Bon Voyage! International Travel with Children

One issue parents often don't address until they have no choice—because their children are bouncing off the walls in the middle of the night and zonked at noon—is jet lag. Proposes Sims, "If you are dealing with a time change, start feeding and napping kids according to your destination's local time once you board the aircraft, and incorporate as much of their regular routine as possible."

According to O'Shaughnessy, "The biggest mistake parents make when planning an international trip with your family is creating a jam-packed itinerary with multiple location changes over a short period of time. Parents should choose one or two destinations that are well-located for day trips and local excursions."

If you have family at your destination, they will likely be a wealth of information regarding day trips. If not, be sure to pick up a reliable tour book or two, or do some searching on the Internet to determine what locales are reasonable—not to mention which are kid-friendly and which are not. Often, the best source of information on things to do and places to see in a particular city or country is someone who has traveled there under similar circumstances. Ask around to find someone (even a friend of a friend) who can provide you with tips you might not read about in a guide book.