Theme park blog

Traveling with children will be a memorable event – the question is “What kind?” Your chances of a lifetime memory you will cherish increase significantly with some advance communication and preparation.

The book, Love It or Lose It: Living Clutter-Free Forever, outlines a five-step process you can apply to organizing any area of your life – including traveling with children of any age. Make the children a part of the trip by letting them help you plan. Your children will enjoy the trip more if they feel they have some say about the agenda. Get books from the library, or do an Internet search, on the area you plan to visit. Give them some options of what to do and actually use some of their suggestions. Who knows? You may enjoy their suggestions more than you think.

Here is a guide to vacationing with children, using the 5 steps:

1. Design your vision.

The first step to happy memories is good communication. Start scheduling family meetings to plan – the earlier the better. At the first meeting, ask each member of the family to describe what he or she would like to have in order to have a wildly successful vacation. It’s a great idea to put some structure into this discussion. Use a flip chart and have family members take turns recording answers. Subsequent meetings can be used to work out each of the next steps.

2. Eliminate your obstacles.

Mark Twain is credited with saying “Progress starts with the truth.” Certainly that applies in this situation. For example, some teens simply do not think it’s “cool” to travel with mom and dad. If you want your teens to enjoy their travel experience, make sure you understand what they like and dislike. With young children, keep in mind “less is more.” A swim in the hotel pool may be a much better choice than another two hours at the theme park.

3. Commit your time.

There could be several issues here. If your teens are working, they may resent having to miss work – or they may be delighted. In either case, find out their preferences, and see what you can do to accommodate them without jeopardizing your own needs. One of the issues likely to come up is the daily travel schedule itself. Young children need naps, teens may want to sleep late, while parents relish the idea of “getting an early start.” Compromise is probably the best solution here.

4. Select your tools

Growing up on a farm in Nebraska, one of the things my daddy taught me was “Half of any job is having the right tool.” While you may think it’s ridiculous to think about “tools” for a vacation, it is really essential. For example, if it is impossible to reach a compromise about the music on the car CD player, headphones for individual players could be a godsend!

Tools can also include systems for the way you handle situations. One of the major keys to success in organizing any activity is focusing on individual strengths – if one child is particularly adept at photography, make them the official family photographer, while another might be a great navigator.

5. Maintain your success

At the end of each day, take a few minutes for a “Check-In” session. What was the best thing that happened that day? Why? How can we make sure we have more like it? What didn’t work? Why? How can we eliminate the situation in the future? Make sure you use this process at the end of the vacation – make some notes and put them in your GO System File (LINK HERE to http://productiveenvironment.com/index.asp?name= GO%5FSEMINARS&new=true&leftnav=true&lid=66) for next year’s planning.

Here are some general tips you can use to ensure a great vacation:

• Choose age appropriate destinations. This doesn’t mean every trip has to involve a theme park or sports event; it simply means keep the trip’s educational value at a level they can comprehend and appreciate. If your children’s ages span a wide range, have at least one activity geared to each child. Picking a hotel with a pool can make a big difference!

• Lay the ground rules early. Before you even leave the house, make sure your children know what is and isn’t acceptable behavior on the road. As elementary as this may seem, if you don’t tell your children what you expect, how can they oblige?

• Let the children pack their own suitcases as much as possible. Make sure each child has a small carry-on bag for which they are responsible. Include things they can do on the road or in the air–a walkman and tapes, comic books, handheld video games, etc.

• Decide ahead of time about seating arrangements and make contingency plans in case requested seats are not available.

• Establish a meeting place at each stop. Nothing could be worse that having a child get lost in an unfamiliar environment. Whenever you visit a location, identify a spot where the family can meet if you happen to get separated, or carry cell phones or pagers.

• Carry current photos of your children. That way others can help you locate your lost child. If your child can tell time, make sure they take a watch!

• Pack a first aid kit. Face it. Kids will be kids. That means scraped knees, bug bites, and cuts and bruises. When traveling with children, always keep a first aid kit handy.

• Check for children travel specials. Pre-planning can save you lots of money. Many airlines, restaurants, and hotels offer discounts for children, whether it’s a “kids stay or eat free” deal or a “half-off children’s rate.” Let Internet-savvy children put their mouse to work for a happier vacation.

