8 Ways To Make Your Theme Park Visit More Fun

 

Every year we make a pilgrimage to Hersheypark, the theme park in Hershey, Pennsylvania that really serves as a living advertisement for the Hershey Company. We've been doing it since my son was little and a he's kind of grown up there, passing through each of the height categories which they mark with a product line. He's gone from a Miniature (kids under 36”) to a Jolly Rancher (people who are 60” plus) in the blink of an eye. But we've also gone to plenty of other theme parks, including a few Six Flags, Knobels, and many owned by Disney. 

Over the years, we've developed some “coping strategies” to make theme park visits more pleasant and definitely more affordable. Here are some:

1. Be prepared – Check the park's website for information on how to pay (one park we visited did not take credit cards and we had to run into the nearest town to find an ATM). Find out if there are discount tickets available and figure out which best fit the needs of your family. Hershey offers a Sunset Pass which allows you to enter the park the evening before and enjoy the next day at a bargain price. Whereas this wasn't prudent when my kids were little and had earlier bedtimes, it's great for now when they're older. It means we get more time in the park resulting in less rushing around to see everything.
2. Find out if you can bring in food/water – Yes, this is part of “be prepared” but it's also a money-saving tip. Water costs a lot in these parks, so if you can' bring it in, enter with an empty water bottle and plan on filling up at water fountains or in the bathroom where you can often find the coldest water. Also, in hot weather, many parks are required by law to give you ice when you ask for it. You can hydrate on ice cold water at a fraction of the cost. Similarly, bringing in protein bars and fruit not only saves money, but calories.
3. Plan when to go – Weekends tend to be busier. Cloudy days and weekdays tend to be less busy. Find out if there are any giveaways or special events planned. Those will make the park more congested as well.
4. Buy park souvenirs outside the park – We've found t-shirts and other items with the park's name on them, for a fraction of the cost, at a local Walmart and other retailers.
5. Do recon on the park and develope a strategy – Grab a map of the park, hopefully before your trip, and decide which rides are musts; then head to those first when you enter. By doing that, you'll avoid disappointment when the rides get super long, when the kids get cranky, or if inclement weather hits. If possible, make an itinerary. We always hit the attractions furthest from the entrance, so while most people are meandering through the park toward the back, we're working out way forward, thus avoiding the crowds. Know where shelter is (perhaps in a theater or arcade) and what might be air conditioned. On hot days, knowing where to find cool air will save you.
6. Pack a waterproof bag or backpack – You'll be living in your bag while you're at the park, so make sure it's durable and preferably waterproof. Stock it with hand sanitizer, cheap plastic ponchos, a first aid kit in a Ziploc bag, and sunscreen. Pack extra Ziploc bags to put electronics in to protect them from water rides, spills, or rain.
7. Take pictures of your kids when they first enter the park – In case you get separated, you'll be able to show people what your children look like and what they were last wearing.
8. Take breaks – Your visit isn't a race, it's an experience. Take into account that little feet need to rest. Don't rush the day; savor it.

Yep. We're headed to Hersheypark next month, as we have for the last decade.  The one year we didn't go, the kids missed it terribly and it was then that I realized how much they looked forward to it and how the pilgrimage had become an important part of their childhood memories.  Coping strategies won't entirely eliminate the stress of going, but will minimize it, allowing all of us to enjoy a rare day together, as as family. 

 

7 Reasons Why You Need To Turn Off (Or At Least Relocate) Your Cellphone

Remember when THESE were our 'mobile' phones?  

I've got a monkey on my back. So do you. It's called the cellphone and we're possessed by it. We check it in stores, at work, on the blacktop, and, unfortunately, while we're in the car. It is our new “be all, end all” device that we emphatically CANNOT live without. In fact, according to Pew Research's Internet Project (http://www.pewinternet.org/2012/11/30/the-best-and-worst-of-mobile-connectivity):

• 67% of cell owners find themselves checking their phone for messages, alerts, or calls even when they don’t notice their phone ringing or vibrating. Some 18% of cell owners say that they do this “frequently.”
  

• 44% of cell owners have slept with their phone next to their bed because they wanted to make sure they didn’t miss any calls, text messages, or other updates during the night.
  
• 11% of cell owners say that they themselves sometimes worry that they are spending too much time with their phone.
  
• 7% of cell owners say that their phone makes it “a lot” harder to focus on a single task without being distracted give people their undivided attention.
  

While experts are still divided on the issue of whether “cell phone addiction” should be an actual diagnosis, I think most of us would agree that we're lost without our devices, as evidenced by the panic we all feel when we've misplaced or lost them. Our entire lives are contained within these little hand-held devices. And it's obsessive. So here are 7 reasons you need to periodically turn off your cellphone:

1. There have been numerous scientific studies that point out that our brains simply can't multitask, even though as parents, we feel we have to. Turning off your cellphone, or at least putting it away, makes it easier to focus on our kids and the task at hand. 
   
   
2. You'll be modeling better behavior. We're always telling our kids to unplug, yet so many of us constantly check our screens. Let's stop being hypocrites and start being better role models.
   
   
3. You'll sleep better. People tell me all the time that they're woken up during the night by the buzzing of their cellphones which they keep next to their beds. It happens in my house since my husband keeps the Blackberry he uses for work on his bureau. If you can't turn it off during the night, at least relocate it away from your bed and turn the “vibrate” setting off. This way you can hear the ringer in case of emergency, but won't see the light.
   
