Travel Expert
Traveling with Kids!? Lots of tips and tricks on board this week!
If you’ve ever traveled on your own, you know the potential challenges. So, you know or could guess that traveling with little ones isn’t easy, sooo, what can we do to reduce stress? And, wait ‘til you see my interview with a few World Travelers; whom almost exclusively travel with their children, sometimes for 3 months at a time with a newborn and later with two children, ages 3 months to almost 4 years.
The Basics: 3 Ways to Get Ready
Mentally prepare: What do I need?
Physically prepare: What does my child/children need?
Emotionally prepare: How will you navigate challenges?
1.Mentally prepare: what do I need?
Identify what you need for your trip, of course, but more importantly what do you need on the plane?
Create your packing list and be sure to place the following in your carryon bag:
Change of clothes (for you and the kiddos)
Power cords, device, headphones
Magazine or book
Snacks, Gum
Wallet - cash, ID, insurance card, credit card(s)/bank card
Medication
Chapstick
Hand sanitizer
Makeup bag (if applicable)
Some people also prefer to have their toiletries bag (size dependent)
2.Physically prepare: what does my child/children need?
Identify what the kiddos need, but most importantly consider these comfort items for the plane:
Favorite snacks (a few days’ worth), spoons, bibs (age dependent)
Water, formula and bottle(s)-(if needed
Something to snuggle or soothe (pacifier and or stuffed animal, age and preference dependent) and pacifier, teething toy
Entertainment: a few small books or magazines, pad of paper and crayons, a few small toys (without separate or removable pieces), electronic device and headphones (preference dependent)
Change of clothes and or pajamas (2 full changes)
Toileting-related: diapers, wipes, changing mat, sealable plastic bags
Be Proactive
Beyond physical items, I know, your little love(s) have an ENDLESS number of questions. You know how the story goes...What is the airport? Why do we have tickets? Why do we have to go through security? How come we need to give our bags, so they’re checked luggage? What are those workers doing??Why are we sitting (in the airport terminal and then on the tarmac) here? Our plane is “now boarding”, what does that mean? We’re going to the runway? Soooo many questions, right!?
4 Ways to Help Your Child Visualize Your Travel
A. Talk your child through the experience
B. Read a book together
C.Make a book by drawing pictures together
D.Watch a show where the main character(s) are traveling
A.Talk Your Child Through the Experience
The airport is the place where planes fly to and from.
We need the tickets to be able to check our bags, go through security, and get on the plane.
Security is where a (TSA) officer looks at our plane ticket and ID to make sure they match/they are the same. And, they make sure our bags are ready and safely able to enter the airport.
We will carry some of our bags onto the plane and others will need to be “checked”. These bags will be moved by airport workers and will be loaded into the (plane) for us to pick up when we land.
The tarmac is the part of the airport where the planes park and the area leading to the runway.
The airport workers each have different jobs to help the airport and the people that are traveling
When it’s time to board the plane, it means that it will be time to walk on the jet bridge path to the plane, so we can find our seats and put our carryon bags in place.
The runway is the place where the plane gains speed in order to takeoff or take flight into the sky.
B.Read a Book
Many great books exist that explain traveling, airports, airplanes, and many other forms of transportation. Through the practice of reading books with your child, they have exposure to language, pictures to help them build their vocabulary, and information from the character’s perspective.
C.Make a Book by Drawing Pictures
Working on projects together is a wonderful way to bond and spark conversation. It’s also great turn taking practice, learning to wait for a turn, sharing ideas, and working cooperatively and collaboratively.
D.Watch a Show Where the Main Character(s) Are Traveling
To see someone else’s experience can help a child develop familiarity with a situation, begin to develop an understanding of a new experience, and even help a child to develop empathy, when faced with a challenge. This experience can provide opportunities for conversation where, as the adult you can highlight, share, and discuss the similarities between the character’s experience and the storyline as it relates to the upcoming for your child.
Promote Compliance
Positive reinforcement can be rooted in sportscasting, meaning, SAY what you SEE! A great way to encourage MORE behavior that is desirable is to comment and share about the behaviors and expectations that are preferred. It’s the concept that “GOOD” breeds more goodness. Pick your battles wisely...safety, health, respect and schedule-based concerns takes priority. If my daughter puts her leggings or her T-shirt on backwards, I’m likely to say nothing. To the contrary, if she tries to wear winter boots in 90-degree weather, I will provide two appropriate options: “you can wear these tennis shoes or those sandals.“ She can choose or I will choose on her behalf. I will say, “You can choose, or I will choose for you.” If she delays, I will tell her, “you have 5 more seconds to choose or I will choose.” Regardless of who chooses, I will offer to help her put on the shoes. If she chooses, no matter which shoes she selects, I will say “great choice, I’m glad you made a decision”.
Regarding travel, if she is safe in the airport, I will verbalize: “I like the way you are staying close to my body” or “your walking feet are keeping you safe”. However, if she tries to run in the airport on the moving walkway, I’ll be quick to say something precise. Such as redirecting her to act in a way that meets the expectation.
“We walk inside”
“You need to hold my hand”
“Let’s speed walk together”
“Let’s speed walk carefully inside”
3.Emotionally Prepare: How Will You Navigate Challenges?
Distilled responses for the WIN!
Directives- Be direct, you’re the ‘Velvet Hammer’, you Hero, you! The goal is FIRM and KIND.
Walk
Stay close to me
Wait here
Stand here
Hold this
Pull this
These are your two snack options
These treats are only for the plane
Flying!? Check out these example directives to share at KEY times
Boarding: It’s almost our turn to get on the plane. Hold your bag and walk with me to find our seats.
Takeoff: It’s almost time for the plane to get going, sit up in your seat. To take flight, the plane has to gain some speed.
Turbulence: The shakiness that you’re feeling is like the plane bumping into clouds (thicker air) and wind. Want to hold my hand?
Descend: The plane takes off and flies into the sky, but now it’s almost time to land, put your things away. The plane is going to carefully lower back to the ground to the next airport.
Deplaning: Stay in your seat and wait your turn. We will walk off of the plane together shortly.
Summon Your Hero State
When you say “don’t run”, your child hears RUN, so be sure to SAY what you want to SEE to encourage and promote the best possible behavior. If you need to, summon your HERO STATE to keep calm! What’s Hero State, you ask!? Let’s review. take a deep breath, place your lips together, and press your tongue against the back of your top teeth. Unwrinkle your forehead, unfurrow your brow, and relax your eyes. Hold this face, if you can, and be sure to KEEP breathing. Count to 5 or 6 for your inhale and your exhale, try for even and slow breaths. WHY did you do THIS? Because now, you’re in HERO state, you have your poker face ON and you’re ready to tackle these very real, potentially emotional struggles. During these interactions you’re going to summon your HERO state because the less emotional you are about a situation, the more likely the situation presented will not escalate, making it easier to navigate and resolve!
CHECK OUT THIS WEEKS’ BONUS POST
A Night out of Town to Traveling the World
I had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview a few Expert Travelers. Be sure to read their story about the thought process and the planning they put forth to travel to countries all around the World with two children four and younger, including a 3-month old baby.
And, be sure to request our FREE Independence Guide at: www.homedayhero.com