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6. There’s a good chance I’ll get sick while traveling because we’re going to visit a lot of germy places where I’ll want to touch everything and then suck on my fingers. Pack a thermometer and any medicines I might need. If I wake up in the middle of the night with a raging fever, I need to cared for right away.

7. I make friends easier than you do. Take me to a local park and let me introduce you to some local children and their parents.

8. There are just so many new sites, sounds, and smells I can take in before I get totally overwhelmed and freak out. I need downtime. Let’s do something mellow after a crazy day of site-seeing.

9. Go ahead and make all of your plans for our vacation but know this: I have my own plans and I am a stubborn little sucker. You will need to adjust to meet my needs!

10. I want to take time to explore every little thing in my path. Rather than trying to hurry me along and cram fun into our vacation, slow down to enjoy seeing the world anew through my eyes.

Colleen Lanin is the creator and editor of TravelMamas.com, a site for parents who want to travel with children…and stay sane! She is a freelance writer and author of the upcoming book, The Travel Mamas’ Guide. She has written articles for such magazines as Babytalk, San Diego Family, and 101 Things To Do San Diego. She lives in San Diego with her husband and two children. You can follow her on Twitter at @TravelMamas.