Travelling the World - is it possible after you've had kids?

Whilst I am happy that I had my first child before I was 30, there are a few things that I wish I had done first before the pitter patter of tiny feet came along. The main one is that I wish I had seen a little bit more of the world. Despite recently turning 35, I am yet to really venture outside of Europe, with my longest flight being to Cyprus, a modest 4 hours and 45 minutes away by plane. There are so many places that I would have liked to have visited, including travelling across America, lying on a beach in Bali or Mauritius, and visiting my friend in Australia. It would’ve been so much easier just me, my thoughts and a back pack – and a darn side cheaper too.

The reality is I probably wont get to tick most of the items off my bucket list until the girls have grown up, but this raises the question – is it possible to travel the world with your kids? And if so, what is the best way to do it?

I have a close friend Dave who have travelled regularly internationally with his 5 year old son ever since he was a baby, and he shared with me his top hints and tips to show me that travelling the world with children absolutely is possible if you want to do it, it just requires a bit of thought and planning!

Planning is CRUCIAL – when travelling long haul with children, planning is absolutely crucial. Not only do you need to ensure the children have their passports arranged, (and allow plenty of time for them to arrive) they also need to be valid for three months after you return. Some countries will also require visas for children as well as adults, and it is also important to ensure you fully research any vaccinations that may be required within plenty of time before you are due to fly.
Try and retain some flexibility – it is hard to make a judgement about how fast the pace of life can be with children in tow, some days things will take longer than you expect and other days you can wish you had tried to pack more in to your agenda. Whilst planning a rough itinerary is helpful, don’t feel like you need to stick to it in stone. Allowing an element of grace and flexibility can make life a little less stressful for everyone, allowing you to actually enjoy the experiences you have planned.
Prepare for lonnnnng flights – getting to your destination is by far the most challenging part of travelling with young children, although this does become easier as they get older. For young babies, the flights can really play havoc with their ears, so feeding (breast or bottle) during take off and landing can really ease any discomfort. When they are older, entertainment is key – particularly for long haul flights, Fill the iPad with their favourite movies and TV series, bring lots of colouring in and sticker books, and if old enough, a little diary of their trip where they are encouraged to write anecdotes and draw pictures of what is happening is a really fun way to keep them entertained. It also makes a great keepsake for when you get home.
Consider your accommodation – some villas and hotels cater really well for children, whilst others are targeted more at single travellers or couples. Whether it’s staying in a villa in Sri Lanka, or a family friendly hotel in Dubai, look out for the companies that have a concierge team to help – they know the location inside out, can point you in the right direction for the best family friendly trips and locations, and ensure the accommodation is completely tailored for your stay, including high chairs, cots and stair gates if required. Not only does this reduce the amount of stuff you need to pack, but takes off a lot of pressure when your planning your next stop.
Try and build in some one on one time with you and your partner if possible – Travelling with children can be exhausting, particularly if you are moving around a lot of swapping from one destination to another. Whether its a kids club or a in accommodation massage for you and your partner once the children are in bed, look for ways to get some one on one time if you can – remember this is your down time too.
Combatting Jetlag – accept that when it comes to jet lag, the time difference can have a huge impact on everyone but especially children – try and combat the effects by staying up later on the first few nights, slowly trying to adjust children to their new time zone. Meal times might end up being fairly dramatically different too, so pacify them with snacks until it is the new time for tea.
Make time for the memories – for moments of downtime, encourage your child to write a postcard to themselves and send home. These are a lovely way of tracking your travels and are great to look back on when your children are older. We also invested in a small digital camera for our daughter, so she could take her own images and pop them in a scrap book when she got home.
Water water water – it’s easy to get dehydrated when you’re on the move, especially in a warmer climate, so you may need to encourage little ones to drink a bit more than they normally would. Depending on your location, the local water may not be safe to drink, so we bought bottled water even for teeth brushing at nightime. A change in water can have a worse effect on little ones than it might with adults, so better to be on the safe side!
Pack a decent first aid kit – accidents do happen, so it’s great for peace of mind to have a well stocked first aid kit for grazes cuts and falls, insect bites or even an unexpected fever.
Safety first -when going to crowded public places, ensure your child is aware of a safe place to go to if for any reason you become separated. Whilst you hope that they will never leave your sight, this is reassuring to know that in the event of the unexpected, both parent and child know where to look first before the panic sets in!

Thank you Dave for sharing your insights. Whilst I am still completely scared at the prospect, this has opened my eyes a little to the fact that being a parent doesn’t mean the end of international travel. I hope some day soon we can take the girls on their first adventures abroad, but until then, I will be appreciating the photos of yours instead! 🙂

Have you travelled the world with your children? What other hints and tips would you give to parents considering doing the same?

*This is a collaborative post*