I was away on vacation in a very large city in the US with my two children both under 4 years. My husband was working so I had the children for the majority of the day. I am not sure what I expected, but it is different from anything I had imagined. Huge buildings, wide, busy roads, extravagant food and people everywhere. I have lived in London for eight years, so I understand people, and I had also visited America several times before. But for some reason, travelling somewhere foreign with two tiny little children can be quite confronting. It doesn’t take too long to adjust, but initially, all senses are heightened.  

As I experienced some very high lows and some extreme highs on that trip I made sure I recorded some of the things I learnt on the way in hope that the little knowledge I gained would help for my next trip. Here are a few: 

Sleep Oh Little One 

I am a little sleepless, just as my children are, as we try to adjust to the new time zones. My youngest does not sleep at the best of times, so being on holiday can be challenging. If you need to have a nana nap in the afternoon when your children are having a nap then by all means do, and don’t feel guilty. Or factor in that sleep time for you maybe 8 pm for the first couple of nights. Or perhaps your little ones will be up until 10 pm for a little while. Jet lag is real people. It’s exciting to travel, but brace yourself for a little adjustment when it comes to the sleeping routine. Especially over the first few days if you are travelling to a city with a vastly different time zone to your own.  

Tantrums Tantrums 

As I struggle to stay alert I can’t really expect them not to have tantrums or need time out more than usual, especially, as not only are we all tired from travelling, but we are also adjusting to the new environment- easy for us adults, but strange and sometimes a little scary for our little ones. Patience is always required, and a little allowance for an increase of stroppy behaviour.  

We are in For Exciting Times 

You have saved for months, looked at countless images of it on various social media sights. It has been a dream of yours since you were little, and now you finally get to go, and not only that, you get to take your children! But when you finally wake up to that day and travel to see that very place you have always wanted to go your children are indifferent, bored, or even fall asleep! Are you serious!? You may get excited about going somewhere that your children find disagreeable, boring, or even a little scary. Don’t be disheartened if this happens, it can be extremely disappointing when you are excited and look forward to taking your child somewhere. Enjoy it anyway, get excited, experience it… then go get them ice cream.  

Take a Day Off 

Whenever we travel long haul I allow a day or two to take time out and do nothing. Having a relaxed, unrushed breakfast, time in the hotel pool, and maybe a couple of hours at a local playground. It is so nice, to do something so very un-touristy, but still, escape the feeling of complacency by being somewhere new. It can also be refreshing to escape the crowds and just do what the locals do. It can be very easy to rush around, trying to tick off all the sightseeing exploits on the to-do list. The problem is that this leads to where most of us left, and are desperately trying to escape – the rush and busyness of our day to day life. Rushing from place to place also doesn’t help our, already, travel tired children. There are always going to be the ‘must-see and do’s on every holiday list, but if you concentrate on just the top two or three, then all other attractions can be a bonus if you get to them. This allows you time to concentrate and enjoy having time with your family. Sometimes the simple is best, even if it is nothing to write home about. 
 

Change the Itinerary 

The wonderful thing about big cities is there are always tons of things to do in any weather which both children and adults will enjoy. If it were just my husband and I, the first on my list would be; 1. Eat at the best restaurants in town 2.Shopping 3.Art Galleries, and then, probably more Shopping. Trips with my two beautiful boys go a little differently: 1.Aquarium 2. Science Museum 3. Zoo. I can usually squeeze a little of what I want to do in there but sometimes it doesn’t happen at all. If there are two of you though one idea is to have an afternoon each to yourself, doing what you love, while the other looks after the children. Win-win for all. 

Stop and Snack Often 

Packing a day bag of children’s items is a must in a big city. In the US you will find Starbucks on every corner. When we are on holiday we frequently stop for frappuccino’s, or ice cream, especially in the warm summer weather. If the ever-reliable Starbucks are not littered along the streets of your holiday day trips find another go-to child-friendly eatery. I also have a bag of essentials filled with child-friendly healthy snacks to help stop my child from melting down in a hangry mess. Water has to be the first thing placed in that magical bag of goodies, and then any snacks your child loves. I also try to include something that will sustain them, if, for example, you sit down at that delightful café you found along the way, and find they refuse to eat anything on the menu – sorry, this is just typical toddler or child time! A small toy and a change of clothes is also a fabulous thing to place in your bag. A toy for those long and boring car or bus rides, and a change of clothes may come in handy on more than one occasion during your adventures – you never can plan for smooth sailing. 

Patience 

Patience, not just a virtue, but something I pray frequently for more of, and something which cannot be left in a dark cupboard back home. Take as much as you possibly can on your travels, it will bring more happiness and satisfaction than anything you could ever buy, see or do while on vacation. I am a sucker, unfortunately, for flying off the handle without first taking the time to breathe and trying to understand. If I could do anything better, I would have more patience with my toddler. Holidays are fabulous, as you relax, unwind and still yourself, they remind you that the most important thing is not how much washing you get done, or how clean the house is. What really matters is that little person, looking up to you, waiting for a smile back.