Latest news with #FamilyVacation
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Why Type C Parenting Might Be the Secret to Better Family Vacations
One mom explains why embracing the chaos made her family vacation much more enjoyable. I had all the hallmarks of a Type A parent, particularly when it came to vacationing with my family. I spent the morning baking frittatas that conveniently wouldn't require refrigeration on the flight. I created bespoke travel packs for our children, individually wrapped 'lucky dips' to relieve moments of boredom, and, naturally, prepared an iron-clad itinerary. I also insisted the cab driver take us to the airport four hours early. Yes, I had everything a mom could need for a first family trip abroad, along with steadfast determination to keep things on track. The only thing missing was the wriggle room. I'm not talking about legroom in economy (clearly airlines weren't designed with parents' comfort in mind). I mean the type of emotional wriggle room needed to not only facilitate a quick pivot when life doesn't go to plan, but to embrace it. What I needed was to tap into a Type C parenting mentality. A Much-Needed Balance in Parenting Labeling parenting archetypes isn't a new phenomenon. Over the years, we've been introduced to koala moms, helicopter parents, and free-range caregivers. But one of the latest to join the social cohort is the Type C parent, and this might just be the sweet spot we all need—especially on vacation. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Type C follows two already established parenting personalities, Type A and Type B. Where As are rigid in structure and routine, Bs are laid-back, spontaneous, and often disorganized. Cs are somewhere in the middle. Type C parenting has come under the spotlight lately thanks to social media creator Ashleigh Surratt. In her videos, Surratt shows how Type Cs are offering their children clean rooms and learning opportunities, among the chaos they're not bothered by. This type of parenting is having a moment. In a new Skylight survey of over 3,000 parents, 35% of them say they embrace Type C tactics, including loosening up on screen time limits, using shortcuts and bribery, and winging it. On my month-long trip away, it's inadvertently where I ended up—among a mess I'd learned to love, or at least feel less bothered by. How Type C Parenting Saved My Vacation The cracks began to show early. Somewhere about 35,000 feet above the Atlantic, I looked over at my 4-year-old son. He sat cross-legged on his seat with a pair of earphones cushioned against the side of his head, giggling at a tablet we rarely let him hold, let alone operate. Every now and then he would enjoy a peek at the pillowy clouds beside his window and smile. In between toddler marathons up and down the aisle, my 18-month-old daughter would climb across us for her own view. The look on her face was pure joy. Meanwhile, the bespoke backpack I had filled with coloring sheets, stickers, Lego, magnetic tiles, and precut crafts lay neatly under their seat. They weren't exactly untouched, but they weren't—dare I say it—essential. The "lucky dips" had provided a five-minute distraction, while the fridge-free frittatas were licked once, and squashed back inside their snack bag. This was my first aha moment. Sure, it was great to be prepared and know that I had all kinds of backups for every mess, mishap, and meltdown. But even before our plane had landed, I was starting to realize that so much detail wasn't going to be necessary. Working myself up over it was going to ruin the magic. As the vacation progressed, I noticed more of this Type C approach taking hold. A couple of nights in, we managed to get the kids down at a respectably early bedtime considering their lingering jet lag. Both slept solidly until 4 a.m, but after a few drowsy bed snuggles, they were ready to start their day. 