Comments on: How to Travel Long Distances with Little Ones (and not go insane) http://simplemom.net/how-to-travel-long-distances-with-little-ones-and-not-go-insane/ Live intentionally. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 18:46:08 +0000 hourly 1 By: TS http://simplemom.net/how-to-travel-long-distances-with-little-ones-and-not-go-insane/comment-page-2/#comment-166705 TS Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:26:25 +0000 http://simplemom.net/?p=5366#comment-166705 Great comments! My tips: For international flights, we've often experienced delays and had to stay overnight somewhere en route. So we pack for an extra day--lightly of course. But definitely enough diapers to get through an entire additional 24 hours. Pack a small gift/treasure for each leg and let kids know that they will get a treat after the plane has reached cruising altitude. Going through security and boarding is a tough haul for little ones, and they are more likely to make the extra effort when they know a reward is coming. These gifts have to be small and easy to pack. Our kids like little plastic figurines, Wikki Stix, sticker books with scenes, funny keychains, toy cars. Bring along empty water bottles and fill them after passing through security. Drink lots of fluids and make sure that the kids do too. DVD players are great--they really saved my sanity many times during long trips. But they are heavy and once I forgot to pack the DVDs! I recently acquired an iPad and I think that will be easier to travel with. Snacks are important for the journey but also for getting through the jetlag at your destination. A bag of pretzels will be invaluable when it's 3am and you're stuck in a Bangkok hotel room with a couple of very hungry kids. Don't make any assumptions about using your strollers in transit or even using a baggage cart at your destination. Pack lightly so that you can manage your luggage yourself. That is the most difficult issue about traveling with kids. When traveling alone with an infant, I always took a baby carrier (bjorn or Ergo), a backpack as a carry-on, an umbrella stroller and one suitcase. I could manage all of that myself. Happy Travels! Great comments!
My tips:
For international flights, we’ve often experienced delays and had to stay overnight somewhere en route. So we pack for an extra day–lightly of course. But definitely enough diapers to get through an entire additional 24 hours.
Pack a small gift/treasure for each leg and let kids know that they will get a treat after the plane has reached cruising altitude. Going through security and boarding is a tough haul for little ones, and they are more likely to make the extra effort when they know a reward is coming. These gifts have to be small and easy to pack. Our kids like little plastic figurines, Wikki Stix, sticker books with scenes, funny keychains, toy cars.
Bring along empty water bottles and fill them after passing through security. Drink lots of fluids and make sure that the kids do too.
DVD players are great–they really saved my sanity many times during long trips. But they are heavy and once I forgot to pack the DVDs! I recently acquired an iPad and I think that will be easier to travel with.
Snacks are important for the journey but also for getting through the jetlag at your destination. A bag of pretzels will be invaluable when it’s 3am and you’re stuck in a Bangkok hotel room with a couple of very hungry kids.
Don’t make any assumptions about using your strollers in transit or even using a baggage cart at your destination. Pack lightly so that you can manage your luggage yourself. That is the most difficult issue about traveling with kids. When traveling alone with an infant, I always took a baby carrier (bjorn or Ergo), a backpack as a carry-on, an umbrella stroller and one suitcase. I could manage all of that myself.
Happy Travels!

]]> By: Nancy Sathre-Vogel http://simplemom.net/how-to-travel-long-distances-with-little-ones-and-not-go-insane/comment-page-2/#comment-166612 Nancy Sathre-Vogel Mon, 30 Jan 2012 07:20:55 +0000 http://simplemom.net/?p=5366#comment-166612 Honestly, I don't get this. I've tried so hard to figure out why people feel they need some sort of guidance on taking kids on a plane, but I just can't. I mean - just take the kids and do it. As parents, you know perfectly well what to do. When our twins were young we lived in Ethiopia, but traveled back to the USA at least once a year to visit family. That was a 35-hour journey each way with layovers. I can honestly say it was never a problem - any more so than before our boys were born. As you wrote, we made sure we had snacks and toys with us, we let the boys watch TV (this was before the days of personal TVs on planes, but they watched the movies on the big general screen). We got up and walked around the plane a time or two. Or two hundred, as the case may be. But I never felt like I needed any body to give me tips or hints or suggestions or whatever to do it. Kids are GREAT travelers! Our sons are now 14 and they've been around the world plenty of times. They've visited something like 25 or 30 countries and they've even ridden bicycled from Alaska to Argentina. We've never had the attitude that we couldn't do something with kids. We just did it. If I had one suggestion for parents it's this: don't be scared. Just do it. Honestly, I don’t get this. I’ve tried so hard to figure out why people feel they need some sort of guidance on taking kids on a plane, but I just can’t. I mean – just take the kids and do it. As parents, you know perfectly well what to do.

