By Jae-Ha Kim
jaehakim.com
August 23, 2017
I am really lucky. My son has been a great traveler from the get-go, whether we’re flying or taking a looooooooong road trip. My husband and I started taking him on trips with us when he was a baby, and I believe that helped him adapt easily to being on the road.
Traveling with children doesn’t have to be an ordeal. Sure, changes of environment can be tough, but bringing the comforts of home with you can make a tremendous difference.
Here are a few tips to help make your trip more fun:
1) While a toddler clearly knows when he or she isn’t home, keeping the daily routine intact does wonders. Make sure your child naps at the same time they would at home and bring their favorite blanket or toy to sleep with.
2) Actor Larenz Tate told me that he travels differently as a parent than he did when he was single: “I travel at night when the (kids) go to sleep. They are more likely to sleep on the plane. That makes it easier for everyone.”
3) Also, make sure to bring their favorite snacks. To this day, I travel with small packets of geem/김 (crisped, seasoned laver) for my son. It goes perfectly with a side of rice. It also is a delicious snack by itself.
4) Bring the soap you normally would use in the bath at home. Even the most luxurious hotel may not carry your baby’s favorite brand of shampoo.
5) Remember that when you’re traveling with toddlers, they’re in charge. You may want to cram in a few more visits to museums or check out the restaurants that all your friends raved about. But, after a certain point, they will have reached their limit, and you’ll just be pushing your luck.
Family-travel expert Eileen Ogintz, who writes the syndicated column “Taking the Kids,” concurs.
“Families tend to plan too much,” she says. “Cut your itinerary in half. Embrace the experience. Enjoy all the conversations you will have because of your adorable child.”
© 2017 JAE-HA KIM | All Rights Reserved
I think snacks make all the difference! We traveled for 5 weeks in Korea this summer and the kids did great. I flew alone with my kids there and back and they did awesome. Nothing like video games on a plane!
Agreed! Traveling today is so different from when I was little. We had to sit on the plane (or in the car) and pretty much just be bored most of the time! 🙂 My son loves getting on a plane and having his own entertainment console on the plane to watch movies and play videogames. (We always bring a stocked tablet for him, in case the plane doesn’t have anything interesting.)