Preparation is key
BUT.. know that you can't think of EVERYTHING. But you can minimize the damage -- and even save money --if you are properly prepared. So, learn from my mistakes... mistakes made while traveling with small children.
Know the rules. Yes, you can take infant formula, breast milk, juice, canned, jarred, or processed baby food in your carry-on baggage and aboard your plane. The Transportation Security Administration lets you exceed the 3-ounce limit for these items as long as you declare you have them at the security check and present them in a clear, zip-top bag.
Check the airlines's website for tips on travelling with kids. Here is a great one http://southwest.com/travel_center/taking_the_kids29.html
Just make sure all these items fit in your carry-on bag if your child is flying for free in your lap. Your kids aren't entitled to the standard carry-on allowance unless they have a ticket. On the plus side, car seats and strollers won't count toward the two-checked-bags limit.
We ALWAYS hang on to those items, and check them at the gate. They are the last thing loaded onto the plane and the first thing off the plane. If your carseat will just snap into your stroller, then you can use it like a "trolley". Just be sure to ALWAYS have your hands on it. If you hang luggage off the back of it, then it will be offbalance and tip over. We usually CARRY the baby, and load the stroller down with carry ons.
And be sure to have some sort of ID -- birth certificate or passport -- for your child. You might be asked for it at check-in. As if this will REALLY identify the child! But that's another story.. Also, if you're travelling without your spouse, it is a good idea to have a note from him or her saying that they give permission for the child to be travelling with you. At first I thought this was barbaric, but if you're travelling out of the country, some countries WILL ask for it.
Research, research, research. For long-distance drives, use the Internet to find fun spots for your kids -- such as children's museums, petting zoos, bounce house places, even McDonald Playplaces -- along the way (oh yeah... pack some sanitizer!). They need more than just a 10-minute pit stop to work off pent-up energy. And go online to chart your route's rest areas, which usually offer better changing facilities than questionable gas stations. We always bring a frisbee or a ball to play with at rest stops.
If you're flying, check the airport's Web site for a map of the building so you know where the family restrooms are and if there is a play area for kids. The Indianapolis Airport is one of, if not THE most family friendly airports. There is a private room for nursing with vending machines that carry many baby items. Louisiana is a different story! You can NOT buy a diaper there in any shape, size or form. We had to stalk a family with toddlers and then beg, offering to pay ANYTHING for ONE DIAPER. We did find some overpriced sanitary supplies in a bookstore that we used instead of a diaper, but OH what a storymaker THAT was!!
And find out whether the airline will give you a loaner car seat if you check it and it doesn't make it to your destination. Many airlines will provide you one for free -- and deliver your car seat once it's located. But American Airlines, for example, doesn't provide loaners. United, on the other hand, will reimburse you if it misplaces your child restraint, doesn't have a loaner on hand and you have to buy a new one. These policies change from time to time... check first.
Another option is with your car rental company. While it isn't mandatory, it IS safer to fly in a car seat. If you choose to leave it at home, many times you can rent a carseat or booster seat when you rent a car.
On long flights, buy the baby a seat. You'll save a couple hundred dollars by holding a child younger than 2 on your lap. But if you can afford it, buy the extra ticket and put your child in a car seat to save your sanity on flights more than two hours. Make sure your car seat has printed on it: "This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft." If not, you might have to check it in as baggage, cautions the Federal Aviation Administration. Booster seats are not allowed. If your child is clingy and ends up in your lap, then you'll have the extra space for your carry on, with things to do in it.
If you KNOW your child is clingy, they also have special airline harnesses that you can wear, essentially tying your kid to your self http://www.flyingwithkids.com/baby_b'air_flight_vest.htm from Amazon, OneStepAhead or Babywise . Or this.. http://www.kidsflysafe.com/
Don't pre-board -- team board. The airlines think they're doing you a favor by letting you jump the line with your small children. But you're just being forced to spend even more time trying to keep a squirming child calm in a seat.
So if there are two adults in your party, send one in first with the carry-on bags to secure a spot for them in the overhead bins. The other can hang back, run around with the kids then corral them into the plane after everyone has boarded.
Come prepared ... for anything. Have one carryon designated as an acitivity pack. Sure you'll need a change of clothes for everyone, but not in THIS bag. Never pack your child's favorite teddy bear or security blanket in checked luggage, it goes in the activity bag.
I know many parents who dose their children with Benadryl to help them sleep during the flight. This practice can sometimes backfire and make children wired. It's also just bad practice.
If your child relies on a pacifier, have several on hand to pop in junior's mouth when he tosses one on the ground. Or tie them down. And if you're flying, be sure to have something for your little one to suck on (bottle, sippy cup) during take-off and landing so her ears won't hurt. Do NOT give them these drinks BEFORE take-off, or they will lose their attractiveness when you need them.
