Thursday, December 18, 2014

A parent’s travel cheat sheet!


“There is no bad weather, only inappropriate clothing”, 

In other words, a little planning goes a long way. If you are a parent then you know exactly what I mean. Traveling with children can be overwhelming. There is an endless list of things to carry. Not to mention an entire pharmacy and a grocery store that needs to be accommodated within the 23kg baggage limit. Long flights can be daunting and the lay-over’s can bring you closer to a breakdown.

I’ve traveled to 4 countries with my son, starting off when he was just 9months. Our last trip with him was only a few months back and now, after a bazillion mistakes am finally getting it right. So here I am sharing my gyan that I’ve gathered after some really bad stumbles.  

#Location. I thought it was a bright idea to travel to Dubai with my one and a half year old. Big mistake. He got claustrophobic in his stroller every 5 minutes. All I did was chase him down the mall like a crazy woman. Can’t remember a single thing I shopped for during the ironic shopping festival. It’s very important to plan a destination with keeping the child in mind. Like for instance our last trip to Australia was a super hit, visit to the zoo, theme parks and beaches, holiday personified . So if you want to pleasant holiday, chose your destination wisely. Make sure your destination has a little bit of something for everyone.

#Flights. Happy child, happy you. Make sure you keep them occupied. A sucker during takeoff and landings helps relieve the pain. A favorite snack helps calming the tantrum. Few toys keep them company and when all fails, a little jog in the aisle dose wonders. Don’t bother no one’s judging.

#Packing Hacks. One great tip I can share is I don’t make individual bag for each one of the family member, but for each day of the trip I have my husband’s, mine and my sons clothes packed into one neat bag. This does make packing a little tedious, but you will bless me for the time you save every morning when you don’t have to run around wondering what to wear.

#Plan every last detail. Your carefree bag-packing days are passé when you traded your trainers for a stroller. Meticulous planning helps you cover more distance and help you explore potential things that might keep you and the kids happy.

Once you get the hang of it , children make the best travel companions ever. It’s surprising that even by the end of a tiring day  they have heaps of energy to do more. Their innate sense of curiosity is something we all can learn from. They put the fun back into vacation. They remind you that sometimes all you need is an in room service, where you kill the wake-up call, hit the pool and just relax. P.s. don’t forget the sun block.