'Go back to sleep,' I initially said. But they had other plans. Instead, they asked: 'What's for breakfast mom?' Now a Type A parent would insist that they go back to sleep, or they'd prepare sugar-free blueberry pancakes with a linen apron wrapped around their waist. A Type B might tell the kids to shuffle off to the next room and 'figure it out.' But I wasn't about to do either. It was time to reintroduce Type C parenting. I reached for the local chips I'd bought the night before and poured them into a bowl. We snuggled back in bed having a 'chip party' talking about all the fun things we had planned for the day. A few days later, rain foiled our plans for an outdoor beach walk with friends we hadn't seen in years. After a few sleepless nights, the Type A mom inside me wanted to shed some serious tears. Clothes were strewn across the floor, washing was already overflowing and our cupboards were bare. Nevertheless, we invited everyone to our beachside apartment, popped down to the local shops for some crackers and dips, and decided to focus on people rather than plans. The laundry was shoved in a corner, and the once-carefully rolled clothes were dumped on top of our suitcases. And when the kids were done with Netflix and still up past their bedtimes, they curled up next to us and joined in the final moments of our conversations. Having no plan worked like a charm."It's great to have a schedule but there will always be time for routine back home. Rigid rules don't need to be part of your vacation survival kit if you don't need them to be."What My New Approach Taught Me There's an overwhelm that comes with planning a family vacation. We can get so caught up in the idea of serenity and sunshine that, when we're away, we almost force ourselves to relax the way we imagined we would. Type C parenting welcomes a plan, but it gives us permission to break it, and to mindfully let the story unfold before us. As long as our children are warm, fed, healthy, and happy, we don't need much more. If you're used to a strict routine, or on the flip side, entirely winging it, Type C parenting might feel a bit uncomfortable at first. It's great to have a schedule but there will always be time for routine back home. Rigid rules don't need to be part of your vacation survival kit if you don't need them to be. By the end of my trip, I was grateful for the head start the weeks of planning had given me, but I was glad that I didn't forget it's also fine to throw out the rule book once in a while. I learned traveling with kids requires both preparation and flexibility and that's perfectly OK. In some ways, anything goes if it gets you safely and happily from A to C. Read the original article on Parents Solve the daily Crossword
New York Post
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Jersey Shore's Sammi 'Sweetheart' on having ex Ronnie at gender reveal party
She's not that sweet. 'Jersey Shore: Family Vacation' star Samantha 'Sammi Sweetheart' Giancola is setting the record straight on the guest list at her gender reveal — she did not invite her ex Ronnie Ortiz-Magro. 'Umm, that wasn't my choice,' she told The Post. Advertisement 'It was basically like, he is part of the cast and I didn't really have a choice with that.' Giancola, 38, had an on-and-off again relationship with Ortiz-Magro, 39, her 'Jersey Shore' co-star, from Season 1 of the original series, which began in 2009, until the couple officially called it quits in 2014. 4 Samantha Giancola's gender reveal, which will be shown on the next season of 'Jersey Shore: Family Vacation,' was held in Seaside Heights. Getty Images for MTV Advertisement After a decade apart, she came face to face with her former flame on the MTV show's spinoff 'Jersey Shore: Family Vacation' last year — and has accepted that filming with him is part of the TV gig. 'He's just a part of the group and I'm not going to exclude him, like if he's there, he's there,' said Giancola, who is engaged to former Karma bartender Justin May. The reality star, who chronicled her IVF journey on the show, already knew she was expecting a boy prior to the reveal — which took place last month in Seaside Heights and will be shown on the next season of 'Family Vacation.' 4 The reality star announced her engagement to Justin May in April of 2024. Sammi Sweetheart/ Instagram Advertisement 'When you go through IVF and you have embryos and you get them genetically tested, you do have the option to see what they are sexwise,' she explained. 'So I just knew when we put in the best embryo that we could … what the sex was because I looked, it was right next to it. But people do not have to know that. I just knew what we had.' The Hazlet, NJ native went through 'multiple' rounds of fertility treatments, and admitted that she considered giving up. 'It's very hard when you're in the thick of it and things are not working out the way that you want them to. You almost are like, 'I don't know if I can go through this again,' because it definitely takes its toll mentally and physically on your body.' Advertisement 4 Giancola's 'Jersey Shore' castmates attended her bridal shower at Clarizio's Italian Ristorante in Freehold. Samantha Giancola The mom-to-be, who is due in August, also dished on the food she's been craving most during her pregnancy. 