“Traveling with toddlers.” Those three words are enough to strike terror is the heart of any mother or father. The idea of packing up a two or three year old and all the sippy cups, toys, blankets, snacks, and changes of clothes he or she needs is exhausting to even contemplate, never mind pull off successfully. Traveling by car means long hours entertaining Junior while he squirms in a car seat, while traveling by air means risking incurring the wrath of all your fellow passengers as you desperately try to get him to go to sleep during a red eye.
Luckily for you, you are not the only one to try to travel with a toddler. By learning from the experiences of other parents, you can plan ahead and try to make your trip, whether it is a road trip across the country or a weekend at grandmas, as stress-free as possible.
1. You know your child and her sleep habits. If she is the kind of kid who can curl up and go to sleep anywhere when she’s tired, try scheduling flights for nighttime or during her usual naptime. That way, she can sleep all the way there and be refreshed and ready when the plane lands. But if she can only sleep with her proper routine in place, schedule a daytime flight and pack enough toys and games to keep her occupied for the duration of the flight. There is nothing worse than hoping she’ll sleep through the flight and then spending the long, cramped night arguing with a two-year-old.
2. When you get to your hotel room, look around for all the same childproofing concerns you would notice at home. Blind cords, bathrooms, and other hotel room dangers are easy to ignore when you arrive exhausted at your hotel. Be careful with small items that your baby can find in an open suitcase—diamond engagement rings, loose diamond jewelry and pill bottles are just as dangerous on vacation as they are at home.
3. Even though you are traveling and touring, doing your best to keep your toddler’s routine as familiar as possible. Keeping naptimes and mealtimes as regular as you can, and bringing along familiar comfort objects like toys and blankets can help make a strange hotel room or rental apartment feel a lot more like home.
4. A foreign country or even a new region is probably full of exciting new cuisine options, but don’t be surprised if all your toddler wants is mashed potatoes or macaroni and cheese. It’s good to encourage him to try new foods, especially if you know they are somewhat similar to flavors he already likes, but to avoid tantrums and meltdowns, make sure to have some familiar foods around as well. Pack snacks he likes to eat every day, and don’t hesitate to ask a restaurant for a dish of plain rice or mashed potatoes with ketchup.
5. A few weeks before the trip, start getting your toddler ready for the experience by helping her pack toys and games she will want when she leaves. Give her a tote bag and tell her she can bring as much as she can fit in it. That will help involve her in the planning and will also help ensure that you have the toys and games she loves when you set out.
This article has been provided by Whiteflash.com, the Internet’s premier provider of quality engagement rings, diamond jewelry, and certified loose diamonds.
