Heading off to a resort for the holidays? Now there are services you can call to get a highly trained nanny to accompany you. Who would want such a service? Why? How does all of this work? Here is what I learned from a recent newspaper article.

Many parents would like to take a family vacation, but they do not want to spend a lot of their time doing child activities. They also don’t want their children spending a lot of time coming along with them to adult activities. They would love to have their hard-earned get-away be a pleasure to all.

Many of these parents have regular babysitters or nannies. However, while they would like to take their nannies with them, most cannot get away for such an extended period of time. What to do? Hire a travel nanny. In exchange for all travel expenses and a daily hourly rate, this kind of nanny can make all the difference in the world to the success of a vacation. Unlike having to take a hotel babysitter, parents can vet and try out in advance the person they choose. Some travel nannies offer specific skills like being an ace skier or swimmer. Others just love travel and the chance to go to new and different place.

Tradition! Plan your holiday time with your spouse. Even though you might not be able to arrange for a travel nanny, you can still arrange for “spouse time out!” It could be for one hour, an evening, or even a full day. There is no one way to do anything, and there are lots of ways to do almost everything. Design it your way. Start today and make it your holiday tradition.

Holiday Gift Idea! Parenting Tips with Dr. Sally by Email. Send a subscription to a friend or relative. Just drop me a note at mainoffice@mommyperks.com and let me know who you would like to have it sent to and any special note or holiday greeting you would like to add. Be sure to include the e-mail address of your friend or relative.

NOTE: If you are thinking about sending “Email Tips” to a friend or relative  as a holiday gift but would like to limit your gift to Monday self-esteem building ideas, Tuesday play-and-learn activities, or Wednesday parenting techniques, please specify that in your e-mail as well. In addition, if you have any comments, suggestions, or requests for “Parenting Tips with Dr. Sally,” please let me know that too. Thank you very much.