'My thing is dino nuggets. I would never eat that prior,' she said. 'I like to say I'm a pretty healthy person, but now that I'm pregnant … everything fried and gross, like everything that's not good for you, I crave.' She's been having a yen for sweets too, and as luck would have it, her co-star Mike 'The Situation' Sorrentino just became the co-owner of Bang Cookies. 'He's been sending me cookies and I've been obsessed with them. I can't get enough,' she said. As for baby names, the couple doesn't have one picked out for their little one just yet — so guests at Giancola's baby shower, which was held at Clarizio's Italian Ristorante in Freehold earlier this month — were asked to help. 4 Spencer's gifted Giancola's son his own duck phone. Samantha Giancola Advertisement 'I even did a little station that was name suggestions because we just have no idea what we're gonna name this baby,' she confessed. Besides filming 'Family Vacation,' Giancola is planning her wedding and opening a second location of her clothing store Sweetheart Coast in Atlantic City, so hasn't had time to set up the baby's nursery. 'I'm so far behind. I just feel like I've been so busy,' she told The Post. 'There's getting ready for a baby, wedding planning. I have two stores on top of filming. So there's just a lot going on right now.' Advertisement Although his room may not be ready yet, Giancola's little meatball already has a piece of 'Jersey Shore' merch to decorate it with. 'Spencer's just came out with a whole bunch of 'Jersey Shore' stuff,' she explained. 'So we went to Spencer's corporate the other day and I got a stuffed animal duck phone for the baby's nursery.'
The Sun
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Luke Littler, 18, takes next step with new girlfriend Faith as darts teen posts heartwarming family snap
LUKE LITTLER took the next step new girlfriend Faith as the dart star posted a heartwarming family snap while on holiday. The teen sensation jetted off for a sunny break in Spain just days after his disastrous performance at the World Cup of Darts. 3 3 3 Littler and fellow top slinger Luke Humphries crashed out in the last-16 after a shock defeat to Germany. The exit came as the pair were both handed MBEs in the King's Birthday honours. But Littler showed no signs of disappointment as he jetted off to Spain for a family break. And he took things to the next level with new girlfriend Faith as she joined the Littler clan for some fun in the sun. Posting a picture of his family together, Littler stood proudly alongside Faith in the back row. And he also took time to wish his mum Lisa a happy birthday, declaring: 'Happy Birthday mum.' Littler also cooled off from the heat as he took a dip in a swimming pool with dad Anthony and a pal. Littler's father said: 'Just here now with Scott Bazza Grady at the secret location.' Littler and girlfriend Faith were first pictured together in March. The 19-year-old is a beautician who met Littler in February. Littler previously dated Eloise Milburn, who cheered him on at his World Darts Championship debut in 2023. But the pair split after just 10 months in July 2024 after struggling to make time for each other.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- Yahoo
Cruise cabin math: When booking two rooms makes more sense than one
'Family Travel' is a five-part series showcasing the best experiences and destinations for young families looking for an escape. If you'd like to contribute to our future reporting and share your experience as a source, you can click here to fill out this quick form. Brian and Julie Kearns take cruises with their three children at least twice a year – but they don't always stay together. Sometimes the couple books adjacent cabins, or a balcony stateroom with another across the hall, depending on what offers the best price. They have all piled into a single five-person cabin, too, but found it to be 'extremely tight,' particularly as their kids – 14, 11 and 10 – have gotten older, according to Julie. 'They have more luggage (than when they were younger) – and they're just bigger,' said Julie, who runs the How We Cruise YouTube channel and travel agency alongside Brian. Cruise lines offer a variety of cabin options for travelers with children, but finding the right one for a given family can be a complex process. 