Traveling with Kids

 

 

A while back, a friend of mine asked me to share with her some tips for traveling with children.  I am no expert by any means (let's be honest, our restaurant lunches out have been known to involve at least one tantrum and broken glass, I still bring stuff we don't need, forget the stuff we do need, and utter the words “this is BRUTAL” at least once or twice during vacation).  HOWEVER, I wanted to share our experiences because I think when children burst into our world, we assume our days of adventure and travel are over, at least for the foreseeable future.  Strollers, pack and plays, toys, diapers, bottles, tantrums, naps, bedtimes...none of these are exactly conducive to a relaxing vacation. And it's true – traveling with children is a wild ride. The successes are sweet, and the fails are often epic.  

 

But it IS possible, and even enjoyable, to do it.  In the past year we have managed to see some incredible places with our children. Chris and I always say -- no matter how difficult it was to make the trip happen, we have never once regretted the decision to go. Bottom line is, we are always happy we did it.  And, like childbirth, you often forget the bad parts and only remember the good.  Call it unrealistic, or optimistic, but I kind of like it that way.
 

 

 

So.  While it hasn't exactly been convenient to have two toddlers along for this European adventure of ours, it has really helped us become more realistic, lighthearted, and simplistic in our approach to parenting and traveling.  Big deals, aren't so big anymore...and previously thought "necessities" are not so important.  It isn't my intention to sugar coat it -  children will never be my #1 choice for travel companions -- but it is important that we share our experiences and show that it IS possible to live a travel and adventure filled life with the small people we love so much in tow.  And it doesn't have to mean only going to Disney World, Lego Land, or some other equally expensive kid-friendly destination. 

What follows are some tips, tricks, and points-of-view that have helped me along the way. 

1.  For breastfeeding mothers -- nurse in public!   Europe is MUCH more supportive and accepting of public nursing, so it really isn't an issue here like it often is in the States.  It has really opened my eyes and helped me realize feeding your baby in public is no big deal.  I know in the US you practically have to hide under a comforter in a dark corner of the room lest you be deemed an inappropriate exhibitionist.  There were times I was lugging pumps, bottles, sanitizing bags -- the whole nine-- on vacation with me just so I would be able to pump bottles to feed my baby if we would be out in public.  What is the point?!  Who cares if anyone is looking, don't mess with bottles and pumps on vacation if you don't have to.   It will make packing and planning so much easier to just nurse when you gotta nurse.  The world will get over it, and you will be helping to normalize something that should be normal to begin with. 

 

2.  When possible, we stay in a place that has at least two rooms - like a suite/adjoining room, apartment, or house -- so once the kids are in bed (which is often much earlier than you want to be in bed) we have a place to hang out, drink wine, and/or watch movies without having to be quiet because we are sharing a room with sleeping children.   There are deals to be found if you look, so it doesn't always have to mean double the money, and I find it very, very necessary especially once you have two.  We've had great luck with finding inexpensive apartments and suites by traveling off season, which have been a lifesaver with the kids.  Having a kitchen is fantastic to avoid having to eat in a restaurant three times a day -- we have a leisurely breakfast at home, and usually cook dinner at home one or two nights also.  Feels like you actually have a home base.  Even better when there is laundry on site -- you can bring 1/2 the amount of clothes you need, and just wash mid-vacation!  Love that. 

 

3.  Travel days are fun days.  In my humble opinion, airports and planes are no place to teach moral values, partake in only educational activities, or get a balanced meal.  My motto is, keep 'em happy, keep 'em quiet, and we all win.  Lollipops are my special airport treat --- they know they only get them when we travel, and when they are getting their hair cut (crucial keep happy/quiet moments).  I keep a bag of lollipops in my purse and whip them out when things get hairy, and they immediately clam up. I let Evan watch the ipad until he goes blind, and let Mia drink juice until she explodes. Whatever keeps them happy and quiet on the plane, works for me . Oh, and I never bring a huge bag of toys. They just get lost, are heavy to carry, and only keep them occupied for a few minutes anyway. I just bring a pad of paper, some crayons, 1-2 books, and some movies on the ipad. And food.  Lots of food.  Works for us like a charm.  The nice part is, they more they fly, the more they know what to expect and the better behaved they become.  You just have to dive in.

 

 

 

4.  Along the same lines -- always have food on you.  I like PB&J that won't go bad, kids are always hungry and usually the only thing readily available while traveling is fast food and you can't do that all day everyday.

 

5.  Bring the stroller.  I repeat -- BRING THE STROLLER.  It's a rolling suitcase, crib, and full body restraint system all in one.  My children are 2 and 4, and I still can't imagine traveling without our beloved double City Mini.  Most airlines let you check if free right at the gate, but here in Europe the cheap budget airline makes you pay for a double stroller.   We don't care, we still bring it.  Bring a stroller with you that is easy for the kids sleep in so they can nap if they need to while you are out doing stuff .  We are lucky, Evan can go without a nap now if he needs to, but Mia still needs a daily nap to avoid turning into monster baby.  I'm an admitted sleep-psycho and am somewhat neurotic making sure my kids get enough sleep, nap on time, and go to bed early.  I have become MUCH more relaxed with this since we've started traveling more, and on our recent trip to the UK Mia did most of her napping in the stroller and car seat and managed fine. I used to worry that I would "ruin the routine" if I didn't stick to the exact schedule during vacation, but that isn't the case. A few days of short naps and late bedtimes doesn't hurt anyone or anything, and if you notice it is making them overly cranky and impossible to handle, then just make the next day a day a "sleep day" and work in a nap and earlier bedtime. Nothing wrong with relaxing with a book on vacation for a few hours while they recharge their batteries.

 

6.  Be flexible.  We have a loose plan, but we also work around them and what they are able to do/see.  We aren't afraid to do what we want to do, but we try to be flexible when we have to be -- pushing them past their limit is never worth it in the long run.  Ultimately, we are never able to see everything we want to see.  We don't have long leisurely lunches and dinners. There are some tantrums, meltdowns, and fights. But like Chris and I always say, we are always glad we did it, and always leave with the best memories.  For us, it gets easier with each trip. The kids get used to it too, and know what to expect and what is expected of them.

 

7.  I liked to bring my own portable crib with us for a baby (the hotel ones creep me out) but when possible we rent car seats when we get where we are going rather than bring our own on the plane.  We also buy a bunch of diapers once we get there rather then packing diapers for a week, and avoid bringing things like bumbo seats, high chairs, satchels of toys, feeding paraphernalia, etc.  Minimize the packing, and it makes traveling a lot less daunting.  Europe doesn't do high chairs, booster seats, kiddie cups, or kiddie menus and we've realized that you really don't need it.  It is a "nice to have" kind of thing, but for me, traveling light is paramount to having "all the right stuff" with us at all times.  We can go 4 days without sippie cups and bibs without the world coming to an end.
 

 

 

So, that's been our experience so far...Cheers to traveling with kids! May we pack light, laugh often, and for God's sake, always have snacks. :)