when we got back from
hawaii I was asked so much about how traveling with the babes went.
...and quite honestly it went GREAT!!
sooo.... with that, (I'm no pro by any means!), BUT here are some tips and things that we found helpful while traveling with two kids under the age of three.
harper (2.5 years) & tanner (9 months).
**now first let me start with this disclaimer: all could have gone the complete opposite as well. but some how the stars aligned for us and we sailed right on through those 6+ hours of flying. EACH.WAY. ;)
1. if you can take grandma. then TAKE GRANDMA. (or any extra set of hands to help for that matter). my mom went with us and it was HUGE.
2. for baby bring a wrap to wear for them to nap in. I brought my
solly wrap (rather than my
ergo because it's small and takes up a lot less space. and when traveling with kids there is already SO much you're lugging around. so go for a small one you can stuff in your carry on.)
I put it on prior to boarding our flight so I didn't have to mess with putting it on in the tight airplane space. I didn't actually put tanner in though until we were able to be standing and moving about. then in he went and it was naptime!
3. sit in the aisle seat. this was so helpful for me to be able to get up and down if I needed to keep tanner moving to keep him sleeping. and let me tell ya. IT WORKED. cause boy slept for 2.5 hours!!
4. for harper (busy little toddler) it was all about newness. things she hadn't yet seen before. new snacks. new (little, easy to pack) toys (think dollar store!), new movies (we brought a portable dvd player), and of course... the iPad!
**make sure to not use everything up cause you'll still need some new things for the flight home!**
5. use the other passengers around you! ha! we were sitting by such kind people, and if they were showing interest in my baby and wanting to talk to him, by all means I was gonna let them!
6. when you book your flights, if possible try flying in the morning. the kiddos are still fresh in the day and not yet over it and getting tired for bed. our flights home were a little later in the day and the kids were just a little busier cause of it.
if you have any questions for me, please don't hesitate to ask! cause there is certainly so much more to it than six simple steps haha! ;) if I can help just one mama out with this, that makes it all worth it. I know the travel can bring on lots of stress and anxiety of what to expect.
if there's a point where things aren't going great-- just get though it. cause once that plane lands and you're off, that part is over and you're now ready to enjoy the vacation!
