Holiday travel can be brutal on families, especially those with small children. Unexpected delays and problems can play havoc with even the best-laid plans.
To help your holiday travel run as smoothly as possible, sit down with your family before your trip, think about the possible challenges you may face and work out possible solutions. Here’s a few tips that might help.
Pack early. Don’t leave things for the last minute. Instead, start packing a week in advance. Wash clothes and bedding, dust off the pack-n-play, pour toiletries into travel-size containers, etc. Plan to pack your child’s car seat and stroller if you need them at your destination and cannot arrange to rent or borrow the item there. Trying to pack at the last minute is an invitation to disaster and can lead to packing too little or too much.
Have contingency plans. What will you do if your flight is delayed or cancelled, or you miss your flight or your connection? If you are renting a car at your destination, when does the rental office open/close? Do you have a backup in case the car you requested isn’t available? If someone is picking you up at the airport/cruise terminal/train station, are they flexible and able to adapt to a later arrival? Will you be OK to wait for them if traffic or another situation prevents them from picking you up right away? Discuss plans in advance so you aren’t dealing with the stress of a disagreement on top of whatever problem has occurred.
Have a “Lost Child” plan. Discuss it as a family often so your children know what to do if they get separated from you. Make sure your children have your phone number memorized.
Prepare for delays. Don’t pack only 2 bottles or 3 diapers in your carry-on bag with the logic that you’ll only be traveling for 2 hours and can resupply from your luggage or a store once you arrive. If the baby soils more than one diaper during your trip (which is common because pressure changes tend to cause bowel movements in little ones), you and everyone around you will be much happier if you brought several changes of clothes and extra diapers with you. The same goes for food. Bad weather along your route can turn a 2-hour flight or drive into a much longer ordeal. Be prepared to feed and entertain your kids for at least double the anticipated travel time.
Childproof homes that you are visiting or lodging in as soon as you enter.
Check for medications and cleaning agents stored on countertops or in easy-to-access cupboards. (I check for food/candy as well.)
Check the stability of furniture and the placement of breakable objects (TVs, crystal vases, figurines, etc.) within reach of your child.
Ask about gun ownership and make sure firearms are stored safely out of reach.
Stairs can be especially dangerous for children who are not used to navigating stairs in their homes. Put up gates or teach kids how to safety navigate the stairs as soon as you arrive.
Pools present a danger to traveling families. Go over water safety tips with your kids before you travel and after you arrive. Make sure they know not to go into the pool without you. Families should also take care around frozen bodies of water, which can be just as tempting and dangerous as warm water. Never walk on frozen ponds or creeks or allow your kids to walk out on untested ice.
Secure the door. When traveling, it can be difficult to lock the door from the inside. Hotel and cruise ship doors often require only the downward pull of a handle to open, something my daughter mastered when she was 2. If the door has a chain or other lock at the top, the door won’t open all the way, but it will open enough to crush small fingers when children wrap their hands around the door to pull. If it does not have a top lock, little ones can slip out easily while parents are sleeping or showering. Talk with your children about the importance of staying with mommy or daddy at all times and not opening the door on their own.
