By Susie Ward.
Traveling with kids? Sure, it should be easy, just one, or two, or maybe three more to pack for – piece of cake.
“We can just travel like we did before we had children.” I now hear those words ringing in my ears every time I plan a family trip for the six of us.
Then, as I pull out five suitcases, six backpacks for carry-on, special blankets, pillows and stuffed animals, snacks, water bottles and three ounces of everything and anything we can’t live without for three hours, I realize there is absolutely no truth in that statement, at all.
Packing for one child is like packing for five adults, a dog and a monkey. You just need to remember, well, everything. The one time you forget Swimmer’s Ear will be the one time your child needs it, even if you’re not planning to swim on your vacation.
Makena and Mason Ward look ready for their summer vacation to Arizona with their over stuffed backpacks, special toys and must-have items. Luckily, their mom, Susie, helped them pack what seems like everything, maybe even the kitchen sink. Her advice if you forget something? Make sure your destination is within a few miles of the local drug store. (photo by Susie Ward) |
The list of essentials is fairly straightforward:
Survival needs – snacks, water, games, a favorite travel-worthy toy (i.e., silent), more snacks, books, art supplies and most likely more snacks; try to avoid things with lots of orange food coloring (e.g., cheese puffs and flavored corn chips).
Medicines – the ones they need (children’s fever reducer/pain killer, allergy and asthma medicines, inhalers, insulin, etc.) and the ones you need (ibuprofen, Benadryl and, if you are not driving the car, a travel size bottle of your favorite liquor); don’t forget sunscreen and bug spray if your vacation destination calls for them.
Just in case stuff – bandages, saline, tissues, wipes, paper towels, antibiotic ointment, sunburn soothing gel
Feeling overwhelmed? If you don’t want to pack all of that, just make sure your travel destination is within five miles of a Wal-Mart, Walgreen’s or Target.
Instead of getting completely overwhelmed while packing for the family, delegate some of the “no brainer” packing to the older children. In my mind, that means underwear, socks, toothbrushes and shoes. Last year, when my eight and six-year-olds packed their own “no brainer” stuff, it meant three or four Barbies with multiple outfits, shoes and swimsuits and two large American Girl dolls with roller skates and extensive hair products. Oh, and their bathing suits, even though we were traveling in December.
Some parent-to-parent advice: make a list of essentials for kids to pack and title it, “Things you need to put into your suitcase before you pack toys.”
Hopefully a toothbrush will make it this time.
If your travels include flying, be sure to pack at least one clean outfit (with underwear and/or diapers as needed) for each child in their carry on bags. Between air/car sickness, turbulence, and stressed tummies, it’s always wise to have extra clothes at the ready. Your carry on should always contain extra outfits, too. And keep a plastic bag handy, too, just in case.
When it comes to entertainment while traveling, there are two choices. We’re old school – no portable DVD player, or iPhones, or iPads or even a laptop. But if you’ve got them, for the love of all sanity and the sake of your family relationships, use them…all of them if needed.
In the car, and sometimes on planes, our family plays Mad Libs and name that tune (OK, this one we don’t do on the plane) and hangman. Eventually one child will fall asleep while the others are crying, complaining, whining or fighting over space. But if I could have them all drooling and zombied out so I could show up at our vacation destination without my clothes stained and/or torn, my hair frazzled and my shoes off (because I threw them at someone), I would do it without hesitation.
So pack up (all of it), put the older children in charge of something, (even if you have to lay it out in a very, very clear list), and bring all of the electronics you can afford.
And just remember, you are building memories.
Safe travels, folks.