When our twins were young we lived in Ethiopia, but traveled back to the USA at least once a year to visit family. That was a 35-hour journey each way with layovers. I can honestly say it was never a problem – any more so than before our boys were born.

As you wrote, we made sure we had snacks and toys with us, we let the boys watch TV (this was before the days of personal TVs on planes, but they watched the movies on the big general screen). We got up and walked around the plane a time or two. Or two hundred, as the case may be.

But I never felt like I needed any body to give me tips or hints or suggestions or whatever to do it.

Kids are GREAT travelers! Our sons are now 14 and they’ve been around the world plenty of times. They’ve visited something like 25 or 30 countries and they’ve even ridden bicycled from Alaska to Argentina. We’ve never had the attitude that we couldn’t do something with kids. We just did it.

If I had one suggestion for parents it’s this: don’t be scared. Just do it.
Nancy Sathre-Vogel´s latest post: 19 Tips to help you discover your passion and live your dream

]]> By: Karin http://simplemom.net/how-to-travel-long-distances-with-little-ones-and-not-go-insane/comment-page-2/#comment-162767 Karin Mon, 02 Jan 2012 02:22:57 +0000 http://simplemom.net/?p=5366#comment-162767 My mom always had little gifts for us to open during different key moments of the flight (after buckling our seatbelt, during a layover, after the meal, etc.). They were always little things that would help to pass the time the next few hours, and just knowing they were coming helped us stay on our best behavior... Well, at least for the most part. :0) I do this now with my three little boys, but I don't wrap the gifts because of security. My mom always had little gifts for us to open during different key moments of the flight (after buckling our seatbelt, during a layover, after the meal, etc.). They were always little things that would help to pass the time the next few hours, and just knowing they were coming helped us stay on our best behavior… Well, at least for the most part. :0) I do this now with my three little boys, but I don’t wrap the gifts because of security.

]]> By: Megan http://simplemom.net/how-to-travel-long-distances-with-little-ones-and-not-go-insane/comment-page-1/#comment-161385 Megan Thu, 08 Dec 2011 12:50:04 +0000 http://simplemom.net/?p=5366#comment-161385 I have a friend whose stroller was severely damaged when they checked it at the gate once--apparently they're not always real careful with them. Before we flew with our then 16 month old we got a used umbrella type stroller (small) to take along--and left our really nice bigger one at home, so we didn't have to worry about it getting broken. I have a friend whose stroller was severely damaged when they checked it at the gate once–apparently they’re not always real careful with them. Before we flew with our then 16 month old we got a used umbrella type stroller (small) to take along–and left our really nice bigger one at home, so we didn’t have to worry about it getting broken.

]]> By: Christine http://simplemom.net/how-to-travel-long-distances-with-little-ones-and-not-go-insane/comment-page-1/#comment-147366 Christine Sat, 22 Oct 2011 16:10:15 +0000 http://simplemom.net/?p=5366#comment-147366 Gate checking depends on the airport, not the airline. Not all airports have the equipment necessary to gate check strollers, as we've learned the hard way. My experience living in Europe is that gate check availability is much less common here, even in "larger" airports. Unless it's a route you've flown before, I would not assume ahead of time that you'll be able to have your stroller all the way to the gate. These are often the same airports that will have strollers come to a "special baggage" carousel, sometimes on the other end of the baggage claim area from where the rest of your bags are coming. Just something to be aware of. Gate checking depends on the airport, not the airline. Not all airports have the equipment necessary to gate check strollers, as we’ve learned the hard way. My experience living in Europe is that gate check availability is much less common here, even in “larger” airports. Unless it’s a route you’ve flown before, I would not assume ahead of time that you’ll be able to have your stroller all the way to the gate. These are often the same airports that will have strollers come to a “special baggage” carousel, sometimes on the other end of the baggage claim area from where the rest of your bags are coming. Just something to be aware of.

