|
|
|
How To Prepare For A Trip With Your Kids
ith distant destinations basis can get tiresome.
now easily accessible,
and low-cost airlines As a general rule of thumb, it’s
making travel more affordable better to avoid visiting areas at
most parents plan to take their an altitude of more than 3,200
children with them when they go feet with babies under 12 months,
abroad. Making a family vacation and, while 2-year olds should be
a success for all, however, takes able to cope with 6,500 feet
a little more than just booking altitude, make sure you can turn
the tickets. back easily to lower ground if
they start having difficulties.
Health comes first
Arrange for a medical check-up,
For off-the-beaten-track travel, and ask the advice of your local
before you even start opening the doctor or pediatrician well in
atlas, the first issue to advance of your planned vacation,
consider is health. Ask yourself, to allow for possible
if you want to go somewhere far inoculations, and to make sure
off and exotic, whether your your children will be able to
children are old enough to travel well. Think also about the
understand the importance of any routines and natural rhythms that
necessary medication. Will they your children are used to—and
get something out of the every child is different. While a
vacation, too, apart from an certain disruption will be
increased dislike of long-haul inevitable, try to respect your
flights? Pre-trip jabs may take children’s body clocks, and don’t
their toll on your tots, and you try to cram too much into a short
may find that administering period: Round-the-world trips in
anti-malarial tablets, for eight days with under-10s may not
example, to youngsters on a daily be the best way to spend your
vacation time! rooms?
* Are they available every day,
When you are sure that this is all day, or only at certain
going to be a fun time for the times?
whole family, you can start * Is there a baby listening
planning properly. Here’s our service?
guide to a stress-free trip with * Who are the child minders:
the kids. hotel staff, specially trained
hotel staff, outsiders?
Do your homework on your home * What child-centered
from home activities are on offer, and who
runs them?
It pays to do a little research * What security measures are in
before taking action. We suggest place? Do parents sign the
that you contact the hotel or children in and out each day?
resort you are hoping to stay at, * Are there indoor and outdoor
and ask them about facilities for play areas?
babies and children. * What food is available? Is it
the same as the adult menu, is
Questions to ask before you book there only fried food, or are
your hotel/resort: there special child portions?
* What are the room-sharing When you are satisfied with the
options for you and your answers, and feel that your kids
children? will have a good time, you’ll be
* Are there childcare ready to book your tickets.
facilities, and what are they
exactly? Babies—to go, or no?
* How much do they cost, or are
they included in the price of the Many readers wonder if it is wise
to travel with infants. In fact,
the under-2s are probably the If traveling by train, request
easiest age group to manage on seats together—two seats facing
the move. This is for several another two is a good
reasons: They travel free on configuration for families of
airlines; babies of up to six four—and make sure to ask if
months or so are still eminently there are any family reductions
portable and go easily on your for the tickets. And, if driving
lap; babies usually don’t suffer a rental, check to see if child
from jet-lag; and, last but not seats are provided.
least, babies are an open sesame
to a genuine welcome wherever you Packing for baby
go, loved as they are all over
the world. Pack plenty of disposable diapers
in the main baggage, to check in,
Book the right seats plus wipes, bibs, and milk
formula, if you use it. In your
If flying with a baby, try to hand luggage, you should include
book specific seats in advance to a few of these items plus a spare
give you more leg room and space change of baby clothes, so that
for a travel cot. Let the airline they are easily accessible during
know you are traveling with a the journey.
baby, as you should be able to
get priority when boarding, and If you are on a long-haul flight,
they may even be able to provide you might consider preparing
a “sky cot” or special baby bottles of milk in advance, which
seats. This website can help you you can ask the cabin staff to
identify the right seats before warm up for you, or, if you don’t
you purchase: mind the extra baggage, a travel
http://www.seatguru.com. sterilizer holding a couple of
bottles without risk for up to seating, as a window seat is a
three hours. boon and makes for constant
distraction for younger children,
Strollers may end up being more plus they can’t escape down the
trouble than they’re aisle without you noticing.
worth—depending on your
destination, you may not find a Check with your airline also to
smooth enough surface to use them see if there is a special play
once you arrive, and they may not area in the airport lounge,
arrive with the rest of your priority boarding, and special
baggage. Instead, why not think fun packs for children. Be sure
about a backpack or sling to to claim all these extras if you
carry your baby, and, if she’s can, and ask about arranging
taking her first steps, encourage visits to the cockpit.
her to practice walking.
