“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.” -Mark Twain
I have always loved this quote, and the more I've traveled, the more it has resonated with me. We live in our American bubble and can so easily tune out the rest of the world if we choose to; or, we can choose to actually GO and experience other cultures, meet other people, learn other traditions, and expand our minds to what is "normal." There is so much more to each culture than what we see on the news and read through our filtered lenses.
That is why, when I had the opportunity to take my girls (barely 1 year, and 3 years old) with my mom and me on a trip to Thailand, I was thrilled to do so. Sure, they likely won't remember the experience long-term, but there's something about exposing even young minds to the concept that there is a great big world out there [and we are only a small part of it] that is so defining. They will grow up seeing pictures of their first international adventure, proudly showing their heavily stamped passports, and hear stories of how they bravely traversed the globe -- and will hopefully develop a desire to travel far and wide throughout their lives!
Now, with all of that said, traveling with young children is certainly not for the faint of heart. I've had the incredible opportunities to visit 18 countries on 5 different continents throughout my lifetime, but prior to Thailand, all of these travels were without kids in tow! Kids change the dynamic in so many ways, and preparation for this trip looked a lot different than past travels.
Prior to this trip, I polled many friends and fellow travelers for their advice on traveling with kids, and I greatly appreciated their encouragement, creativity, and well wishes (though half of them surely thought I was crazy for including our children on this 36hr of travel time, each way... ) In an attempt to "pay it forward," I want to share 5 Tips for International Travel with Young Children:
1. Baby-Wearing. Whether or not you are normally inclined to strap your infant to yourself, I would put a good baby carrier at the very top of the list of "must-haves" for international traveling with a very young child. I personally love my Ergobaby Travel Carrier - it's lightweight so I never felt too hot, it's flexible, and it even folds up into it's own pocket. [Apparently, this version has since been discontinued by the manufacturer, but the point is to find whatever carrier works for you!] Much easier than toting around a clunky stroller, wearing my 1 year old allowed me to have hands free to shuffle luggage and wrangle her big sister! She even was able to fall asleep in it while we walked through busy airports, and she ultimately was worn all over Thailand, which made hiking and shopping much easier!
2. Carseat vs. No Carseat on the airplane? [for toddlers] We debated for a long time about whether to take the carseat on the plane for our three year old. [Our baby was a lap-infant ticket for all of our flights...which presented challenges for sure, but was worth the free flight, no doubt!] In the end, I opted not to take the toddler's carseat. My hesitation was that she might not sit still in her airplane seat, and she is accustomed to napping in her carseat on long road trips (and putting all of her little "things" in the cupholders). However, this one totally depends on the child's age and personality. I was relieved that I ended up not taking ours, as it was one less thing to haul around; thankfully, my three year old was happy to snuggle in the "big seat" with blankets, pillows, and on some flights was even able to stretch out and nap on the empty seat in our row. *An important advantage we had was that my sister, on the receiving end, had carseats available for us to use at our final destination. Obviously, you want to make sure you have a safe option for toddler transportation wherever you land. [There are amazing carseat dollies that you can use to roll them onto the plane and through the airport, should you need to take one!]*
3. Less is truly more. While I spent hours contemplating what toys and activities to take on the plane for our 15 hour, 6 hour, and 2 hour flight --- each way --- I ended up taking the advice of some well-traveled friends who have kids around the same ages as ours. Many of them echoed the same sentiments... as long as you have kid movies, snacks, and just a few activities, you're set! You really don't want to bog down your carry-on bag with a ton of excess toys and heavy books that will never be played with... especially when you need that space for diapers, etc. Here are the things that worked best for us:
- SNACKS. Enough said... we took things like fruit snacks, veggie straws, trail mix, mini-raisin boxes, and fruit packets that kept little hands (and little mouths) busy and content! Our kids actually liked the meals served on the plane, but it's good to have backup food just in case. Hungry kids are not happy kids. Neither are constipated kids... so making sure to include fruit in our snack options kept everyone regular ; )
- Headphones/kid movies: While most airlines provide free headphones, they aren't always kid-sized. We took some of our own (which were a novelty for our three year old, and further increased their appeal) and took advantage of the endless cartoon options. (iPads are another great option, as well as downloading TV show or movies on your phone.) Between snacking, movies, and snoozing, my three year old was pretty much occupied the entire time we were in the air!
- Stickers / gel clings / painters tape / play-doh: Tactile objects were key for our 1 year old. This age is difficult because movies don't have much appeal, and snack options only work for so long. Allowing her to stick things to the food tray, windows, etc. was a good way to pass time. At the suggestion of a friend, a roll of painter's tape was a cheap and surprisingly entertaining object (I stuck small pieces all over our baby's arms and legs, and she loved trying to "unstick" them. You could also make tic-tac-toe or any other game for older kids, and the tape doesn't leave a residue on airplane surfaces).
