International Travel with an Infant and a Toddler

Traveling with two is not twice as hard – it’s exponentially harder than traveling with one. Pavitra Sridhar has been gallivanting with her 1 and 3 year old since they were a mere few months old, to both urban and rural destinations (south Indian villages). She imparts to Momaboard some of the wisdom she has acquired along the way:

Packing:

You’ve already got enough on your hands with the two kids, you don’t need to add to your physical and emotional baggage. Find out what’s available at your destination and take only the essentials. If you are able to plan a major city as your base where you can leave the bulk of your stuff, all the better. Packing light was never more critical than when you are traveling with kids. Always consider the sequence and grouping of things you will need when unpacking while you pack. We typically need socks and shorts/tees immediately which we always put at the top of our suitcase. We also use labeled Zip lock bags to roll and pack the kids clothes into. They are close in age and this helps avoid confusion as well as keeps the clothes organized and easy to find. When we return from a trip we simply keep the baggies in the suitcase and are ready for the next one (trip, that is, not kid!).

We always carry a portable sterilizer and a few essential cooking items like a mini rice cooker.This is essential if we are going to smaller towns where we don’t know what sorts of foods will be available. Rice is a comfort food for our kids, so having the cooker along reduces stress significantly. Note: make sure you have the right voltage when carrying electronics.

Meds and Such:

When you have more than one kid, it’s pretty likely that someone has a cold or a cough or is recovering from one, or is about to get one so you need to make sure you have your stash of medications with you at all times. Check out Momaboard’s All-Inclusive Packing List for what basic meds you should have in your first aid kit. If you are traveling across time zones make sure that you have a master time clock so that you can dose them on schedule. And always keep a copy of prescription records and dosages for medications. You may think you’ll remember but a little bit of jet lag and sleep deprivation can do all sorts of things to your previously infallible memory.

Flights and Airports:

In-flight entertainment is critical. We carry a portable DVD player for the older one but then he is too engaged to play with the younger one who is not yet into videos. So we have to be a little more innovative for junior, bringing a bunch of new (or forgotten) toys and for extra relaxation, gift-wrapping them. The more layers they have to unwrap, the more quiet time you get!

If kids suffer from air sickness like mine do, that’s another big consideration and something you have to prepare for. Air sickness bags are great for the older ones – we always grab a few off each flight we’re on so that we have them for till we arrive at our final destination. Wrap smaller babies and yourself in some cotton cloth during take off and landing on flights and during longer car rides. You may look a little silly but it’s a savior in case there’s an incident. At least you won’t smell like puke for the rest of your trip.

At airports, we often find it worth it to spend a little more on the extras. For example, some airports offer the opportunity to use private terminals for commercial flights. You avoid having to queue up for immigration & customs and wasting time waiting for bags. Instead, you are dropped off at a private terminal by inter-airport transit while an agent clears immigration and customs for you, retrieves your bags, and then picks you up at the private terminal in a car, ready to go. This can be lifesaver after a long flight. You can focus on caring for your kids while someone else deals with the formalities. (We did this in Singapore and it was amazing and cost 150 singapore dollars for car of 4- totally worth it!).

We also find that when traveling with multiple little ones, the multi-baby stroller is less effective than single units. The individual prams give you a lot more flexibility on your trip: mom and dad can split up to do different activities with each kid without any difficulty. It’s also easier to get two small strollers into cars with luggage than one big one.

Hotels:

We always pick hotels with a few key amenities: all-around swimming pool so the kids have something to do even if we decide to stay in for a day or two, nearby shopping for that last minute diaper run, a concierge service that we call ahead and establish a rapport with, and a refrigerator which we ask them to clean out before hand so we can stock it with our stuff (formula, milk, juice, etc). We also always have the hotel number handy especially if arriving around meal time. We give them a call on our way in so they can get a head start on our lunch/dinner orders.

Activities:

When it’s two adults and one child, typically it’s the parents that dictate the agenda. When it’s more than one kid, it is ALL about them. That’s why when it comes to activities we have learned that less is more, and the sequence matters. Focus on the quality of the activities – the more you plan events that will engage them positively , the more fun everyone will have. When too much time is spent shuttling about and trying to get from one thing to the next, kids get frustrated and parents are not far behind.

With regards to the sequence this is always our plan: the most enjoyable activities for the kids first. This way they are both happy and tired. While they are blissfully dreaming about what fun mom and dad can cook up next, you can squeeze in a few things you want to do!

And don’t forget that you can always come back. So if you miss something on this trip plan it for the next one!