   
4. You'll be forced to think on your own and become more resourceful. Having the world at our fingertips is a good and bad thing. Sure, we can instantly look things up, but do we really need to? Re-discover your own creativity by figuring things out on your own instead of pressing a button or two to look things up.
   
   
5. You'll be forced to navigate and problem-solve on your own. Having a GPS handy all the time dims our sense of direction, allowing the computer to set our routes for us instead of us figuring it out on own own (does anyone use a real paper map anymore?). Re-discover your sense of direction or develop one by turning off the GPS and relocating your cellphone to your glove compartment or back seat.
   
   
6. You can focus on where you are instead of living in Cyberspace. My family took a hike yesterday (actually, my husband forced us to) and it showed me the value of living in the moment and appreciating where I was. Because there was no reception out in the woods, my son and I were forced to look around and saw waterfalls, wildflowers, and an incredible blue sky instead of staring at our screens as we often do.
   
   
7. You'll be breaking your own addiction to your device. Honestly, when the people you love most in the world are actually, physically with you, do you really need to have your cellphone on?
   

Hey, I'm old enough to remember a time before mobile devices, when I had to think on my own and could actually be alone, without being connected to the outside world. Sometimes it's good to reconnect with ourselves and our environment. And I think, at times, it's good to release that simian and get that darned monkey off my back!

Note:  This piece first appeared on the website www.thegeekparent.com. 

10 Gift Ideas For Tween And Early Teenage Boys

On some of the parenting forums check, I'm seeing the same question asked over and over again: what do I get my 12 (or 13 to 15) year old son? Often, the question is asked with exasperation and as the mother of a 13-year old, I fully understand. Those idyllic days of getting Junior a Lego set or the latest Hot Wheels tracks, sadly, are long over. And since personal hygiene is still primarily on the back burner, at least until girls formally enter the picture, gifts of clothes and toiletries are still in the future. So what can you get for a boy in that age range that won't cause you to take out a second mortgage? Here are some suggestions:

1.  Video games or money toward the purchase of a new system. The hottest gaming systems this season are Xbox Ones and PS4s. Yeah, we're a one-income family and Junior already knows those won't be under the tree. A Game Stop gift card will help him save up to purchase a new system on his own, plus if he brings them his old games, gaming systems, and accessories, he can get in-store credit or cash. 
 
2.  Accessories for current devices. Junior received an iPad Mini for his birthday but doesn't have a case for it. With a bouncy little sister and rambunctious feline in the house, a case will help protect his precious Mini from careless oopsies. In the past, he's gotten a mouse for his laptop and, from Five Below, a nifty little vacuum which attaches to his USB port to suck up the many cookie crumbs that seem to inhabit his keyboard. I'm also a fan of earphones which have been proven to be safer to one's hearing than ear buds. 

3.  Itunes Gift Cards. Both my son and my nephew (age 16) are mega music fans. An iTune gift card can be mailed to my nephew and should sooth my son's musical soul. My local Sears has a limited-time offer where if I buy a $25 iTunes card, I'll get a $5 gift card back. Sweet!  

4.  Bop It. Want to get the kid off video? Bop It is a great game of repetition in which the device calls out commands that come faster and faster as the game goes on. The better you get, the more skill levels you unlock. Play alone or pass it to your friends. We'd brought this to a distant friend's house a few years back and accidentally left it there. Time to get one back in the house for some family fun! 

5.  Solar Phone Charger. I mentioned this before when I wrote about surviving Hurricane Sandy. This handy-dandy little unit that I purchased at Target for about $20 charges any time it's exposed to light. For a kid, it could hang on their key chain or from their backpack to absorb light. When they need it, there's a little wire they could keep in their backpack which connects the unit to the phone. My Smartphone gets about 25 minutes of power from this little sucker a and for the kid who always forgets to charge his phone, it could be a lifesaver. It can also be charged via USB port or from a wall charger (those accessories are sold separately).

6. Dunkin' Donuts Gift Card. Now that DD has hot chocolate and Coolattas as well as coffee, it's a destination spot for some teens and their friends. Instead of him coming to you for money, give him his own refillable gift card.

7. Solar Backpack. Yep, back to the solar thing for the kid who can't seem to keep his phone charged. Solar backpacks charge electronic devices while the backpack is in direct sunlight (like at the bus stop or while walking to school). That way, the teen can use his electronics while he is out without worrying about having to be near an outlet to charge them. Be forewarned, however, that solar backpacks are not cheap. You can find out more about them at http://www.solarpowerchargers.org/solar-charger-reviews/solar-backpack-reviews.

8. Food. If your kid is like mine, he's inhaling food these days. A supply of protein bars (Zone Perfect is our family's brand) which I can tuck in his stocking is something he can keep in his locker for between-class snacks. They're healthy and filling. You can also bake him his favorite treat or give him a coupon for a home-cooked meal he can plan.

9. Movie Passes. Give him something he can share with a friend. Purchase movie passes at your local theater or online at www.moviefone.com or at your local movie theater.

10. Sports or Fitness Gear. Kids are very aware of the benefits of being fit. Give your special kid something related to a sport or exercise he enjoys. Free weights and other pieces of fitness equipment don't necessarily cost a lot and can help a boy enjoy the many benefits of physical exercise.


Keep in mind that when choosing a gift, it's about what the person wants, not what you want them to have. Set your expectations and desires aside. Think about what will be appreciated by the recipient. 

What are you getting your favorite tween or teen boy?  Please comment below!  And Happy Shopping!

–


Thanks for reading! I really appreciate it! Come back for my next post in a day or so, won't you?