'It's kind of like a puzzle,' said Jared Feldman, owner of travel agency Jafeldma Travel. 'How does it best fit?' Here's what travelers should know. Standard cruise cabins can typically accommodate a maximum of four guests (though some can fit five). Cabins accommodating three, four or five guests have a mattress that can be split into two twin beds, along with a pull-out sofa or a Pullman bed that pulls down from the ceiling or out from the wall, according to Feldman. Brian Kearns added that depending on the cruise line and type of cabin guests are in, they could have one or the other or a combination. Julie noted that as more cruise lines have cut stateroom cleaning back from twice to once a day in recent years, she has noticed that those aren't necessarily tucked back away like they were previously. 'If you're coming back into the room to change for dinner or take a rest or whatever you're doing, you have lost all that space that you might have had years ago,' she said. Cruise lines also offer connecting staterooms and family cabins. Feldman likened the latter category to a junior suite. Julie Kearns said staying in a Family Infinite Ocean View Balcony room on Royal Caribbean International's Icon of the Seas last year, which has a separate bunk room for kids, was a 'game changer.' However, Feldman warned that not all ships have family category cabins, and they tend to sell out quickly on the ones that do. Older ships, which typically have fewer activities such as rock climbing walls and go-karts, are less likely to have family-centric staterooms. Cruise lines also offer a wide range of suites, ranging from suped-up cabins with a bit of extra room to multi-level spaces that resemble houses rather than the typical accommodations at sea. Those include the three-level Ultimate Family Townhouse aboard Icon, and the EPCOT-inspired Tomorrow Tower Suite on Disney Cruise Line's newest ship, Disney Treasure. Like the Kearns have done, families could split into different rooms, as well, depending on the age of their children. Carnival Cruise Line, for example, requires passengers 14 and under to be in the same cabin or a connecting room as a relative or guardian at least 25 years old, according to its website. Teenagers between 15 and 17 can be booked no more than three staterooms away from those adults. Not necessarily. Depending on the cruise line, itinerary, cabin category and other factors, splitting a room isn't always the better deal. 'Sometimes two double-occupancy staterooms can cost less than a quad-occupancy stateroom,' said Feldman. 'There are times it can cost a little bit more, but even when it does cost a little bit more, you have to realize what you're getting out of it.' Two rooms offer twice the living space and double the bathrooms, he noted. If you work with a travel advisor, potential perks like onboard credit would apply to both cabins. Larger family staterooms also tend to be pricier. For example, a 335-square-foot Family Infinite Ocean View Balcony cabin aboard Icon currently starts at $1,531 per person for a seven-night Eastern Caribbean cruise departing May 2, 2026, according to the line's website. A 246-square-foot Central Park View Balcony currently costs $1,027 per person for the same sailing. But the cost could be worth it depending on how many people are in your party. "When it comes to each family, it depends on what your idea of value is," said Brian Kearns. Cruise ship kids clubs: Here's everything to know Here are some of the family-friendly offerings guests will find on major cruise lines, though exact offerings may vary by ship: Carnival: Connecting rooms are available for all of Carnival's stateroom types. The line's upcoming ship, Carnival Festivale, will have 1,000 interconnecting rooms, the most of any vessel in its fleet. Carnival's Family Harbor Staterooms & Suites on Excel and Vista Class ships also offer guests additional space and perks like access to the Family Harbor Lounge, where they will find snacks, board games, video games and more. Royal Caribbean: The cruise line offers a wide range of interior, ocean view and balcony cabins, in addition to suites. There are more than 20 accommodation types on its newest ship, Utopia of the Seas, alone. In addition to Icon's Ultimate Family Townhouse with an in-suite slide, cinema, karaoke and private patio, and a similar two-story Ultimate Family Suite on several other ships. Disney Cruise Line: Disney has family-friendly amenities in cabins throughout its fleet, such as ample under-bed storage and