The most important thing to remember – flexibility. Traveling with children of any age is always a challenge. Spend more time enjoying the precious memories you will be creating and less time fretting over what could go wrong. Keep your sense of humor in full swing and happy traveling.

The joys of having a family reunion is feeling closer while giving support. Getting youth involved in family reunion activities is often difficult as many of the activities remind them of thier preteen years. How can you get your teens and young adults more involved? Here are a few proven tips that work.

The first thing to keep in mind is that most young ones in the 15- 25 age group prefer activities that are both mentally and physically challenging. This is why when asked what activity they like you’re likely to to get something like rock climbing, skate boarding, surfing, dirt bike stunts, race car derby or action adventure related like theme park rides and such. So unless your having a part of your family reunion event at a theme park or cruise line you may find it a bit challenging getting them all involved.

But getting everyone involved is the essential purpose of reuniting the family. That said include your youth in the early planning stages of family reunion activities and games.

Why not leave it to the young ones to think of activities they would like to participate in. Once the activities are selected allow the young one to direct or host the event while the adults focus on safety and order. Regarding family oriented games, your best bet is to put the outgoing youth in the forefront of the games while those less so work as assistance or essential technicians. You may even want to ask them which games they would like to feature at your event.

Family Reunion Olympics

Assemble games and sports events for different age groups as well as mixed age teams. Each team selects its name/country/symbol and design their own banner. No doubt whent it’s time to let the games begin immediate family members will be devoutly cheering on. It’s a lot of fun.

Jigsaw Puzzle Race

Other young adult activities that challenge the intellect and reflex are the family portrait jig-saw puzzle challenge. Using previous years family reunion photos create two card table sized jigsaw puzzles from the photos. Select several family members for each team to assemble the puzzles on their table. The puzzle could have a well known fact, slogan or metaphor unique to the family printed on it before cutting. The first team to assemble the puzzle enough to guess the phrase wins.

Reunion Game “Survivor”

This game draws from the Survivor TV show. It will capture the attention of everyone. Remember to keep it healthy and not too gross.

The “Amazing Race”

Television style family reunion version of the Amazing Race is sure to be the height of excitment. Have the several families compete to complete a 2-3 mile relay race with several stops in between providing destination clues along the way. Cover the race with your live web cam wired to a big screen TV for spectator coverage. Make the race a one hour event. The family that wins gets a gift certificate to a theme park or restuarant.

Other fun activities young adults would enjoy are “American Idol”, “Dancing with the Stars” and a Stand Up Comedy talent show.

Outside the norm of bean bag racing and egg hunts lies a world gaming fun young adults are sure to enjoy and remember for a very long time.

Many of us wonder, Are travel expenses tax deductible? or Is there any way for me to take a vacation and write part of it off? Well the answer to that is yes if you do it right.

The IRS allows you to deduct a part of your travel expenses if your vacation is related to your business or will enhance your business. So if you are attending a business meeting somewhere or a conference that will enhance your business you can qualify for a deduction. Why do you think so many seminars and conventions are held in Las Vegas or Orlando?

Now there is a right way and a wrong way of doing this. You must document why you are going to that location and keep your receipts. Also you should choose a seminar, convention or meeting that you could not easily duplicate in your home town.

For example, a friend of mine is a hypnotist. There aren’t many hypnosis shows in Orlando but there are a ton of them in Vegas. If he was going to Vegas to learn more about how to conduct a hypnosis show to enhance his business then all the hypnosis shows that he attended in Vegas should be tax deductible.

Another friend of mine helps design theme park events and creates special effects for large company promotions. His trips to Disney land are probably tax deductible because he creates illusions similar to what Disney creates.

Convention and business travel expenses are deductible whether you are self- employed or employed by another company. So Dell could send their employees to a sales seminar and their employees could deduct many of their expenses. Or if you as an individual needing some extra training to further your career or business you could write off these expenses, as well.

The thing to remember is that the seminar must enhance your career or business. So if you were going to a training class like World Capital Institute in Orlando holds for those that wish to enter the Stock and Commodities field as a broker then that would be deductible, but if you were going to a seminar to learn how to trade stocks for your personal use then that would not result in a tax deduction.

Time is a factor in determining whether the IRS will consider your trip business related. You should spend the greater portion of your time in the seminar or meeting clients than you spend frolicking. So if your convention is four days you should spend no more than an additional 2-3 days seeing the sights.

