The busiest family travel time of the year is coming up. Are you ready? Don’t panic! Planning ahead can ease some of the stress of traveling with your kids, especially when they are little and you need to bring a lot of extra gear. Don’t be daunted or get discouraged. Follow these tips to make your life a little easier. That’s something to be grateful for!
Tip 1: A week before the trip, conduct a mock packing session with each member of the family. Mom, when you know what everyone wants to bring, you’ll have time to wash favorite things or shop for extra necessities. No more “Honey, have you seen my Turkey tie?” the night before you’re leaving or “Why don’t Johnny’s black shoes fit anymore?” or “Mom, my tights don’t fit.” Need a packing list? Download one here.
Tip 2: Take a look at all of the gear you need to bring then decide whether it is easier to carry it with you or ship it to your destination. With all of the luggage fees on most airlines, it might be easiest to just ship your stuff ahead of time. If you’re going to have to pay to bring the gear anyway, have someone else lug it for you. Remember to ship everything a week before you need it to make sure your gear arrives in time. If you are shipping to a hotel, call the hotel and ask how to mark the box so they’ll hold it for your arrival.
Tip 3: Don’t want to carry or ship your items? Tap into the Grandma Network. What’s that, you ask? Have Grandma ask her network of friends if they have any baby gear you can borrow. Especially if Grandma and Grandpa live in a sunny locale, there are bound to be other grandparents who have their kids fly in for visits. One friend may have a stroller and one may have a high chair. By sharing and trading, it makes life easier for the grandparents and the traveling families.
Tip 4: Another option is to pay the rent. Renting is an option for baby and kids gear and there are a lot of services popping up to help make this process easier. Your rental car company can usually rent you a car seat so you don’t have to check it on the plane and get yours all banged up. Many hotels have cribs for rent now, too.
Or look into these incredibly handy services: – For larger baby gear like strollers, cribs or car seats, rent from www.babysaway.com – For baby essentials like diapers, formula, etc. look at www.babystravellite.com Remember, to make your family travel a little easier, plan ahead and don’t feel like you have to carry everything with you. You’re an adventurer, not a sherpa.
Happy Travels!
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