In third world
countries, a mother with three toddlers carries one on her back, one on the
front while holding the other by the hand. They tag along for long distances;
walking, crying and sometimes chatting happily.
They have to walk for
miles to get a connecting bus to their destination. Whether visiting relatives
or to a hospital. Sometimes, the mother carries a load on her head with the
children's food supplies, water, and their clothes.
On a lucky day, they
get a lift on a donkey cart or a camel back or at the back of a truck if they
are extremely lucky. The mother keeps holding the babies when they sleep on
those rough terrains; she feeds them amidst the turns and bends. Once in a
while, she requests for a stopover for the babies to pee or poo.
What a tough travel
for the women out there? Mind you, the men are normally nowhere near. The woman
must fight through it all. Most of them do not have the fancy baby wraps we
have. They use the ‘lesso', a piece of cloth that they tie around the baby and
fasten with a knot near the shoulder.
Someone is reading
this and wondering … how in the world do these people survive? They do.
Furthermore, babies all over the world have the same concerns.
The three most important things during travel
especially to a toddler are food, freedom, and fatigue.
All children
experience hunger every two or three hours, if they do not get a bite, they
start nagging, crying and sometimes throwing tantrums.
Kids also hate being
confined. They like to move around, see things and play without feeling
limited. After that, they like to get some good rest. That's why your
pediatrician will insist on baby naps.
With that in mind, let
me show you how you can balance your travel and make it easier for yourself and
the babies.
STEP 1: Mental preparation
·
Share with your
children your travel plan. Even if they can't talk or reason yet, they hear
you. They anticipate and become cooperative as you wake them up early, bathe
and dress them, feed them and strap them on their travel seat.
·
If they can talk, then
discuss with them. Let them know how much fun they will have, how important it
is to wake up early and wear comfortable clothes. Tell them who they are going
to meet; the length of your stay and the expected arrival time.
Don't be surprised
when they wake you up to prepare. This idea works like magic.
STEP 2: Packing
When my baby was on diapers,
I used to carry luggage like I was moving houses. I would carry loads and loads
until one day my friend talked me out of it.
The secret to avoid over-packing
is this; ask yourself… what can't I do without? That way, you carry necessities
only. If you pack from the mindset of, what we need; you will pack the whole
wardrobe.
·
Pack clothes in sets
and roll them instead of making square-like or rectangular folds. For example,
if you are carrying three rompers, don't fold them separately, place them on
top of each other and roll them to make a pipe like package. That way you use
less space.
·
Carry your children's
favorite snacks. Travel time is not the time to force your kids to take spinach
and carrot juice if they loathe it. You will make your journey long and
terrible. Try compromise for your own sanity.
STEP 3: Travel breaks
Kids hate to stay in
one place for a long time. It will definitely vex them to be strapped into that
car seat for hours unless they are asleep.
Take healthy breaks
after every ninety minutes for example. They can run around for a few minutes,
stretch, visit the toilet and re-energize for the rest of the journey.
Please note it is a
high risk to travel with your toddler in the front seat (Especially if they
can't use the belt). Even for short distances, make it a habit of traveling
with your children at the back seat. It improves your concentration and also
increases their chances of survival in case of an accident.