- Good, old-fashioned people watching! Don't underestimate the power of natural entertainment opportunities all around you, especially if your kids are new to flying! Mine loved looking at the clouds out the window, talking about the different parts of the airplane, thumbing through the in-flight brochures, and mostly just making friends with fellow passengers around us. If it's a long flight, you'll want to get up and walk around anyhow, so this is a good way to pass time also! Bonus: If you take time to get to know your flight attendants, they will generally be happy to do things for you like heat baby bottles, sneak you extra snacks, help entertain your kids, take pictures for you, etc. ; )
4. Pack with the end in mind. Take only what you really need in your carry-on bags, and separate items into ziplock bags. As I mentioned above, you'll already need space in your bag for diapers, wipes, snacks, and a few kid-friendly entertainment objects. Besides toiletries we needed at our stopover, really the only other thing I took in my carry-on was changes of clothes for everyone. At the suggestion of my brilliant husband (who was unable to make it on this trip, but who played a key role in our travel preparations), I placed everything categorized into separate gallon-sized ziplock bags. This idea proved to be very helpful when our toddler vomited on the first flight... I was able to quickly locate a ziplock bag of fresh clothes for both of us, instead of having to dump everything out and search for what I needed. Likewise, I had another ziplock bag with pajamas and toiletries that we needed during our long layover. When you're exhausted and just want a shower and clean clothes, the last thing you want to do is have to search through everything to remember where you put them! Ziplock bags also doubled as trash bags and dirty clothes compartments. Thanks for this idea, J.J.!
5. Lastly, and perhaps most important...
Step outside of your "norm" and see the world through your children's eyes! I posted here about some profound comments and observations my toddler made during our journey that have really impacted me. When I really stopped to take in the sights, smells, and sounds as if seeing them for the first time like my children, my experience was enhanced in every way! Don't be afraid to let your three year old befriend the elderly woman seated behind you on the plane who speaks another language; some of the best conversations don't require words! If the baby changing tables in the foreign airport bathroom aren't up to your cleanliness standards, learn to change your baby while she's standing up instead of laying down! Try new foods and embrace the culture you're visiting; it will show your children that your "way" of doing things isn't the only way!
I have always loved this quote, and the more I've traveled, the more it has resonated with me. We live in our American bubble and can so easily tune out the rest of the world if we choose to; or, we can choose to actually GO and experience other cultures, meet other people, learn other traditions, and expand our minds to what is "normal." There is so much more to each culture than what we see on the news and read through our filtered lenses.
That is why, when I had the opportunity to take my girls (barely 1 year, and 3 years old) with my mom and me on a trip to Thailand, I was thrilled to do so. Sure, they likely won't remember the experience long-term, but there's something about exposing even young minds to the concept that there is a great big world out there [and we are only a small part of it] that is so defining. They will grow up seeing pictures of their first international adventure, proudly showing their heavily stamped passports, and hear stories of how they bravely traversed the globe -- and will hopefully develop a desire to travel far and wide throughout their lives!
Prior to this trip, I polled many friends and fellow travelers for their advice on traveling with kids, and I greatly appreciated their encouragement, creativity, and well wishes (though half of them surely thought I was crazy for including our children on this 36hr of travel time, each way... ) In an attempt to "pay it forward," I want to share 5 Tips for International Travel with Young Children:
1. Baby-Wearing. Whether or not you are normally inclined to strap your infant to yourself, I would put a good baby carrier at the very top of the list of "must-haves" for international traveling with a very young child. I personally love my Ergobaby Travel Carrier - it's lightweight so I never felt too hot, it's flexible, and it even folds up into it's own pocket. [Apparently, this version has since been discontinued by the manufacturer, but the point is to find whatever carrier works for you!] Much easier than toting around a clunky stroller, wearing my 1 year old allowed me to have hands free to shuffle luggage and wrangle her big sister! She even was able to fall asleep in it while we walked through busy airports, and she ultimately was worn all over Thailand, which made hiking and shopping much easier!