Now what can be deducted:

1) If your trip is primarily for business, then you can deduct your travel expenses air fare, taxis, etc… So make sure that you have your convention or class paid for before booking your flight. Or if you are going to meet a potential client, then you should have this appointment set before making your travel arrangements.

Now if you are going to see a client, get that meeting in writing so that you have proof. Write to him to set your appointment and have him write you back confirming the appointment.

2) Any meals, hotels, etc.. during this business trip can be written off, as a cost of doing business.

Remember to consult with your accountant before taking your next business trip to make sure that you are going about it properly and to make sure that the rules have not changed. Taking a business vacation and reaping the benefits is easy, if you know how to play by the IRS’s rules.

Rotary Park lies at the southern end of Pelican Boulevard in Cape Coral. It’s a quiet area, somewhat off the main traffic routes, situated on 197 environmentally protected acres.

The few internet sites with information about Rotary Park give vague token references to brackish water ponds, mangrove wetlands and uplands complete with waterfowl and fish. It sounded like just what I was looking for…a quaint and manicured setting for a relaxing, mid-morning, Cape Coral walk.

Crystal-perfect Floridian spring weather followed me into the ample parking area. The parking lot is adjacent to a gated dog park with plenty of benches. An older woman leashed to two ambitious dogs struggled as she was pulled towards the entrance gate. Apparently a numeric access code is needed to enter the dog-walk area. Only registered dogs are allowed.

I’m not a pet guy. As such, the whole setup seemed a little mysterious to me…secret codes needed for entrance to the canine playground while kiddy-parks country wide can be freely entered by anyone. A posh private club for well-bred dogs? As I lingered in suspicious thought on the wrong side of the gate, visions of a doggy-secret-service coming to escort me away played across my sense of humor.

An impressive 4,200 square foot Environmental Center rests discretely on the property. Staffed with local nature experts, they offer several educational classes on topics diverse as landscape design, orchids, bromeliads, palm, bonsai, butterfly gardening and fish lure carving. Every year, in April and July, the Center holds large native plant sales. In February of each year they hold the Burrowing Owl festival.

On my visit, a staff member quickly welcomed me and showed me around, offering a trail map and several other informative pamphlets.

Leaving the building, I walked to the right on a formidable paved road with a gate blocking car access. A sign reading “No Motor Vehicles” sealed the deal. No cars…this is where I need to be. I headed off on foot, in tourist-mode with a bulky camera around my neck.

The yipping dogs behind me faded into breezes and bird calls. A lone osprey hunted from high altitude, circling over and looking down on the multiple, empty, plastic osprey nest platforms. Cape Coral ospreys make strange choices. You’ll often see them nesting atop thousand-watt metal halide light fixtures in the middle of crowded Publix supermarket plazas, or right along the busiest sections of Veterans Memorial Parkway. But here we’ve constructed ready made platforms for them in the middle of preservation land…and they turn up their beaks at us. Cape Coral ospreys must be more urban.

The path veered off to the right, where there was another gate and ‘No Motor Vehicles” sign (just in case you crashed through the first one when you missed that sign). I turned the corner and entered the second realm of carelessness, walking in the middle of the lane, certain I would not be struck down by any errant drivers.

There was a wooden observation tower in the distance. It looked inviting, but the paved path I was on didn’t seem to head in that direction. A hefty gentleman with some crumpled papers in his hand and a puzzled look passed by me from the opposite direction. A few feet later I noticed an unmarked opening in the brush which seemed to lead to the observation tower.

Now I’m a northern guy, and up in Massachusetts one can traipse through just about any thickly vegetated area without worry of poisonous snakebite and dismemberment by alligator. So hesitation froze me up for a minute, and instead of bouncing right down the path, I did what any wise tourist would do and reached for my camera instead. I took a picture of the entrance to the pathway. As I did, the puzzled-looking hefty man turned around and came back in my direction as though I’d found what he’d been looking for.

We exchanged an awkward wordlessness and, with a touch of testosterone-laced male bravado, we headed on together into the native growth. I’m not one to enjoy my nature with strangers, but having someone else in the general vicinity did offer some reassurance. A few steps down the path, I feigned interest in some non-existent thing in the distance and pointed my camera at it, allowing the hefty man to scout the trail a short distance ahead of me. He’d probably make a better meal than skinny-old-me anyway.

