Maui with Small kids

I have to admit that a Hawaii vacation is different with small kids. It was a little harder than I expected, but we all survived, had fun and soaked up too much sun. 

Here are my top 5 suggestions 

1.  Snacks

Take advantage of the local snacks to break up the day. They are usually on the sweet side, so we usually limited it to one treat a day. Explore all the shave ice and fruit stands. There are usually banana bread and dried fruit options at any bakery or fruit stand. 

2.  Alternatives to snorkeling

We took turns doing basic snorkeling along some of the beaches we visited, but we could not stray too far from the beach. We found some other ways to give the kids a chance to see the amazing sea life in Hawaii. 

Glass bottom boat - this operation was well run and caters to kids. They have divers that find specimens on the sea floor and bring them up to your window to see in detail. 

Maui Ocean Center - small, but very thorough aquarium. Especially good for a rainy day or when you need a break from the beach. 

3.  Beaches with shade and parking

I quickly learned that shade is a premium on the beach.  It feels like you are constantly slathering your kids with sunblock, so it is nice to be able to retreat to a shaded area rather than baking in the sun.  

By the time you pile up the towels, sand toys and any chairs or umbrellas, there is a lot to carry to the beach. Plus, it doubles in weight after it gets wet. So the closer you can park the better.  We usually left the house right after breakfast. the earlier you get there, the more parking will be available. 

4.  Haleakala Junior Ranger Program

My kids loved this program. The booklets are free at either Haleakala visitor center and there are activities for all ages. My 4 year old was very proud to have a purpose to our hike and get the official jr ranger pin at the end. I believe they have similar programs at most National Patks so I highly recommend asking about this program. 

5. Relax

It was hard for me to let go of my typical schedule watching, but once I let go of trying to do too much, I finally relaxed a little. We would plan most of our activities in the mornings and left the afternoon for nap times and playing in the pool.  I still stressed about meals, but the kids always found something they liked when we went out. 

Simple Generosity for Small Kids

In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. And the holiday that is sometimes referred to as a Day of Service, I have been thinking a lot about how to teach my kids about service and why it is important.

First, I want them to understand that the world is bigger than our house and neighborhood.

Second, I want them to be able to connect with people and help with solutions to social problems.

For the first goal, we try to read books about different cultures and places.  As they get older I plan to travel with them farther away from home to experience different areas of the country and the world.

The second goal starts with simple acts of kindness and giving.  I have given a few examples here.  The important thing is to make acts of service part of your everyday life.  Talk about them and how they make you feel and how they make someone else feel.  I also like to frame things as problems to solve.  For instance, if worms that are stranded on the sidewalk are dying, how can we fix that and help them?  Kids are very creative, so you may be surprised at their ingenuity.

10 simple acts of service:

1.  Make it a habit of saying positive things about each person in the family (maybe during a family dinner).

2.  Designate a piggy bank for Donations.  Have your children choose where to donate it.

3.  Bring towels to the park to help dry the equipment after rain or a dewy morning.

4.  Save the worms - help worms stranded on the pavement get to grass after a rainy day.

5.  Bake cookies for a friend (or Firefighter or Mail Carrier).

6.  Write a letter to a friend or family member.

7.  Start a book or toy donation drive with your playgroup.

8.  Pick up trash (at the park or on a walk)

9.  Return your cart to the front of the store or offer it to someone on their way in.

10.  Practice saying Please, Thank You, Your Welcome and I'm Sorry.  

Here are some other resources I have found along the way:

Book recommendations:

Martin's Big Words, The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  By Doreen Rappaport

10 Things I Can Do to Help My World by Melanie Walsh

Children Just Like Me published by UNICEF.  (This is an excellent book that highlights a local child from countries all around the world, including their favorite sports and food and pictures of the family and house.  My son loves finding things in common with the boy from Tijuana, Mexico as well as a young girl in a remote village in Thailand.)

Websites:

Www.iMom.com. Lots of articles about raising kids and family relationships.

Volunteer websites

http://www.allforgood.org/

http://www.volunteermatch.org/