Traveling with children: Some Tips

When I was a new mom, I never thought that I would be lugging my kids along to places Ramir and I have never been.  At that time, it was a long shot, at least for me.  I didn't come from a traveling family.  To my parents, bringing kids along, to the mall or to anywhere, would usually eat a lot of time and would cause a lot of hassle. They wouldn't want to go through the hoopla of going around with kids in tow, so they'll go through things without us or would not go at all.  We understood. But as I became a parent, I realized that I've imbibed the attitude. I, too, dreaded the idea of bringing kids along to anywhere.  I was haunted by scary scenes of uncontrollable tantrums, rowdy children and panicking parents.  Honestly, I wouldn't have the guts to travel with my kids to anywhere, if not for the prodding of my husband.  To his credit, he was in a family who loves to bring kids along to wherever. I always felt that his parents were so groovy and very game when it comes to traveling with kids. They don't mind the effort - packing stuff, bringing food, identifying places to go.  I guess my husband brought their traveling experiences with him that's why he had the courage to entice me to bring our kids to adventures I never thought we would embark on.  It was a team effort, plus a heavy dose of patience and planning plus wet wipes and a stash of snacks and candies that did it for us.  

R was two years old when we brought her to Palawan.  S was one year old when we brought her to Bacolod. We didn't stop since.  R was four when she had her first out of the country trip, while S was three. Our longest road trip was 12 hours in Sagada, while our longest plane ride was almost 11 hours to the US, with an 11 hour layover in Korea.  It wasn't always a breeze, but it can be done.  It was challenging but it's not impossible. If you are having second thoughts on traveling with your children, it's perfectly normal.  I was having those thoughts too seven years ago. The rewards were way more than what you can imagine.  For me, I've learned a lot of things about myself, my husband and my children through traveling.  It also taught us a lot of lessons - societal, cultural, historical, even psychological. To me,  traveling is an enriching and educational experience that everybody should try. 

This post is about some of the things that I've learned for the past eight years that I've been traveling with the Rainbow Sisters.

1. Always have an itinerary

Know where you're going. What time it opens and closes.  What activities it offers.  What your kids can do there.  How would you get there. Where would you eat. How much would you spend. Call me OC but I usually do our itinerary on an excel sheet.  And it's ready days before our scheduled trip.

2.  Psyche up the kids

Brief them about the place you'll visit so they know what to expect. Involve them with the preparation.  It would be better if you can get your kid's buy-in before hand. This way, surprises can be minimized. Lay down the rules.  Ask for their cooperation, especially if you think there would be strenuous activities like long walks.

3. Bring extra clothes in your carry on

Anywhere we go, my kids always have a change of clothes because you'll never know. Spills, dirt and vomit might get in the way of your vacation.  It's better to be safe than sorry.

4. Tissue and wet wipes. And other toiletries

Kids would eat, sweat, sometimes have accidents (see number 3).  You'll need the tissue and wet wipes. I also have a toiletry pack with the following in not more than 100ml bottles (based on Transportation Security Administration's liquids rule): alcohol (to sanitize hands or wounds) and toothpaste (plus toothbrush). I also keep a stash of hair bands and a comb to always keep the girls' hair in place.

5.  Have something for kids to munch on

Nuts. Dried fruits. Cookies. Even candies can come in handy. Children can't go hungry. If you want peace and easy peasy, they need to be fed, every single time they go hungry.

6. A bottle of water

They need to be hydrated.  And water can also help you clean up (Again, see number 3).

If you've been toying on the idea of going to THAT place, I hope you'll muster enough courage to do so.  Somebody said, "A journey of a thousand miles begin with a single step." In our case, it was so true.  Good luck on your adventure.