The bare necessities…
Flying with children
A small first-aid kit is
This is more challenging, because essential, to be packed in your
children—as opposed to babes in main baggage (for security
arms—are mobile and usually keen reasons, most airlines will not
to stay on the move. On the plus allow sharp objects in your
side, there are seatbelts to keep carry-on), containing at the very
them in place. least: a small sewing kit, good
insect repellent and after-bite
Contact the airline well in lotion, waterproof band-aids,
advance—at least 24 hours before crepe bandage, sterile dressings,
the flight—to book any special a roll of micro-pore tape,
children's meals. Take advantage antiseptic cream or wipes,
of any options to book specific analgesic, antihistamine for
allergies and bad bites, suntan are better than cans or family
lotion, and a Swiss army penknife size cartons, and reduce the risk
(with tweezers and scissors). of spillage.
You’ll have made a note of your Added extras…
passport numbers, issue and
expiry dates, your travel You should pack a couple of goody
details, and credit cards. Before bags to distribute when mid-trip
you leave, take a digital photo boredom kicks in. These can
of your passport pages, and send contain special treats like a
it to an e-mail address you can chocolate or fruit bar, a new toy
easily access, just in case, or or book, or a favorite game or
leave photocopies with a trusted DVD. Extra wrapping can add to
friend or family member who can the excitement. These bags should
be contacted easily. It shouldn’t be kept in your carry-on luggage,
be necessary to take more than or slipped in as a surprise in
two major credit cards with you, your kids’ carry-on bag.
and one per adult is ideal, to
minimize loss by theft. Audio story cassettes or CDs will
keep the whole family entertained
Pack a few healthy snacks, in in the car, and with portable
case of delays, especially for players and headphones, the
long journeys, and things that children can choose what they
are easy to eat: dried fruit, want on a train or plane—just
such as raisins or figs, and remember to bring spare
fresh bananas, apples, and batteries. A small bag of
mandarins are convenient notebooks with pencils attached
traveling fruit; fruit juice and on a string or crayons and paper
water in screw-top bottles or is a good stand-by for younger
individual cartons with straws children.
Little helpers Last-minute planning
Get the children involved in the This may seem obvious, but leave
whole business of traveling and yourselves plenty of time on the
let them pack their own little day of departure, and make sure,
cases. You can make this fun by if booking a cab, to take the
telling them to choose just one traffic into account.
of their favorite toys or games,
or allowing them to fill one To make your kids more
small bag only. visible—and easier to spot if
they go astray—pick out their
Older children might enjoy brightest clothes for the
keeping a log book or travel journey, and wear something that
diary to show their friends, will make you stand out in a
which they can fill with ticket crowd, too. Failing that, give
stubs, beer mats, postcards, and them little whistles to blow if
other objects they pick up on the they get lost.
way—so don’t forget a stick of
non-spill glue or adhesive tape, Before you leave, dress your baby
and safe scissors. A disposable in layers that are easy to take
camera or small digital will also off or put on again, according to
help your kids make their own the temperature in the cabin.
souvenirs. Plus you won’t need to change her
whole outfit if there’s a spill.
A new wallet with some of the
local money could also be given, Surviving the journey
to give the children a taste of
financial autonomy and a little Change your watches together to
practice in simple math. the time of your destination, if
flying across time zones, and get activities, such as coloring-in
the kids to calculate when lunch books, cards, and, if you have
time and dinner is there to help the patience, I-spy…Older
them adjust. children can learn to map read,
or start filling in their travel
On take-off and landing, you can log.
alleviate the discomfort that the
sudden change in air pressure can On arrival…
bring by giving your baby a
pacifier or a bottle to suck—make Once you’ve all reached your
sure it’s to hand. Children can destination safely, show your
have candy to suck, or can drink children the fire escapes, if
water or juice to alleviate they are staying in a separate
possible earache. room from you, and make sure they
know who to go to for help in the
For younger children, attach a hotel or resort, introduce them
little plastic bag to the seat to the reception staff and any
cover in front to keep their designated staff who deal with
crayons and toys easily children. Remind them not to go
accessible, whether the fold-down off with strangers, or to pet any
tray table is in use or not. stray animals.
Once the initial excitement of Older children could be given
settling in and take off is over, responsibility for keeping the
and before any in-flight films room keys or for sending the
are shown, a bag of toys and family postcards if no internet
games is invaluable. (It was in café is handy for regular
your carry-on hand luggage, updates.
right?) This may also be the time
to rediscover more traditional Back home…
Further Resources
It’s always a good idea to take
your kids for a post-trip How to Get the Best Deal Every
check-up with your pediatrician, Time You Travel, available from
if only for your own peace of the IL Bookstore:
mind. http://www.ilbookstore.com .
About the Author:
Leigh Fergus is an editor for International Living magazine. This article initially appeared in International Living. Subscriptions to IL's Free E-Letter are available here.
Read more articles by: Leigh Fergus
Article Source: www.iSnare.com |
|
