The Modern Mother’s Guide to Traveling With Kids
It ain’t easy to do it all…especially when you’re traveling. (Graphic: Thinkstock)
The Modern Mother’s Handbook is the rare parenting guide that can be read in only 60 minutes.
It’s jam-packed with 10 years’ of no-nonsense, actionable advice for new moms who want to learn how to sleep-train their baby, get a toddler to love eating healthy foods, avoid common parenting mistakes, know the rules for playdates, TV and video games—and raise a happy, healthy, smart, disciplined and interesting child.
Think of the wisdom as coming from your older, wiser sister, the one with three kids, a great job and a lazy husband. She’s the one who is going to give it to your straight. That’s why we asked the Modern Mother (she’s anonymous) to give us her top five tips for traveling with kids.
What’s your best advice for traveling on planes with babies?
Request an aisle seat because you’ll be up and down! Depending on how old the child is give her something new to play with. An age appropriate (silent!) toy can help, and an iPad loaded with Dora the Explorer is a good option. Have plenty of milk and be prepared when you wake up that morning to have a challenging day. Babies pick up on mom’s attitude, so if you stay calm they’ll stay calm.
Related: The Absolute Worst Kids on the Plane
How do you get a kid to sleep in a hotel room?
Bring along all the comforts of home— their favorite pillow, stuffed animal or nightlight. Also, accept that on vacation kids are gonna stay up a little later than normal and that’s ok! They’ll go right back to their regular schedule when you get home. Also, travel soon after they’re born and often. Make it a regular thing for them and it will just get easier.
What’s the best diaper bag for travel?
I’m not a fan of complicated diaper bags. They cost too much and are just unnecessary. I always used a cheap and lightweight canvas bag that I could either fold up or throw away if it got too dirty.
How do you get a kid to sit still in a restaurant?
Talk to them! Parents very often make the mistake of thinking kids don’t want to engage in interesting conversation. How do you think interesting adults became that way? Not by playing video games at the dinner table. The old crayons and paper is also always a fail-proof strategy. When all else fails, try Hang-Man.
What’s the best vacation for an ornery teenager?
Let them help pick a place so they’re part of the decision. Don’t set yourself up for failure. Few teenager will see the value of aimlessly walking about Paris for four days, but they’ll surely love the idea of being on the beach or having access to a pool. Of course, if you get all the parenting stuff right before they become teenagers, they won’t be so ornery!
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