When you think of vacation in Martha’s Vineyard, seldom do you picture happy, active children enjoying vacation with mom and dad. But, that is just what you’ll find. Martha’s Vinyard isn’t just for adults anymore.

Younger children will feel right at home watching the ebb and flow of the Atlantic Ocean  from the lawn of Winnetu. Or, take your kids for a ride on an authentic 1940’s era fire truck.

While mom and dad explore the galleries, your kids will have a blast and feel catered to at one of the many programs designed just for them. From sports clinics just for kids to arts programs, Martha’s Vineyard has something to engage and thrill just about every child.

Children can even become a “Farmer For a Day on a self- sustainable farm. Kids get to tend to the crops, care for the animals and even attend a birth, if mom or dad say it’s okay. The Farm Institute also runs a week- long farm camp for children 4 years and up.

Your teens might enjoy having their own personal trainer. Or, maybe, biking paths and kayaking are more their style. Weather permitting, teens will enjoy gathering on the beaches, lounging by one of three pools, or engaging in a game of life-sized chess.

No teen hang out would be complete without get togethers, movies and video games.

Boat lovers will enjoy watching model boats racing their way around the turtle pond. There’s even short history lesson as steamboats show adults and children alike the early boats of The Vineyard.

Six mornings a week, mom and dad can take a private stroll as the children enjoy a morning of supervised play.

Martha’s Vineyard may be known as the place for a romantic getaway, but parents don’t have to leave the kids at home to enjoy all The Vinyard has to offer.

Managing your child’s medications while traveling can be the difference between a full and fun filled trip or cutting the vacation short to go home. Forgetting medications could even result in an emergency room trip in a strange city.

Pack your child’s medication in an accessible, easy to remember place within the vehicle. Do not store any medicines in the trunk of your vehicle. Depending on the weather, they could freeze or get too hot. Many medicines are changed by extreme temperatures.

If traveling by plane, put medications in your carry on bag so they are always with you.

If driving, store all medications is a lockable container so children can not get to them. Accidental poisoning is a leading cause of hospital emergency visits.

Consider all vitamins and herbal supplements to be medications and treat them as such.

Some medications need to be refrigerated, make sure you have a cooler to keep medications at the proper temperature. You can purchase electric coolers that plug into your car’s cigarette lighter for this purpose. Or ask your doctor to prescribe an alternative for the trip.

If your child has asthma, make certain you, or they, always have their fast acting inhaler on your person. That means carry it in a purse or pocket at all times.

If taking an extended trip or traveling far from home, call you child’s doctor and request new written prescriptions to take along with you. Also, let your doctor’s office staff  know you are going out of town. If you need a distant pharmacy to request a refill, your doctor will be more likely to cooperate.

If possible, ask your doctor to recommend a physician in your destination city, in case someone gets sick or is injured.

Know what over the counter medications can and can not be taken with your child’s prescription medications.

Taking prescription medication does not have to keep your family from taking an extended trip, with a little careful planning, you can keep track of the medicines and have a great time.

While traveling the open road with kids in tow, there is always the possibility someone will get carsick. In the confined, close quarters of a family car, that is not a pleasant experience for anyone. By taking a few simple precautions, parents can help their child feel better, and make everyone happier.

For an older child, consider speaking to your doctor about one of the many medications for motion sickness. Use caution, though, the medicine is likely to make the child sleepy.

If possible, travel at night. A sleeping child is less likely to become ill.

Keep the child as cool as possible. Open a window or run the air conditioner. Parents in the front may be chilly, but the child in the back will feel better. Hand held fans that spray water may help, as well.

Have the motion sick child sit in the front passenger seat, they’re less likely to have problems there. If that’s not possible, the next best place is the middle of the back seat an look through the front window.

Plan to stick to freeways and major straight roads, when possible. Twisty, bumpy roads will aggravate motion sickness.

When you figure travel time, allow for frequent stops. Know how long your child can ride in the car before getting sick, and try to stop before then.

Some children can avoid motion sickness by eating small, frequent snacks during the trip. Other children shouldn’t eat all while in the car.

When packing snacks, choose small, easy to digest foods. Crackers, bananas, apples, and ginger cookies are good choices. Ginger of any kind is known to help ease the stomach, but stay away from carbonated drinks, the bubbles will most likely make nausea worse.

Try to keep the child occupied to help keep his mind off his turning stomach. Consider bringing along hand held video games or a portable DVD player.

Moving house is difficult enough, but moving long distances and having to travel to arrive at your new home presents special challenges.

Prepare your child well in advance for the move and the trip by talking about it, play acting, and reading books about moving, traveling, and the city of your new home.

Find something about the new city your child finds interesting or exciting and remind your child that you will see or do that that activity when you get unpacked.

Use the power of the internet to view webcams in your new city, talk to current residents or a message board, or join an email group. Try to find your child a pen pal who is close to their age. Feeling like they know someone in the new city will make the move less scary.

As you are packing your child’s room, remind the child they will see their things again on the other end, in your new room. If possible, let your child help with the packing.

Talk about how the moving men will come and put all your boxes on the truck. Let you child know their things will be safe. Let your child choose a few things to go in the car or plane with them. They will feel more secure.

Talk to your child about their feelings. Let them express their sadness about leaving friends and extended family, and their fears about living in a new city and new house.

Give your child a chance to say goodbye to friends and exchange addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses.

If driving, make the move and adventure. Plan extra time to take sightseeing trips your child will enjoy and remember. Take lots of pictures to share with family and friends.

If you take your child’s feelings into consideration and make long distance moving an adventure, your child will delight in telling the story of their move.