My sister-in-law gave my nephew his juice before we boarded. Then there was a delay. More juice, more juice. Take off, more juice. By the time they landed he was "overfloated" and the diarrhea came next. This family ended up taking the "buy out" and giving up their seats in exchange for free future flights and a hotel room. OK, except that the number of diapering supplies they had packed did NOT include the extras that they would need, OR the extra changes of clothes. The consierge took pity on her as she just sat down and cried in the lobby, driving out and getting her some generic diapers. Lesson Learned.
Provide plenty of entertainment options. My parents used to fill a bag with cheap toys to keep us entertained on long trips -- and I looked forward to traveling for that reason. Hit the dollar store and load up on cheap children's books, finger puppets and age-appropriate games. Some other entertainment options: Leap Frog's LeapPad, Crayola's Color Explosion paper and pen, Magna-Doodle, sticker books, small journals and a few crayons and even Wikki Stix www.wikkistix.com/ . Another item are those True/False books with the pen that only works in them. For older kids - Madlibs. Invisible Ink - Yes or No books. Cracker Barrell carries a lot of things you can do while travelling. Car Bingo, etc.
I usually buy a set of little figurines of their then-favorite cartoon character. On our way to Disneyland, I got Bear and the Big Blue House, since we were going to be seeing them.
Snacks are another way to keep your little ones occupied. But once they've tired of the food and toys, it's time to bring out the big guns -- the portable DVD player, fully-charged. Every parent I know says these are a must-have for long trips. You can rent them but don't bother. It'll cost you about as much as buying one (starting at $80).
If your kids are big enough for headphones, get them so you don't have to spend hours listening to "super cool explorer Dora!" And don't forget the cables that come with your DVD player so you can port it to the TV at your destination in case all Grandma has is a VCR and an old worn out copy of Field of Dreams.
Don't want to lug your entire DVD collection with you? Check out the public library where you're going. Some will loan to out-of-staters, or borrow your relative's card. It's probably not a good idea to pack stuff from your own local library, though. If you lose that book, movie or CD on your trip you'll have to pay for it. If you have the time to plan ahead, get some "extra" copies from garage sales.
Pack all the gear you need. Traveling with kids means taking lots of stuff. But it's better to take everything your little one needs rather than rely on what might or might not be available at your destination. You don't want to blow your vacation budget buying something at the last minute that you already have at home.
If you're driving, take your own portable crib or playpen ($50 and up) -- it'll be familiar to the child and clean. (Don't forget a change of sheets.) Also consider a portable high chair (about $25). Your friends and family might not have one, and who wants to spend their holiday meal holding little ones in their laps? It probably isn't necessary to pack a week's worth of diapers, though. Every-day items can be purchased when you arrive. DO bring a lot more than you think you'll use on the way there!!! And don't forget some for the return trip!!
Little things count. An inexpensive car sun shade ($10 to $15) can go a long way toward keeping your kids comfortable during long rides.
Who wants to listen to hours of The Wiggles' greatest hits in the car? Spare yourselves by taking CDs of songs both you and your children can enjoy. Especially is you have one that is guaranteed to put my 3-year-old to sleep. Or make a cassette tape of yourself reading Junior's favorite books so you don't have to spend 250 miles twisted around in your seat. If you're like me, you let your husband chauffer, and you ride in back with your child. No one wants to ride in the back seat alone.
Don't push the limits. Whether you're driving or flying, remember your little ones just can't hack it the way you can. So if you're flying, don't schedule a flight around your child's nap time or bedtime. It might seem like a good idea, but you can't count on them to fall asleep on a noisy plane full of distractions. You'll end up with a very cranky kid on your hands.
We've waited til evening before, hoping that the children would sleep the entire, long, drive. Well they did, but we couldn't. In the morning, they were fresh and ready to go, while WE were ready to drop. Another friend had a different problem. Once the sun went down, their child screamed and screamed until they finally pulled over and got a hotel room.
Don't expect your toddler or infant to tolerate a 12-hour road trip. Break up the trip into reasonable stretches and be sure to book a hotel room so you won't have to spend another hour driving around trying to find a room. If a meltdown prevents you from making it to the hotel where your reservation is, you might avoid paying for the night if you tell the manager your situation.
Once you arrive, if your child has a schedule, then try to stick to it as much as possible. Bear in mind that several days of holiday festivities and dozens of cheek-pinching family members can overstimulate your child. Make sure you watch for your child's cues that he needs a breather. Plan some quiet moments into your day for just the two of you. If you have to take a few hours in the afternoon and have a nap, then WELL WORTH IT. If you can, get a suite, then when the baby is napping, you can entertain yourselves in the other room. Reminder: Bring a baby monitor.
You also want to make your hotel room or guest room at grandma's house is as homey as possible. Bring your child's pacifier, favorite stuffed animal or security blanket in your carry-on bag. It might also help to pack a small family photo or a familiar wall hanging from the nursery to hang bedside at your destination. Keep bedtime routines in tact as best you can. My girlfriend always packed a small cd player. Every night they listen to a cd as they go to bed. They continue this practice on trips, instantly putting the children to sleep, no matter the surroundings.
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