For some parents, the thought of traveling with kids, especially small ones, is terrifying. The planning, the packing, airports, long car rides, meltdowns, change of environment, it can become very overwhelming. But it does not have to be.
Plan ahead and research.
When choosing a destination, make sure that you take the time to research the hotel or place that you are staying. Some of the questions that you might want to ask yourself: Its is child friendly? What are the amenities that are included? Is there a kitchen? fridge? microwave? what type of activities are there on site for children?
When my husband and I decided to drive down to Florida this past September with our children (aged 2 and 5 mos at that time) , I was thrilled that we were staying at a hotel that had numerous playgrounds and a pool for just kids. I also didn't have to worry about bringing a pack and play for the baby to sleep in, or a highchair or any thing for the baby for that matter. Through the hotel website I was able to rent anything I needed for the kids from a stroller, to a highchair, bed rails, pretty much anything that we needed for them. It was fabulous. They delivered it right to our hotel and all our baby needs were waiting for us upon check in. So if you or anyone you know is heading to Orlando, have them check out the baby eqipment rental service called "A Baby's Best Friend" http://www.abbf.com/ .
Car Travel
As I mentioned earlier, we drove to Florida. It took us roughly two 12 hour days of driving. Yes, with a 2.8 year old and a 5 month old. How did we do it and still keep our sanity? We stopped every few hours and made sure that we brought a portable DVD player with us. This kept our oldest happy and entertained. We also made sure that we had toys, as well as other things such as books and music to keep the children entertained. Oh, and we made sure that we had A LOT of snacks and drinks with us too.
For more information and tips on long distance car travel with small children, here are some great websites:
http://www.kidscantravel.com/tipstravelkids/ontheroad/cartravel/index.html
http://www.drgreene.com/tip/tips-car-travel-toddlers
Plane Travel
So not quite a month ago, Hubs, Jr. Puff, Jr. Princess and I went on another vacation. This time we went to Bahamas for a wedding and had no choice but to fly. If you have ever read my blog, you would know that my 3 year old is quite active and having him sit for extended periods of time is a challenge (sitting in the car and strapped into his car seat does not count. He has always been good at that no matter how long he has had to sit there).
I was extremely nervous about the trip. I was worried about how Jr. Puff now 3.5 years old and Jr. Princess 14 months would behave. We had just moved into our new house, only been there 3 nights and were already adapting to so much new change to begin with, I wasn't sure how they were going to react with us throwing a vacation into the mix as well. I was worried that I would be that parent with the only screaming children/child on the plane (and we were, Jr. Princess was not happy and let me tell you, she is a screamer with a strong set of lungs... shrill screams) . I made sure that I packed my carry-on baggage strategically and brought some toys, DVD player and a bunch of snacks and drinks. Even though Jr. Princess screamed for a while both ways, she eventually stopped and slept, so it really was not that bad after all. Even going through airport security was not that bad. We made sure that we put the bags through first and then Hubs and I each took responsibility for one of the children and we got through it. I would suggest to anyone out there travelling with small children to keep your stroller with you and bring it right to the doors of the place. With so much baggage and carry-ons and going through airport security, its a lot easier to get through it with child strapped into a stroller versus running wild everywhere.
For more information and tips on flying with small children, here are some great websites:
http://www.deliciousbaby.com/travel/family-travel-tips/making-travel-days-with-kids-work/air-travel-with-babies-toddlers-kids/
http://www.flyingwithkids.com/travel_tips.htm
http://www.havekidswilltravel.net/air-travel-with-toddlers/
http://www.essortment.com/travel/traveltoddlerf_syxd.htm
So, if you are planning a vacation and are taking the kids, just research as much as you can in advance, it will help things go much smoother for everyone, especially the children.
Safe travels.
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