A couple minutes later, my initial fear had resided, and I envisioned myself as one of the nature writers I admire, trekking into the uncomfortable and beyond-human wilderness, seeking to become as one with the primal interconnectedness all living and nonliving entities in the universe are part of, and then coming back to civilization to teach mere mortals what I’ve learned.

My literary heroes are the guys who say, “Screw the human paths,” and follow animal tracks out into the unadulterated places we haven’t bulldozed and paved yet. And when I turned the corner and saw animal tracks heading out into the drought-dried pond bed, I realized today was the day…my chance had finally arrived. I crashed through the tall, yellowish, grass clusters and out onto the dry and cracked alien landscape of the former waterhole.

Once I was inside, a rush of thrill surged through me. I had crossed some sacred threshold, and truths were being revealed to me. My senses came alive. A horrible, salty, decomposing smell filled my lungs with joy…Ahhh, the scent of the circle of life. I breathed deeply, as if to fill myself with the olfactory experience of the place. Animal and bird tracks crisscrossed the muddy surface, and I ruined my sneakers squishing ankle-deep across the landscape, placing my tracks alongside theirs. Now I get it. Now I’m part of it.

I was caught off-guard when all the birds resting in what remained of the brackish pond came alive at once, as if they shared the same consciousness, and flew away from my human intrusion. So much for the universal interconnectedness.

Undaunted, I journeyed across the vista, making mental notes, taking photographs and wondering what type of diseased parasitic bugs were biting at the flesh of my shins. As I brushed away the bugs, what can only be called a prehistoric bee dive-bombed my head. Oh God…what if I disturbed a beehive somewhere and more are on their way? Every news snippet I’ve ever heard about aggressive Africanized bees came back to me as the angry bee came in for a second try at the target. I swatted and flailed at it, doing some half-dance/half-run in the foul smelling mud. It finally flew away. When I looked up I could see the observation tower, and the hefty man on the top level looking down at me and chuckling.

Right about that point was when the rustling of a large animal came from some of the bushes between me and the path. Something had eaten something else. A struggle had ensued. Branches had broken. And it was time for me to head back to the main path.

My feet made sucking noises as I quick-clipped it back to the break in the brush where I had first entered this godless terrain. And as I came back out onto the path, my nerves still jangled with quandary. Should I head back to the car or continue onward and complete the mission?

The observation tower was only a few hundred feet away. But the clump of bushes the big unidentified animal was in was between me and it. I’m a human being, damn it…top of the food chain. The Discovery Channel documentary about Sanibel Island alligators resurfaced in my mind. I picked up a few small rocks off the ground and charged tenuously forward.

I tossed a rock or two into the clump of bushes to warn whatever was in there that I meant business. Right after I tossed the second stone, the biggest, longest, meanest looking lizard I’ve ever seen in the wild darted stealthily across the path. Four feet of dark green reptilian armor. Ridiculous. This isn’t Cape Coral…this is Jurassic Park.

I shot back to the closest safe area, still not wanting to turn back. I looked for evidence of an approach by the carnivore as if I was Steve Irwin. Every palm frond rustling against another sounded like something coming towards me.

As I was trying to formulate a logical plan of advance, hefty-man came smiling down the path, unawares, right across the area the Nile Monitor had just crossed. I got my chance to chuckle as I warned him about the lizard.

His face went pale and his eyes kept darting into the growth surrounding us. “I came here for a GPS treasure hunt, and the clues warned me there were snakes and alligators in the area, but I thought they were exaggerating just to make it seem adventurous.” he stated.

I felt better crossing the path knowing he had just come down it. So onward I went. Within minutes I was atop the observation tower, looking at the wide expanses of wilderness I never knew existed in Cape Coral. Vast, sub-tropic flora stretching on as far as the eye can see, looking like an African savanna right in our Floridian backyards.

I finished the rest of the walk uneventfully, but still hypersensitive to each noise nature’s soundtrack gratuitously provided. Plants rubbed against plants. Small lizards scrambled across fallen leave debris. Airborne bugs buzzed and birds brightly chittered. Above it all one lone Cape Coral osprey rode the breeze, weightless…just visiting…taking a short jaunt into nature before returning to his suburban nest amidst the roar of traffic and the poison of exhaust fumes….the bulldozed and paved places where motor vehicles are allowed…the wilderness human animals have constructed for themselves. Which place do we belong?