"More more more more ..." continues to be bleated from the back seat of the SUV as we cruise down the I97 towards Bend. Our 20 month son was really into something. Was it the enjoyment of cruising the windy mountain roads of Oregon, was it food related or was it another round of the 'bananas in pyjamas' he was craving? I personally think he was wanting to sing-along again with Canned Heat "on the road again", this kid really rocks!

There are plenty of dads that would have a near weak moment like saying "I do" when hitting the road with the kids. But for that one dad there are five others that just love it. I'm proud to say that I'm one of those dads that just loved it.

Now, from one dad to another dad here's a little tip to ensure that you have a terrific time with the kids on holiday. Remove the battery from your blackberry, don't travel with a laptop that connects to work emails and most importantly, leave your grumpy pants at home and your kids will love you. By undertaking the above steps I know I became more engaged and was able to switch off from work and develop a bond with the kid, it was kind of a bond like a cave man taking his offspring out of the cave and teaching them to sharpen sticks and catch a fish, very rewarding. Now in all likely our son being 20 months will only be able to remember a snippet of the trip but with over 1000 photos taken and experiences of riding high on daddy's back and touching the bark of the Redwood Forests, I'm sure I can share with him and keep him posted on the bits that he can't remember as he grows up ... or share it with his first girlfriends!

The tough side to travelling as the family man is that yes you do have to pull your weight assist in all those duties that you may or might not have done. So my advice, suck it up and enjoy those tasks on holiday like changing nappies and walking around your hotel room trying to be Shrek with green plastic cups on your ears and yelling "bath time little one", your efforts will be noted and appreciated by all. When it comes to money, try not to feel grumpy that your wallet is always out and you are handing hard earned notes out along a family charity line, for them to enjoy and you to feel bitter about. Here's a tip: set the budget and let the family make the decision about how they want to spend it. If it all starts to feel too much on your trip you can always take "Daddy time" meaning it's dads time and you being dad, get to take an hour or more of doing what you want without the kids or partner, it's your time, you do what you want. This is really a good way to help regain yourself especially when you feel those grumpy pants are sliding back on.

So next time when you find yourself on holiday with the family and you're loving the moment you are in, congratulations you have succeeded in leaving your grumpy pants behind!

For more inside tips on travelling with kids and destinations to skip on other to www.littlenomads.com for more thoughts and ideas by Daddy Hayward.

James

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