We have been on the road a fair bit in the past few weeks, and all things considered, in the past few years really. And I have just realised that the way we travel has slowly but surely changed.
When I came to Australia 10 years ago, it was never to stay put & settle. The idea was to use studying as a good excuse to immerse in a new culture, a way to improve my English skills and a starting point for a life of world travels…
Then I met a boy (yes, he was a boy back then), got a job opportunity, and the rest is history.
Travel became a mean to an end: visiting family.
There is only so much travelling we can afford, so priority goes to going back to France & visiting New Zealand. Don’t get me wrong, we still feel extremely privileged to be able to do it at all! It simply does not quite feel like “travelling” anymore.
But back to the main topic at hand: travelling with (little) kids.
When visiting a new country, it is tempting to cross off every item off your bucket list. You want to see everything, taste everything, do everything. And this is fine if you’re travelling with adults (only) and for a short period of time.
It gets tricky once children are involved…
Children force you to slow down.
When you start travelling around with babies & toddlers, it often feels like a hassle. You have to lug around a cot, or a pram, or two dozen nappies, or all of the above. You have to consider hygienic places to stop & rest. You try to time excursions/travel time around nap time or risk facing the terrible T.
Tantrums…
No one wants to deal with a meltdown as they are trying to enjoy the view or taste a beautiful meal. Or try to quickly ask for directions to the nearest toilets…in a foreign language…with a screaming little person attached to their leg.
That said, once you put aside the assumption that travelling should stay the same with or without kids, there are ways to enjoy this new type of travel.
Slow Travel.
It’s simply a matter of changing your perspective.
Limit your expectations.
Be realistic.
Prioritise.
Work within your child’s routine (leaving room for the unexpected).
If your child wakes early but nap in the middle of the day, be ready to hit the road at the crack of dawn! Plan activities that can appeal to your child’s interest. It does not need to be extravagant! Toddlers will often rejoice in simple things, such as looking at roadworks, animals, even pets, or special snacks.
If you plan to walk, you will have to consider the terrain and the distance. If your toddler refuses to be in a pram, be prepared to shorten the excursion when needed. If you’d rather have them in a carrier, think about what will be around for your child to look at as you hike (this is an easy one: most toddlers love a good bushwalk as much as a busy city landscape).
Always bring the essentials: water, snacks, change of clothes, nappies/wipes, 1-2 favourite toys/books. It doesn’t take that much room and you will be thankful for this bag of tricks when necessities arise. And arise they will!
Once you have redefined your itinerary, stop for a minute to look at your child.
What are they doing? What are they smiling at? What will they remember?
There is joy in the simplest things and it’s easy to overlook them in our stressful adult lives. Travelling is the perfect time to step away from our busy schedule and enjoy these simple pleasures.
Your child will be your best teacher.
We have just come back from visiting grandparents in New Zealand and this is exactly what we did.
Our 4.5 & 2.5yo are early risers but do need rest time straight after lunch. So each morning, we had an activity ready to go. We alternated between excursions requiring a fair amount of walking, social outings and educational visits. We also planned with the weather in mind, of course. And we were back ‘home’ for lunch or straight after to allow everyone to recharge.
After that, we all had a lovely time! We enjoyed picking up shells on the shoreline, watching the containers lifted by cranes on the docks, going out for ice-cream, taking public transport, going to pick up milk straight from the dairy farm, meandering through the museum…
Where did you last travel to? Are you planning to travel with your children?
Merveilles of Motherhood, les wonders de maman 