Travelling can be a stressful experience for anyone. However, for parents travelling with fussy children, stress levels can easily skyrocket. Although family trips during school holidays make for some of the most amazing memories, parents often have to take on the extra burden of keeping your children calm, happy, and engaged. Fussiness can mean that your child is easily overwhelmed by new environments, has difficulty overcoming jetlag, classifies as a picky eater, or is hyperactive and needs constant stimulation. Whatever the case may be, follow these 9 tips so that you can get the most out of your time with your family.
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Get a clear picture of your trip
Before you start packing your bags for your holiday, make sure that you have your travel itinerary set in stone. Especially when it comes to travelling with fussy kids, the more you plan, the more seamless your trip will be. Know who will be travelling with you so that you can ensure that there are adequate facilities and activities to keep everyone happy, occupied, and free from boredom.
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Select a kid-friendly airline
Booking a trip on a family-friendly airline can really make the difference. Look out for perks like toddler meals, child headsets, free bassinets, access to airport lounges, free infant check-in and/or carry-on luggage, extra entertainment, and even "sky nanny" services. Do remember to book your tickets early so that you can get the seats that you (and your children) want.
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Keep your kids occupied on the plane
Air pressure changes, tight spaces, and long amounts of time with little to do can easily make any child bored and irritated. Ensuring that your child is well-occupied, especially during long flights, is crucial not only to your family's comfort but to your fellow passenger's. At least a week before your trip, mentally prepare your children by talking about where they will be going and get them excited about the trip by sharing all of the fun things they can experience there.
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Select a kid-friendly hotel
Your hotel can do a lot of the brunt work while your family is on vacation. Many top accommodations offer products and services just for children such as babysitting, on-call doctors, supervised activities, equipment, toys, and special food menus. Furthermore, conveniences such as airport transfers and proximity to public transportation, pharmacies, ATMs, groceries, and clinics can go along way for your family.
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Pack well
When travelling with fussy kids, preparation is everything. Bringing your child's security toys and/or blankets if it helps to keep them calm and relaxed. Pack more than enough clothes, toiletries, toys, medication, and footwear to last your children the entire holiday.
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Bring familiar snacks
Bring a few of your child's favourite snacks if you are travelling to a country with food that's exotic to your child. This is especially important for picky eaters, as many children may not take well to a sudden change in their diet. For example, your tot may not enjoy the spicy food in Thailand or the raw dishes in Japan. Healthy, familiar snacks like granola bars, dried fruits, and Pediasure may be handy if you're travelling to remote locations. -
Plan, plan, plan
While it's always nice to make space for flexibility and spontaneity, planning well makes sense if you're travelling with fussy children. Apart from hotels and airlines, make a list of child-friendly restaurants, activities, and transportation and get the entire family involved in choosing how they would like to spend their time. This way, they feel more involved and eager to learn about the new things they will encounter.
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Delegate tasks
Always remember that at the end of the day, it's your holiday too. Delegate certain tasks to the rest of the family so that responsibility is held by everyone and you don't feel solely responsible. For example, have your husband arrange the transportation and/or let your children decide on a restaurant for dinner or activity for the day.
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Keep your kids healthy
As travelling can be taxing for your children and exposure to new foods may mean that they are eating less than usual, it's crucial that you keep their energy and nutrient levels up. By using oral nutritional supplements such as Pediasure, you can rest easy knowing that they are getting the nutrition they need for bone, muscle, brain, and eye development as well as immunity support. Request for a free sample of Pediasure today!
Travelling with fussy children doesn't have to be difficult if you plan ahead and make sure that you get the help that you need. Preparation and planning can take a lot of time, but the pay offs make it well worth it so that you can enjoy precious holiday time with your family.