split bathrooms, with a sink and shower in one room and a toilet and sink in another. Keep an eye out special reveals above pull-down bunk beds, like a Fairy Godmother constellation on Disney Wish and an illuminated Genie on Disney Treasure. The line also has accommodations for larger families, including five-person staterooms, connecting rooms and suites. MSC Cruises: Travelers will find staterooms for families of varying sizes on MSC ships. Almost all vessels in its fleet have connecting family cabins that can accommodate as many as 10 passengers. The line's five-person cabins – found on ships like MSC Bellissima, MSC Grandiosa, MSC Magnifica and MSC Virtuosa – frequently have balconies or panoramic windows and bathtubs. Norwegian Cruise Line: Guests sailing with Norwegian can choose from luxe, multi-room suites in the The Haven ship-within-a-ship area, an expanded range of solo cabins and many others in between. The line's Three-Bedroom Garden Villas, which have sweeping ocean views, a dining room and a private garden with a hot tub, are popular with larger family groups, according to the cruise line. With so many options and variables, Feldman said the choice comes down to individual needs and preferences. 'So, it's important to look at all aspects of it and decide what works best for each family." Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sharing a cruise cabin with kids? Splitting up may actually be better
New York Post
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
'Jersey Shore: Family Vacation' Season 8 trailer: Sammi makes comment about Ronnie
GTL! 'Jersey Shore: Family Vacation' returns for Season 8 tonight on MTV — and Sammi 'Sweetheart' Giancola appears to finally be ready to move on from her beef with ex-boyfriend Ronnie Ortiz-Magro In The Post's exclusive trailer, the friend group is shocked when Giancola, 38, finally speaks about Ortiz-Magro, 39, right in front of him. 7 Sammi Sweetheart in the 'Jersey Shore: Family Vacation' Season 8 trailer. 'I would never talk bad about Ron,' Giancola says while pointing at her ex. The entire cast, including Ortiz-Magro, is shocked about Giancola's comment. 'I can't process this,' Vinny Guadagnino says while spinning around in a chair at the table. 7 Ronnie Ortiz-Magro in the 'Jersey Shore: Family Vacation' Season 8 trailer. Giancola has avoided speaking to or about her ex-boyfriend since she joined the cast of 'Family Vacation' in 2023. The two started dating when the original series premiered in 2009 and broke up for good in 2014. In the new season of 'Jersey Shore: Family Vacation', Giancola, Ortiz-Magro, Guadagnino, Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi, Deena Cortese, Angelina Pivarnick, Jenni 'JWoww' Farley, Paul 'Pauly D' DelVecchio and Mike 'The Situation' Sorrentino are celebrating 15 years since their first wild summer in Seaside Heights by diving deeper into passion projects and their personal lives. 7 Cast photo of 'Jersey Shore: Family Vacation' Season 8. MTV In the trailer, Giancola reveals she's getting surgery to remove her ovary. 'No one really gets it unless you really go through it yourself,' she says. In February, Giancola announced she was expecting her first child with her fiancé, Justin May. 7 Sammi Sweetheart in 'Jersey Shore: Family Vacation.' 7 Sammi Sweetheart and JWoww in the 'Jersey Shore: Family Vacation' Season 8 trailer. Elsewhere in the trailer, Polizzi, 37, opens up about searching for her birth mother, calling it 'a huge step.' As for the other cast members, Pivarnick, 38, is accused of being 'addicted to drama,' Guadagnino is on the search for his future wife, and Farley, 40, declares that someone, seemingly Ortiz-Magro, has only two options: 'jail or death.' 7 Snooki in the 'Jersey Shore: Family Vacation' Season 8 trailer. The group also goes on an epic trip to Jamaica — where there's no shortage of drama or mayhem. In a recent interview with The Post, Polizzi, who was adopted when she was six months old, revealed that she spoke to her birth mom on the phone for the first time in front of the cameras. 'I feel like I blacked out in that moment,' she shared. 'It was just a bunch of emotions … You're going to see of all it.' 7 Snooki in 'Jersey Shore: Family Vacation.' The mom of three added that while she hasn't seen her birth parents face to face, she's open to the possibility. 'I'm actually still in the process of maybe doing a Zoom with them,' Polizzi said. Season 8 of 'Jersey Shore: Family Vacation' premieres tonight at 8 p.m. ET on MTV.
