Traveling With Kids: Enjoy the Journey

“In America there are two classes of travel--first class, and with children.”—Robert Benchley

Family vacations are the source of many memories, good and bad alike. I remember the time we awakened my then-two-year-old daughter for a 6:30 am flight. She stood, bleary-eyed, in the labyrinthine security checkpoint line, weaving back and forth for almost 45 minutes, dutifully pulling her tiny rolling backpack behind her without complaint.

So you can imagine my shock after going through the scanner, when my husband told my easygoing angel to put her shoes back on and she suddenly mutated into a screaming banshee.  Bewildered, my husband threw our shoeless daughter over his shoulder, kicking and screaming, while I grabbed our belongings as quickly as possible to make a hasty exit.

Moments later, I realized my fatal mistake as it dawned on me that my daughter had not failed us, but we had failed her as parents: we had forgotten to feed the poor thing breakfast.

It is through stellar parenting moments like these that I have gleaned some key principles for traveling with children.

Start planning earlier than you think you will need to.

Gone are the days when I could just throw everything in a bag the night before a trip. Packing for children is far more intensive because you almost have to pack more items for the journey to and from the destination than the destination itself.

I found a fantastic packing list here, that I edit to my personalized needs and periodically update as my children grow out of various stages. A week or so beforehand, I start setting aside items that we will be taking with us.

If you are flying, you will also have the joy of strategizing how to get from your car, through the airport and security, on and off your plane, to baggage claim and the rental car with a diaper bag stuffed with 8 hours of supplies and food, car seat, stroller, your personal items, your baby…and only two hands.  There is a good reason why most parents of young children choose never to leave home.

Revere the triumvirate of basic needs: food, sleep and entertainment. 

I have already demonstrated the ramifications of neglecting the first need. Pack healthy snacks that include protein, fiber and carbohydrates to prevent the spikes that come with sugar rushes and crashes. Do not forget water—I pack empty water bottles in my carryon and fill them once we pass through security.

Whenever I have given in to the temptation to let my kids skip naps because, “Hey, we’re on vacation!," I paid dearly.  Be forewarned, that just because the adults are on vacation from their jobs does not mean that children need a break from their naps.  Sleep is as essential to them as air and food.  Unless you enjoy having your vacation interrupted by chronic tantrums, try as much as possible to retain your children’s sleep routines (easier said than done).  Eat and sleep at your destination’s local time as quickly as possible and bring whatever will keep nap and bedtimes as similar to home as possible (e.g. noise machine, CD, lovey, etc.).

Entertainment is easier once the kids learn to read or use an electronic handheld device like the Leapster. I also download videos to my smartphone and iPod (use Handbrake to convert your DVDs) and make sure to bring a charging cord and headphones. For the younger set, a box of floss or anything with a flip top cap are surprisingly effective.  Regardless of your weapon of choice, if you make sure it is new to them or something rarely get to play with, you will get a lot more mileage out of it.

Accept that no matter how hard you try, things will not be normal. 

Your child may be more cranky than usual, as will you, because they woke up for the day at 3:30 am.  They may become overstimulated by all the sightseeing or a missed nap. You will not have time to do as many activities as you did before kids.  Extend them (and yourself) a little grace and embrace the fact that this, too, shall pass. Before you know it, your little ones will no longer be little and traveling will become more sane. By then, you will miss how little they once were—but probably not traveling with them when they were.

For a great resource with more tips, see: http://www.wejustgotback.com/default.aspx?mod=tips_flykids