soccer games or playdates scheduled, then you will need to be specific about what is involved.

What tips or suggestions would you offer for times when you leave children in the hands of grandparents or caretakers for a few days?

Members of ListPlanIt.com can print or download our worksheet called When Leaving Children Behind in Travel Planning or in ListPlanIt‘s Travel ePlanner.