Summer is here and with it comes so many possibilities. It’s the time to spend with our families, cherishing backyard fun, and of course planning those awesome summer vacations. But let’s be real, vacations with kids are so much different than they were before kids.
Gone are the late mornings of sleeping in after decadent late night dinners. And gone are the days where you just wake up and see where the day takes you.
Once you’re a parent, vacation looks completely different. You need plans, patience, and snacks. And no one knows this better than actress and social media superstar Busy Philipps.
The former Freaks and Geeks and Cougar Town star is now the mother of two active girls, and shares real life on her Instagram account. Her 586 thousand followers love her posts, specifically her Instastories where you feel like you’re on vacation with her! And we often see posts of her with her kids.
So I chatted with Philipps about what summer with kids looks like in her family, and how she travels successfully with her family.
Q: What kind of summer mom are you? Do you schedule lots of camps or are you a “laid back see where the day takes you” kind of mom?
BP: We’re going to be travelling a ton this summer as my husband (Marc Silverstein) is directing a movie Amy Schumer is starring in. It’s in Boston, so he has to move there for four months which is crazy! So for the next few weeks, our baby is in preschool and my big girl is going to some camps in L.A. with her friends. And then we’re going to start travelling. We’re going to go to South Carolina with some friends, we’re going to New York, and then we’ll end up in Boston where Mark is directing his movie. I’m in the movie I should say. I have to show up there too!
Q. Have you always traveled with the kids? I seemed to avoid it when they were little!
BP: We have traveled with our kids since they were babies. We’ve had some crazy times obviously with the kids. My husband and I both work, and they just really look forward to our vacation and our time to be together to reconnect.
Q: But it’s not always easy or fun to travel with small children?!
BP: Right?! When you go into to vacationing with kids, what people don’t get is that there is a portion of it that’s going to be unpleasant, because you’re travelling with children. When people have these expectations that it’s going to be perfect or amazing, that has never been my experience. You have to eliminate the variables you can to make it a pleasant experience.
Q. What sort of variables? What are your hacks for travelling with kids?
BP: We always book a suite, because we want extra space when we’re in the hotel room we can spread out. So my kids can watch the iPad in another room and I don’t have to listen to Moana for the 4000th time. Don’t get me wrong I love Moana! But when it gets to the point where you find yourself singing Disney song in your dreams, you have an issue. We always book at Embassy Suites so we each have our own room.
Also, I’m big into snacks. I always pack a travel snack bag. You don’t want to get stuck without snacks no matter where you go!
And last, I try to limit sugar until you really need it, especially on a flight. You pull out the gummies or the jelly beans as a last ditch attempt. But don’t start with sugar. Save the M&M’s for a moment when you have nothing and you really need help!
Great advice from this celebrity mom who makes being real cool again. If you’d like to read more of our interview, here’s what Philipps has to say about motherhood!
And if you’re about to go on a trip, check out the 10 Truths of Going On Vacation with Kids! Also, if you’re interested in booking your family in an all-suites hotel like Embassy, Homewood and Home2 Suites by Hilton to enjoy that much needed space, visit HiltonBringIt.com