DiGregorio used to bring a standard-issue stroller on trips, now he swears by the micro stroller. Pocket Airwhich opens in “two seconds” and fits children from 6 months to 5 years (up to 55 pounds). Other parents I spoke to shouted “game changer”. Inflatable booster seats and Bed bumpersAre compact enough to fit carry-on, and Kid-sized hiking packs For more outdoor activities.
Cinzia Real-Castello, a Rutherford, NJ-based photo editor and mother of 4-year-old Leonora, also suggests stashing a “dummy item” in her bag in case your child loses their most precious friend overseas, as happened with her daughter. dear black cat (Fear not—she’s reunited with the original Rome.)
Involve children in research and planning
It’s easy for parents who are always in a rush to “pull their kids around without letting them be in the loop on what’s really going on,” Romain says. But the more the kids learn, the better they behave. “Talk to your kids about the upcoming trip, if you think they’re too young to understand,” she advises. “Tell them what it’s like to be on an airplane, what they’ll hear, what they’ll see, and what you’ll do—like, ‘The two of us are going to sleep on the plane. But we will play in the middle and eat three times.’
Marilyn Lobos, an art teacher based in Lyndhurst, NJ, takes her 8-year-old daughter Luna to look at maps with her, help her make a to-do list in case it rains, and always asks herself, “’What can we do? What can you do, see, eat and experience here that you can’t do at home or anywhere else?’
Including children in the planning process is especially important for teens and tweens, says Chris Burgoust, a Washington, D.C.-based Foreign Service officer who has four exceptionally well-traveled children: 19-year-old Eric, 17-year-old Joseph. 15-year-old Adam, and 12-year-old Ana. “Your teens will appreciate the noise,” he says, “and they’ll be more engaged and less likely to grumble if they commit to an activity first.”
The idea of showing your kids the world is a powerful one—but the reality of parenting, especially for women, doesn’t disappear once you hit the road.
Consider a combo trip
Tom Merchant is the London-based co-founder of the luxury travel agency Black tomatoesrecently took their two daughters, 6-year-old Minnie and 3.5-year-old Coco, on their first multi-destination trip. In what might seem like an odd couple in Iceland and Morocco, Mercant found the combination both exciting and rewarding—a way to expose her daughters to “two very different cultures, lifestyles, environments and topographies in one trip while striking the right balance of adventure and chill. Time.”
Play seating system
Traveling with two parents and two children, Romeyn had something Succeeded in securing a seat in different rows. “It may sound strange but it was very easy [my husband] Indah and I handle baby Mira and don’t let them get in each other’s way or wake each other,” she said. DiGregorio takes a different approach for her family of four by booking both aisle and window seats in the same row and leaving the middle two empty. “Sometimes people show up. The middle seats And we scoot over and give them an aisle,” he says. “But sometimes we get six seats for four.”
Make peace with screens
Many parents tell me that they limit screen time at home but always pack an iPad full of educational games and kids’ shows when traveling. “Peppa Pig was our secret weapon,” says Chris Schalks, based in Bangkok Writer and photographerWhen he needed to keep his 6-year-old son, Ollie, calm on public transport or at a fancy restaurant. Be sure to download videos for offline viewing ahead of the trip, Bergoust adds, as WiFi can be scarce, connections often drop, and built-in screens aren’t present on certain model planes. He also advises turning off electronics 10 minutes before arriving at your destination, “giving the kids a chance to reset and less fuss.”
Spring for the VIP treatment
Some airport terminals have indoor playgrounds, others have security lines and designated check-in counters for families. “They’re not clearly advertised, so you always have to ask,” DiGregorio says. “They can save a lot of time and headaches.” He recommends booking day rooms at airport hotels or lounges for extended stays (“it gives us a private place to sleep and use a home base”) and pre-arrange VIP meet-and-greet service directly through the airport or local. When tour operator is available. “There will be someone waiting for you when you walk off the plane to escort you through immigration and other formalities,” he says. “It takes the pain out of figuring out where to go and what to do, and any waiting in line.”
Always have food on hand
Lunch on the plane Granted, but feeding our brood animals is a 24-7 job. “Kids wake up and expect breakfast, so be prepared,” says Campbell Levy, founder and CEO of Evergreen, CO-based PR and marketing firm. Camp storiesAnd the father of three young boys: Wilder (6), Law (4), and Hawkins (2). “Many hotels have large refrigerators available to roll into your room—call ahead and request,” he advises, adding that you can also ask to stock it with simple ingredients like milk. “It assumes you can’t get a room with a kitchen,” he says. “If you can, you obviously want it.”
Build a cushion during the day to decompress
“As much as [travel] While it can be a slog for adults, time zone changes can prove especially disorienting for the younger ones,” says Marchant. His best strategy for dealing with jet lag is to build in a day or two for the new time zone. If you only have a few days to spare, stay close to home. DiGregorio agrees, noting that his family traveled a lot South America When their oldest daughter was very young because the time zones were the same as New York, it made it easier to maintain her sleep schedule.