Pam Baroro
Travelling and exploring the world as a family is an opportunity that you shouldn’t miss out for the world, and while it all sounds like a walk in the park, it usually isn’t. In fact, many parents get intimidated and exhausted just thinking about it.
A friendly warning: travelling with young children is not for the faint of heart.
1. Light travel is near impossible
Travelling, no matter how short or how near your destination may be, is a test of how well you pack your stuff. If it isn’t challenging enough to stuff everything you need in a backpack, you will have to deal with your kids’ essentials — diapers, milk and bottles, clothes…the list could go on and on.
In some countries, you are even required to bring a baby car seat along. If you want to ensure even more comfort for your baby, you might also want to consider bringing a carrier or stroller. It all depends on how much comfort you can sacrifice in order to travel light.
Also read: The Ultimate Guide to Travelling with Kids in the Philippines
2. Diaper changes can be tricky
Unless your kid has been potty trained or has managed to follow a certain schedule for pooping and peeing, predicting when it might happen can be tricky. Sure, these things aren’t a problem with the diapers on, but there are just those times when accidents happen and they usually come at the most inconvenient of places.
Parents who travel with kids will have to master diaper changing in the tiny closet that is the aircraft lavatory. I am proud to say that we have mastered that art — we’ve tried changing it on the trail to a campsite, under the moonlight!
3. Not all places allow children
As adventurous as you might be, not all places are that open to allowing kids, especially when their safety is put at risk. In the Philippines, the Puerto Princesa Underground River does not allow kids below two years old while the Masungi Georeserve in Tanay, Rizal does not allow kids below 13 years old to join trips.
Some places do not have outright policies disallowing young kids so it is all up to you, as the parent, to judge whether you should bring your kiddos or not. Remember, safety first before anything else!
4. It is a test of patience…
Kids are not known to be the most patient people especially when they are strapped to an airplane seat or car seat for long periods. Travel can be a test of both the kids’ and the parents’ patience to see whose sanity breaks down first (haha kidding). Let’s see which parent is able to stay the longest with an irritable kid.
5. …and resourcefulness
What happens when you forgot to bring their favourite toy or gadget on a hour-long trip? Parents learn to rack their brains for the best alternative to entertaining their kids and preventing a tantrum to happen. What about doing a rhyme game or singing an endless list of nursery songs?
And you will have to be creative enough to find a way to change those dirty diapers or get them to drink milk.
6. …and strength and endurance
Travelling with a baby means that you will have to put them in a carrier or a stroller most of the time but just because you have a ‘walker’ does not mean that you are already exempted from the carrying part. In fact, you may have to deal with it every few hours or so, when your kid finally decides he or she is tired of walking and wants to be carried for the rest of the trip.
When we go on hiking trips to the mountains, the partner does the carrying of our toddler for about 80 percent of the trail. And, nope, it doesn’t mean I walk like a queen. In fact, I do some heavy lifting with the weight of most of our gears on my back.
7. Relaxation is not exactly how you picture it to be
Ahh…the feeling of being able to just lounge by the beach with a good book on one hand and your favourite drink on the other. Sorry, that’s not quite possible when you are a parent. Glance up every few minutes to see what your kiddo is doing — or better yet, don’t get a moment’s rest lest they fall over into the pool! And nope, your vacation is definitely not an excuse to get drunk.
8. Dealing with stares and comments
Thankfully, we have not been able to deal with judgmental stares and looks from strangers inside the airplane but we certainly have had our share of unsolicited comments. Why are you even bringing your child under this heat? Ugh. A lot of people have probably thought how crazy and reckless we are as parents — but we couldn’t care less.
Also read: 8 Simple Ways to Encourage Your Kids to Love the Outdoors
Regardless of what challenges you encounter and what people say about you and your family, it shouldn’t hinder you from exploring the world with your kids. Children learn a lot of things when they travel, and it should be the one thing that motivates you to show the world to them. It will be totally worth it, I promise!
