It may not be the ideal time to travel. But because we want something to inspire us, I’m sharing these travel tips for parents who are looking forward to travelling once again.
I always had a vision of myself travelling to wherever I want to with my daughter. It’s one of the reasons why I’m having so much fun being a parent. Parenthood became my strength to go after the goals that I was daydreaming about before becoming a mom.
Today, I’m sharing how we woke up at 4 am and flew to France without the tantrums!
By the way, there’s a travel video of our trip below. I encourage you to watch it to see how it went.
Watch the vlog here!
01
Begin with a positive-mindset
Whenever I plan for travel, I tend to focus on the good things that my daughter and I are getting from the whole experience. Many of our trips were meant to be with family and friends. I would always tell my daughter that we are meeting her godparent or surprising her zio on his birthday. And thinking about it today made me realize the importance of teaching my kid about demonstrating how to make an effort to be with family and friends. The places we visit were just a bonus!
02
Plan for at least three months before the trip
One mistake that I truly learned from is to plan at least three months before the trip. Why three months? Because most of the time, parents are busy to see the big picture and the littlest details that are all very important. With a three-month preparation, you’ll have enough time to go beyond the usual accommodation and transportation stuff.
03
Learn as much as you can about the city your traveling to including the language
I’m used to merely outlining the things that I want to see or experience in any city because you really can’t over plan when travelling with a kid. I would always let relatives decide the places to visit or the restaurants to try. But I realized that it’s just a lazy excuse to skip doing my research. For instance, our travel to France would have been smoother if I knew a little French or if I familiarize myself with the train stations there. So, on our next trip, there will be a clear plan for the best places to go, fun things to try and maybe a few Italian or French sentences, too.
04
Share the travel plans with your toddler at least two weeks before your trip
I love keeping my daughter in the loop, no matter where we are going or how old she is. I discuss things with her as I would with a grown-up. When she was smaller, I would show her pictures of our destination or I would schedule a video call with a family or friend we are visiting. It gives her a head start to get into the right mood to travel.
05
Edit your travel essentials based on practicality
I’m not a fan of bringing the entire fridge as I used to pre-motherhood. I learned to keep things compact and light when it comes to packing. A week of travel to San Diego meant a backpack and luggage that is acceptable as a carryon. It has a week’s supply of formula, mom-daughter twinning clothes and souvenirs tucked safely in our small bags. And did I also mention I bring my laptop with me anywhere I go? Yup! Everything is small and packed strategically based on how often we use them during a trip. For example, my Canon M50 is always within reach for vlogging, and the same goes to a pack of wet tissue for a quick freshening up from a long flight.
06
Get a good night sleep before your flight
And finally, the most obvious tip is not to get too excited and find time to get plenty of rest before the flight. Our first 16-hour flight was a huge adjustment for us that I didn’t get any sleep at all. But since my daughter had enough rest, she was peaceful during the whole flight at 18 months! I even remember us singing at one point during a flight just like what we would do at home.
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Now, are you ready to plan your trip with your family? I know I am! Happy travel planning!
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