Going on an outing is doable. Going on a day out is tough! Going on holiday to a foreign country with a foreign language seems like mission impossible, right? It’s not; I’ve done it many times! Here are my top 3 tips:
1. Plan the trip & plan for the unexpected!
There were a few rare occasions when we managed without a plan. And on those cases, it was always something unexpected. So I learned to also have a Plan B; more on this below.
To start, get everyone in the family to express what they want out of the trip and outline the main goals. This will help on structuring the days and give an idea of the length of the trip.
For us, a mix of exploring days and chilling days works out well. My oldest son requests the chill days with reduced or no activities while my autistic son loves to be on the go, exploring parks or the beach.
Over the years, we’ve travelled anywhere from 5 days to 3 weeks, but this was quite full on and back-to-back with the school days, so we all agreed that a 10 day holiday would be the sweet spot for us in our future trips.
Once everyone is happy with the length and activities for the trip, ideally some months in advance, it’s time to check the weather, then book the flights, accommodation and car hire if needed. I will go into details on another post if requested, but while I am aware that planning a whole holiday, around an unpredictable-at-times weather forecast, is like playing with fire, I do prefer to check and minimise some risks rather than having a big surprise! Equally important, paying attention to the timing of the flights will minimise tiredness and meltdowns.
Next is checking the full details of the accommodation, such as exact location and its facilities. This is key to predicting routines and avoiding unexpected issues. Even contacting the host to confirm any special requests, like an option of gluten-free breakfast(in B&Bs), or if they have stainless steel cooking pots, or a reliable internet connection, would make such a difference for deciding the final booking options.
Travelling on a special diet also involves planning the food at the accommodation, as well as eating out. We almost always prefer holiday rentals over hotels for the convenience of cooking a quick breakfast or prepping a packed lunch, but also because relying entirely on eating out is risky.
As a priority, we also check for the closest hospital (how to call an ambulance in emergencies), and supermarkets or groceries shops nearby the accommodation to stock up, mostly once or twice during the trip.
A definite favourite is the availability of a farmers market, so we look out for one of those for the fresh produce and to really experience what is locally available, from unusual fruits and vegetable to pleasantly unexpected bakes or snacks like roasted chestnuts.
There is so much more I plan, including clothes (double the underwear) and accessories, first-aid kit and medication, daily schedules, etc. I do try to keep it simple, but always ask myself: what if? What if it rains the whole day? What if this is not available? What if something is lost or broken? What if things get rescheduled or cancelled? What do you do?
Above all, stay calm, now and on the trip! Allow some flexibility in your plans but also consider that travelling with a special needs child and special diet is tricky, so be kind to yourself and consider options like keeping an open return date on flights, checking sources for quick purchase of supplies that you might need replaced or take spares with you.
2. Give yourself plenty of time and the right tools for planning and managing the trip.
Life is busy, so I am prone to do things last-minute, nobody is immune to our fast paced lives, but I found that my stress skyrockets, and this leads to more limited options and opportunities. With this in mind, I plan the trips months ahead, starting as soon as the new school year term times are available. My planning sessions vary in length, depending on what time I have available, but every 10 minutes adds up and gets you closer to having a clear vision of the trips. I sit down with a good cup of tea, my calendar, and the following go-to websites:
- Skyscanner, Kayak, and Google Flights for booking flights. Tip: use a private or incognito tab!
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Tripadvisor, Booking.com or Airbnb for booking accommodation. This part of the planning is the most time consuming, but is so worth it in the end!
- Skyscanner or Tripadvisor for car hires.
- Tripadvisor or Google Maps for restaurants, grocery shops, and activities.
I get excited when I find a gem of a place or a really good restaurant and really love reading other people’s reviews. Tip: search the reviews for “gluten free” in English or the language of the country to give you a better indication of the flexibility of your options.
An essential is the Google Translate App for filling in for our lack of knowledge of a foreign language in any needed situation, either for scanning a poster or a booklet, or for replying to a shop assistant or waiter that gluten is not an option. On the subject of communication:
3. Have easily available your child’s communication options and resources
Communication is never easy with a special needs child. Whether your child is using pictures, PECS, or an AAC, make sure that their favourite communication methods are easily available at all times. For us, this means travelling with a mini iPad(AAC) and a charging bank, which also helps with my son’s other iPad that he uses for watching YouTube videos, during moments where he needs to wait, or when he is restless and in a confined space like on a flight or at the restaurant.
How do you travel with your special needs child? Share your tips in the comments below, I would love to know!