2. Carseat vs. No Carseat on the airplane? [for toddlers] We debated for a long time about whether to take the carseat on the plane for our three year old. [Our baby was a lap-infant ticket for all of our flights...which presented challenges for sure, but was worth the free flight, no doubt!] In the end, I opted not to take the toddler's carseat. My hesitation was that she might not sit still in her airplane seat, and she is accustomed to napping in her carseat on long road trips (and putting all of her little "things" in the cupholders). However, this one totally depends on the child's age and personality. I was relieved that I ended up not taking ours, as it was one less thing to haul around; thankfully, my three year old was happy to snuggle in the "big seat" with blankets, pillows, and on some flights was even able to stretch out and nap on the empty seat in our row. *An important advantage we had was that my sister, on the receiving end, had carseats available for us to use at our final destination. Obviously, you want to make sure you have a safe option for toddler transportation wherever you land. [There are amazing carseat dollies that you can use to roll them onto the plane and through the airport, should you need to take one!]*
- SNACKS. Enough said... we took things like fruit snacks, veggie straws, trail mix, mini-raisin boxes, and fruit packets that kept little hands (and little mouths) busy and content! Our kids actually liked the meals served on the plane, but it's good to have backup food just in case. Hungry kids are not happy kids. Neither are constipated kids... so making sure to include fruit in our snack options kept everyone regular ; )
- Headphones/kid movies: While most airlines provide free headphones, they aren't always kid-sized. We took some of our own (which were a novelty for our three year old, and further increased their appeal) and took advantage of the endless cartoon options. (iPads are another great option, as well as downloading TV show or movies on your phone.) Between snacking, movies, and snoozing, my three year old was pretty much occupied the entire time we were in the air!
- Stickers / gel clings / painters tape / play-doh: Tactile objects were key for our 1 year old. This age is difficult because movies don't have much appeal, and snack options only work for so long. Allowing her to stick things to the food tray, windows, etc. was a good way to pass time. At the suggestion of a friend, a roll of painter's tape was a cheap and surprisingly entertaining object (I stuck small pieces all over our baby's arms and legs, and she loved trying to "unstick" them. You could also make tic-tac-toe or any other game for older kids, and the tape doesn't leave a residue on airplane surfaces).
- Good, old-fashioned people watching! Don't underestimate the power of natural entertainment opportunities all around you, especially if your kids are new to flying! Mine loved looking at the clouds out the window, talking about the different parts of the airplane, thumbing through the in-flight brochures, and mostly just making friends with fellow passengers around us. If it's a long flight, you'll want to get up and walk around anyhow, so this is a good way to pass time also! Bonus: If you take time to get to know your flight attendants, they will generally be happy to do things for you like heat baby bottles, sneak you extra snacks, help entertain your kids, take pictures for you, etc. ; )
4. Pack with the end in mind. Take only what you really need in your carry-on bags, and separate items into ziplock bags. As I mentioned above, you'll already need space in your bag for diapers, wipes, snacks, and a few kid-friendly entertainment objects. Besides toiletries we needed at our stopover, really the only other thing I took in my carry-on was changes of clothes for everyone. At the suggestion of my brilliant husband (who was unable to make it on this trip, but who played a key role in our travel preparations), I placed everything categorized into separate gallon-sized ziplock bags. This idea proved to be very helpful when our toddler vomited on the first flight... I was able to quickly locate a ziplock bag of fresh clothes for both of us, instead of having to dump everything out and search for what I needed. Likewise, I had another ziplock bag with pajamas and toiletries that we needed during our long layover. When you're exhausted and just want a shower and clean clothes, the last thing you want to do is have to search through everything to remember where you put them! Ziplock bags also doubled as trash bags and dirty clothes compartments. Thanks for this idea, J.J.!
5. Lastly, and perhaps most important...
Step outside of your "norm" and see the world through your children's eyes! I posted here about some profound comments and observations my toddler made during our journey that have really impacted me. When I really stopped to take in the sights, smells, and sounds as if seeing them for the first time like my children, my experience was enhanced in every way! Don't be afraid to let your three year old befriend the elderly woman seated behind you on the plane who speaks another language; some of the best conversations don't require words! If the baby changing tables in the foreign airport bathroom aren't up to your cleanliness standards, learn to change your baby while she's standing up instead of laying down! Try new foods and embrace the culture you're visiting; it will show your children that your "way" of doing things isn't the only way!
So, there you have it! Wear your baby. Consider your carseat options. Remember that less is more. Pack with the end in mind. And open your eyes to view the world through your children's perspective!
I truly hope this trip plants seeds in my children's lives... seeds of identity, courage, adventure, and a compassion for the world they live in. I encourage you not to shy away from taking your own children on international adventures; instead, embrace the opportunities you have to show them the world, as overwhelming as it may seem. Children are much more resilient than most adults give them credit for, and the lessons we can learn from seeing the world through their eyes is truly remarkable.
Wishing you a lifetime of [big] travels [even with little people]... what are you waiting for?!
Leigh
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