]]> By: Christa http://simplemom.net/how-to-travel-long-distances-with-little-ones-and-not-go-insane/comment-page-2/#comment-138520 Christa Mon, 25 Jul 2011 13:33:50 +0000 http://simplemom.net/?p=5366#comment-138520 I too like the comment referencing the other people on the plane. We are planning a trip and I've wondered about "others". Thank you for the reassuring advice. Our little one recently took a road trip to visit Grandma. He typically is a good sleeper however not in the car. He never sleeps in the car more that 30-40 minutes. So when he got tired he couldn't wrap his mind around the fact he could simply...go to sleep. Instead he said the following "Sleep papa baby crib" (the crib he sleeps in when he's at his Papa's house. He said this loudly, softly, fast, slow. Pretty much any way he could think of. Unfortunately he said this 148 times! It was during his traveling mantra I started to think, how flying will be for the family and the "others" on the plane. We'll do our best, he'll do his best and we'll smile to our neighbors. Thanks again for the tips. I too like the comment referencing the other people on the plane. We are planning a trip and I’ve wondered about “others”. Thank you for the reassuring advice.

Our little one recently took a road trip to visit Grandma. He typically is a good sleeper however not in the car. He never sleeps in the car more that 30-40 minutes. So when he got tired he couldn’t wrap his mind around the fact he could simply…go to sleep. Instead he said the following “Sleep papa baby crib” (the crib he sleeps in when he’s at his Papa’s house.

He said this loudly, softly, fast, slow. Pretty much any way he could think of. Unfortunately he said this 148 times! It was during his traveling mantra I started to think, how flying will be for the family and the “others” on the plane.

We’ll do our best, he’ll do his best and we’ll smile to our neighbors.

Thanks again for the tips.
Christa´s latest post: Cooking fish? I’ll keep trying

]]> By: Sam McEwan http://simplemom.net/how-to-travel-long-distances-with-little-ones-and-not-go-insane/comment-page-1/#comment-138140 Sam McEwan Thu, 14 Jul 2011 02:45:46 +0000 http://simplemom.net/?p=5366#comment-138140 Hi Just wanted to say great tips... We are planning a long haul 12 hour flight next year with our son who will be 1.5 years by then then 3 weeks on the road travel... Plus internal flights.. Very nervous about the flight and travel so looking at all the tips I can get... Really like your comment on other peoples reactions... This is something I have been worried about and as you said it's their choice so will have to keep that in my head when we do travel. One question I do have is what do you do for car seats and strollers? I've heard conflicting advice on this and finding it hard decide which is better.. Take it with us or purchase new ones at our destination? Any help on this would be great, Thanks Sam Hi

Just wanted to say great tips…
We are planning a long haul 12 hour flight next year with our son who will be 1.5 years by then then 3 weeks on the road travel… Plus internal flights..
Very nervous about the flight and travel so looking at all the tips I can get…
Really like your comment on other peoples reactions… This is something I have been worried about and as you said it’s their choice so will have to keep that in my head when we do travel.
One question I do have is what do you do for car seats and strollers?
I’ve heard conflicting advice on this and finding it hard decide which is better.. Take it with us or purchase new ones at our destination?
Any help on this would be great,
Thanks Sam
Sam McEwan´s latest post: A Home Away From Home With Baby Bjorn Travel – My Review

]]> By: Deja http://simplemom.net/how-to-travel-long-distances-with-little-ones-and-not-go-insane/comment-page-1/#comment-137709 Deja Wed, 29 Jun 2011 20:58:55 +0000 http://simplemom.net/?p=5366#comment-137709 I have read about your travel adventures...was hoping to find some info on how to buy a ticket around the world...any resources? I have read about your travel adventures…was hoping to find some info on how to buy a ticket around the world…any resources?

]]> By: Vanessa http://simplemom.net/how-to-travel-long-distances-with-little-ones-and-not-go-insane/comment-page-1/#comment-134478 Vanessa Tue, 24 May 2011 15:29:16 +0000 http://simplemom.net/?p=5366#comment-134478 Great post and an absolutely brilliant string of reader comments. I'll be putting a link to this post on my blog shortly to share with my readers too. Great post and an absolutely brilliant string of reader comments. I’ll be putting a link to this post on my blog shortly to share with my readers too.
Vanessa´s latest post: Oven Cleaning Time Again!

]]> By: Ben http://simplemom.net/how-to-travel-long-distances-with-little-ones-and-not-go-insane/comment-page-1/#comment-134115 Ben Tue, 17 May 2011 22:20:07 +0000 http://simplemom.net/?p=5366#comment-134115 Bring a special new toy or two, take frequent breaks, and let the kids get some energy out on playgrounds or just running around a field. Bring a special new toy or two, take frequent breaks, and let the kids get some energy out on playgrounds or just running around a field.

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