Overcome Your Germs Phobia
Kids are filthy. They get their hands on everything. Naturally, I believe mine are the worst. They devour crackers that have fallen to the lavatory floor. They touch everything, from the parking garage floor to the airline toilet seat, and then put their hands in their mouths. It amazes me that they haven’t contracted some unusual and terrible sickness.
I used to constantly chastise them for touching things. I sounded like I was repeating myself. It exhausted me and drove me insane. I finally accepted that my children are filthy (and that licking the tray table will not cause them to catch a rare and deadly disease).
Your Children Should Be Prepared
Talking to your kids ahead of time about the vacation and the activities you’ll be doing helps set the tone for what comes next in their minds. If your children have a favorite animal, blanket, or love, for example, warning them that they will need to part with it for a few minutes at the airport will make traveling through security much simpler. When my kid was two, I had to learn this the hard way. You’d think the world had come to an end when it was time for her doll to travel through the “tunnel” with my shoes. We made it through, and the deafening shouts were over.
More time, more time
My spouse is a business traveller who zips through airports at breakneck speed, but you can’t do that with kids, especially small children. It’s critical that you leave yourself ample time…for everything. From packing to getting to the airport, parking, strolling through the airport (including all the restroom stops), and boarding and sitting on your plane, everything is taken care of.
Containment equals security and sanity.
I felt liberated…and terrified the first time I went with my kids without a stroller. I’d grown accustomed to using the stroller and backpack to keep my children under control. Not in a bad way, but manage where they went exploring, get rid of the “I’m wary of walking” complaint, and get rid of the anxiety of losing them in a throng. However, the days of pushing a stroller and using a backpack carrier are coming to an end… Managing their exploration and complaints, on the other hand, does not.
- Depending on your children’s ages and sizes, the Trunki may be a good investment. This is not only a useful tool for limiting the “I’m wary of walking” complaint, but it also provides an activity/toy for children to play with as they travel through the airport.
- Consider the Go-Go Babyz Travelmate if you need to travel by a car seat (an attachment that makes it easy to wheel your child and their car seat through busy airports). If you require a car seat once you reach at your destination, this is an excellent alternative. If your children are more than three years old, I recommend the Travel Safety Vest instead. It’s a lot easier to carry and transfer during your journey.
Snacks are a must-have.
Having lots of snacks on hand might make the difference between a good and bad day. Literally. It’s not enough to eat snacks on the plane or in the car; you need bring them with you when you go sightseeing on your trip. Consider the types of activities you’ll be doing, how physically demanding they will be, the time of day, and when your child usually has a snack. Keeping a couple extra packs of Gold Fish crackers, a zip-lock bag full of dry cereal, or a banana from the breakfast buffet in your purse (or your child’s backpack) can literally rescue the day.
It’s Fine to Disobey the Rules
Make your regulations as flexible as possible. It’s possible that bedtime will be pushed back. It’s possible that desert will occur every night rather than just on Friday. For vacationing youngsters, breaking a few laws can be a fun experience… When we travel, I try to limit the amount of TV and screen time my kids have, but that rule is thrown out the window – at least when we’re in transit. On a flight or on a road trip, movies and iPad apps have become indispensable for keeping everyone sane – and engaged. The screens, on the other hand, are packed when we arrive at the hotel and barely used until we leave.
Allow them to eat cake
Why should it be any different when you’re travelling? It’s difficult enough to get kids to eat at home, so why should it be any different while you’re travelling? Once we arrive at our destination, I simply let them eat whatever they want. That isn’t to suggest they can go all day eating candy and cupcakes. If that’s what they want, they can eat butter noodles and mac & cheese for every meal. I used to be concerned that kids weren’t receiving enough vegetables and fruit, or that they weren’t drinking their milk. Now, if they eat, I’ll be content.
Plan your activities ahead of time – together
It’s simple to plan out your trip’s activities ahead of time and get everything ready so you can get started right away. However, polling your children for their thoughts before you plan the trip ensures that everyone has a say and feels included as an equal participant. This does not imply that they are in command, but you may discover that they wish to do things you hadn’t considered, avoid things they absolutely despise, or, better yet, do things that are less expensive than you had anticipated.
Don’t overbook yourself.
I understand that there are so many things to see and do in such a short amount of time that you feel compelled to fit everything in. You’re on a break. Relax. No one will appreciate the trip if your schedule is so tight and your children are melting down from being over stimulated and on the move. I’ve discovered that scheduling one or two activities per day is ideal. The best days are when we accomplish something in the morning and then return to the pool or beach in the afternoon with no plans for the rest of the day. Because they aren’t always on the go, the kids appreciate – and enjoy – the trip even more.
Be honest with yourself.
Do you want to snooze till noon? After lunch, why not go to the museum? Why not take a walk around the city and see what happens? Put it out of your mind. When travelling with children, you’re up by 7 a.m., ready to hit the ground running by 8 a.m., only to wrap up for a nap in the middle of the day. Setting your expectations prior to your vacation is essential. So, what exactly do you want to do? What do you want to do with your partner? You can accomplish a couple of the things you individually want to do if you talk about them ahead of time and plan them into your trip, but keep in mind that this is a family vacation. Prepare to see and do things through your child’s eyes. You’ll have a great time if you do.
Keep it at home.
Although you may not always be able to leave your laptop at home and work, avoiding the stress of the office allows you to focus on your family and build memories that you and your children will cherish. If you must work while on vacation, choose a day and/or time each day that everyone understands will be your devoted work time. Then attempt to stick to your time limit.
Most Importantly – Just do it.
Don’t let traveling with your kids scare you. Don’t let the fear of it make you not travel. The stress might turn you from a nice, well-groomed woman to a crazy lady with hair flying all around once in a while BUT, and it’s a big BUT, it can be done. It should be done. You and your kids will both grow from the experience and often times grow closer together because of it.
