Tips to make travel with kids (a little more) enjoyable
It's that time of year again, when we breathlessly shuttle our family into cars and planes in an effort to get them to a turkey on time. While no one can guarantee you stress-free travel, these are a few tips to help you enjoy getting there :
Do the "treat reveal." Whether it's toys or food, parsing out the surprises is a great substitute for being able to run, scream and kick the back of car and plane seats. Well, okay fine, but it really does work for the running part.
Go ahead and lean on technology like a cane. Yes, I know about the recommended screen time and I know the dangers of iPhones making in to the hands of thumb suckers, but when I travel, all bets are off. You want to take pictures? Watch the DVD? Play the video game? As long as you do not touch anyone else but me, you've got it.
Cut yourself a good-but not excessive-amount of slack. Listen, we've all had those public experiences that leave us in a shaking parent heap, a tantrum we never saw coming on, a scream that begs for investigation by Child Protective services. No one likes those moments. As a parent, it's your job to do everything you reasonably can to make sure your kid doesn't hurt or intentionally annoy anyone else. That said, you're not traveling to make other people happy. Do what you need to do, and ignore any nasty looks from judgmental types. Chances are, they're unhappy about a lot more than just your kid.
Get creative. My mother used to make me do jumping jacks on the side of the road during long car trips. While it was totally weird and occasionally humiliating, the truth is it made me feel better (until I was 13, and nothing made me feel better ever). While some airports are smart enough to built indoor playgrounds, others are traps designed to make you die of boredom. Find that abandoned gate and do some silly dances. Take turns singing in a vibrating massage chair. Sometimes, the most mundane things can make everything better (says the lady who once spent 45 minutes riding that train between gates because my toddler thought the GREATEST THING EVER).
Get into it. Remember the good old days, when people used to clap for a nice plane landing? Traveling doesn't need to be drudgery, even with massive delays (and I've survived a few). If your kid can still be wowed with the newness of the experience, work it. Act like a tourist. Point out things on the road that are funny or bizarre or weird. Let them choose their favorite place in the airport food mall. Allow yourself to remember the adventure travel can be.
