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Traveling Solo With Your Children….and Surviving!
by Kristi Grisby
As many people of my generation have discovered, sharing your growing children with extended family can be somewhat of a chore. Traveling cross-country to visit grandma can be extremely difficult, not to mention expensive. Regrettably, it’s a trip we don’t often take. So when the opportunity arose to take my children on a trip to visit my family, I seized the moment. My husband couldn’t make the trip, but I was determined to give my children the opportunity to spend time with relatives we so rarely see. I had gotten some deals on airline tickets, found a motel, rented a car….all this before I really thought about what I was doing. But after reality sunk in, I found myself looking at three airline tickets, the large overflowing suitcase, the carry-on bag, the stroller, and the car seat, wondering how on earth I ever thought I could do this alone.
The trip was not entirely problem-free: we missed our connecting flight due to bad weather, we arrived soaking wet from a couple of mishaps along the way (and I had forgotten to pack a change of clothing in our carryon), and our luggage was lost on the way home. Nonetheless, with realistic expectations and with careful planning and preparation, the trip was an enjoyable experience for all of us.
Packing
Toys. Every child is different, but I’ve found it unnecessary to pack a lot of toys. My children are much more interested in seeing new places, hearing new sounds, or playing with grandma’s kitchen gadgets. One or two favorite standbys are usually sufficient, along with one favorite video (just in case).
Sleeping Aids. Trust me on this one: pack anything that will help your child to sleep! Make the new environment as close to home as possible. This includes loveys, a special blanket, a favorite stuffed animal, a night-light, familiar music – anything that is part of your child’s nightly routine should accompany you on your trip. Think about this when packing your carryon bags as well. If you’ll be traveling around your child’s nap time, you’ll want him to sleep!
Clothing. Pack a couple of extra outfits for each child, and learn from my mistake: always pack a change of clothing in your carryon luggage. If you are visiting relatives with similarly aged children, accept any offers to borrow clothing while visiting, particularly if you are traveling into an uncertain climate. Winter coats and sweaters take up a lot of room, even if they are munchkin-sized!
Carryon Luggage.
Medications. I strongly recommend discussing your trip with your pediatrician well in advance. If you are flying, he/she may advise a decongestant for your child prior to the flight. Also, if your child takes any regular medications, ensure you have plenty on hand for your trip and keep these medications in your carryon luggage. They may not be easily replaced if lost. If your child suffers from any chronic medical conditions, your pediatrician can help you to locate a qualified physician in the area you are visiting, should the need arise to call upon them during your stay.
Snacks and treats. Older children understand the concept of swallowing and yawning to help clear their ears, but younger children can have great difficulty with this. Look for snacks that encourage swallowing for takeoff and landing, such as grapes (cut up for smaller children), or gum and lollipops (for older children). Most of your child’s favorite snacks can easily be packed for the trip, such as cutup pieces of fruit, crackers, cereal bars, even peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
Eating and Drinking Aids. Older children are easily fed en-route, but traveling with babies can take a bit more effort. Don’t forget any necessities such as bottles, pacifiers, sippy cups, baby spoons, etc. And remember to pack an entire day’s worth of food for your baby, such as baby food, teething biscuits, formula, finger foods, etc. Schedules change and transportation systems get delayed. If these things happen, you don’t want to be traveling with a hungry baby!
Activities. A fellow traveling-mom lets her children (ages 4 and 2) pack their own backpacks with items they want to take on the airplane: any books, stickers, crafts, and loveys. She then packs a surprise in each bag. Her “trick” is to keep the surprises in their original packaging. Unwrapping them during the trip kills time, and the flight attendants never mind throwing away the garbage since the kids are quiet. Yet another experienced traveler suggested Magic Markers by Crayola. We tried this product and gave it a two thumbs up! These invisible markers are perfect. They will not mark on skin, clothing, or walls, but when they’re used to color on the special paper included, bright colors “magically” appear.
Traveling
Attitude is everything. Don’t set your expectations (of yourself OR your children) unrealistically high and you’ll be surprised at how much you can tolerate. Don’t expect things to go smoothly. Don’t expect your children to sit quietly for the entire trip. And don’t expect to arrive at your destination looking the same as you did when your journey began. You may arrive covered with markers or sticky juice, but you made it! Stress relief is only a shower away.
Check your luggage in at curbside. The tip I offered for this service was the most deserving I’ve ever encountered. Check your bags in at curbside, then take the kids and park the car (or return the rental car). Don’t try to carry all your luggage from the parking lot to the terminal – there will be plenty of times throughout your trip when you’ll have to endure this triathlon and you need to reserve your stamina.
Accept help. Asking for help is not easy for me, nor is accepting help. But this is definitely a time to put those inhibitions aside. You’ll arrive a lot less stressed if you accept a little help along the way. As I exited the plane holding the hand of my four-year-old, carrying my eighteen-month-old on my hip, strapping my bag across my shoulder and struggling to make it down that much-too-narrow aisle, a kind soul behind me offered, “here, may I carry your bag?” I wanted to jump up and down, give him a big hug and scream “YES, YES,” but instead I controlled my enthusiasm with a simple yet appreciative, “yes, thank you so very much.”
The Hotel
Yes, there is a big difference between a five-star hotel and a two-star motel. But when you’re traveling with your children, think practicality. A hotel with a fitness facility doesn’t do you any good if there’s nobody to watch your children. Most kids are thrilled with the prospect of staying at a motel that has a pool. They are not impressed with a fancy doorman or chandeliers in the lobby. During our most recent trip, I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express, but from listening to my children, you would’ve thought we had stayed at the Ritz. “The hotel in Iowa had the BEST breakfast,” or “remember when we marched down the hall to get ice?” In actuality, the continental breakfast was something less than mediocre and our march down the hall was a desperate attempt to make sure everyone followed me, but these little things were part of a thrilling adventure for my children and continue to be etched in their memories.
Location, location, location! And I’m not talking about prime shopping, or a happening nightlife scene. I’m talking about Wal*Mart! Another such store will due just as well. A new $0.97 coloring book dramatically helped to jump start our day, and you never know when you’ll need Tylenol for that stress-induced headache of yours. It’s also a great place to pick up diapers, or any items you may have forgotten.
Dining. Continental breakfast is a must! Unlike room service, breakfast served in the lobby gives you all an opportunity to escape from the confines of your room. And unlike a sit-down restaurant, those wiggly kids don’t have to sit still. Best of all, an immediate breakfast is only a short walk away (a real bonus if your children wake up hungry before the crack of dawn) and you can do all your grooming afterwards.
Dinners can be a challenge. By the end of a day filled with traveling, the thought of sitting in a restaurant with hungry and restless children just didn’t appeal to me. Instead, we picked up a pizza from a local restaurant and took it back to our room for a “pizza party” before our “sleep over” (just the terminology makes everything more fun for kids!). But by the second night, I needed to get out of that hotel. I picked up a menu from a nearby restaurant and phoned our order in advance. When we arrived at the restaurant, our meal was practically waiting at our table and the kids never had time to get impatient. Instead, we enjoyed our meal, enjoyed some socialization and fresh air, then called it a night.
Traveling with children can be both a joy and a challenge. But as long as your expectations are realistic, you will be building special memories that you and your children will enjoy for a lifetime.
Kristi is focusing her efforts on her family, as well as www.SendAChildASmile.com. The Send A Child A Smile program was developed to bring a smile to the face of a child who may not be feeling too special - whether it be from an illness, from a loss, or from another life event. She writes as a hobby.
©2001 Kristi Grisby. All rights reserved. Article used by permission.
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