Traveling with kids...when does it get easier?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Firstly, I do not allow whining. I have a 3y old and almost 2 yr old. If you whine, you immediately get sent to your bedroom and can't come out until you're ready to speak without whining.

Secondly, kids like to MOVE. Sitting in a car for hours is horridly boring for a kid. I like to set my kids up for success/good behavior. I make sure I put food in them before a meltdown comes, I put them down for a nap/quiet time before they're overtired and cranky.

You can't keep them out in the hot sun all day. I've been traveling with them since the oldest was just born and they're both great at it, save for time changes.

You sound like a real joy. Can't wait till you hit the teenage years. That iron hand approach won't work when you can't just order them around.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Firstly, I do not allow whining. I have a 3y old and almost 2 yr old. If you whine, you immediately get sent to your bedroom and can't come out until you're ready to speak without whining.

Secondly, kids like to MOVE. Sitting in a car for hours is horridly boring for a kid. I like to set my kids up for success/good behavior. I make sure I put food in them before a meltdown comes, I put them down for a nap/quiet time before they're overtired and cranky.

You can't keep them out in the hot sun all day. I've been traveling with them since the oldest was just born and they're both great at it, save for time changes.

You sound like a real joy. Can't wait till you hit the teenage years. That iron hand approach won't work when you can't just order them around.

Lol, yes, I absolutely CAN order my kids around. There is absolutely nothing unreasonable about sending a kid to their bedroom to regroup and calm down when they've misbehaved. I don't know why you guys think it's so awful to punish a kid for whining, but I stand by my decision.

[Anonymous]

JUST turned a corner with this and became loads easier - they're 5 and 7. I actually got praised a couple times for the kids' behavior. All I could do not to say "it's got nothing to do with me you sweet 20-something, enjoy flying with a toddler some day."

Hang in there - there's a light at the end of the tunnel.

[Anonymous]

4 it was fine. 5 it was great.

[Anonymous]

I think we're currently in the golden years - 7 and 10. Traveling is a piece of cake now, and I'm going to try to cram as much in as possible before the 10 year old hits the disaffected teen years.

[Anonymous]

5 years old--it has been so easy since then.

[Anonymous]

My kids are 5 and 7 and it's fun!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Firstly, I do not allow whining. I have a 3y old and almost 2 yr old. If you whine, you immediately get sent to your bedroom and can't come out until you're ready to speak without whining.

Secondly, kids like to MOVE. Sitting in a car for hours is horridly boring for a kid. I like to set my kids up for success/good behavior. I make sure I put food in them before a meltdown comes, I put them down for a nap/quiet time before they're overtired and cranky.

You can't keep them out in the hot sun all day. I've been traveling with them since the oldest was just born and they're both great at it, save for time changes.

You sound rigid. Lighten up.

Funny - the one thing I'm really rigid about didn't even come up here.

So I'll bite: What are you truly rigid about?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:JUST turned a corner with this and became loads easier - they're 5 and 7. I actually got praised a couple times for the kids' behavior. All I could do not to say "it's got nothing to do with me you sweet 20-something, enjoy flying with a toddler some day."

Hang in there - there's a light at the end of the tunnel.

I agree. Mine are 9 and 7 and they are really easy to travel with via car or plane. Just have to keep them fed and with enough sleep.

[Anonymous]

When the youngest was 4 it got much better. We took our first international vacation at that age and it went well.
This year the youngest was 5 and our second international trip went even better.

Of course, it's still not easy. Kids are demanding and when their sleep and food schedules are switched up they get more demanding. It's still light year more stressful than traveling without kids. But it's definitely much better after about age 4.

[Anonymous]

Any tips for jet lag? Taking 5 and 3 yo to Cape Town in December...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Firstly, I do not allow whining. I have a 3y old and almost 2 yr old. If you whine, you immediately get sent to your bedroom and can't come out until you're ready to speak without whining.

Secondly, kids like to MOVE. Sitting in a car for hours is horridly boring for a kid. I like to set my kids up for success/good behavior. I make sure I put food in them before a meltdown comes, I put them down for a nap/quiet time before they're overtired and cranky.

You can't keep them out in the hot sun all day. I've been traveling with them since the oldest was just born and they're both great at it, save for time changes.

You sound like a real joy. Can't wait till you hit the teenage years. That iron hand approach won't work when you can't just order them around.

Lol, yes, I absolutely CAN order my kids around. There is absolutely nothing unreasonable about sending a kid to their bedroom to regroup and calm down when they've misbehaved. I don't know why you guys think it's so awful to punish a kid for whining, but I stand by my decision.

How do you send them to their rooms when you're on a plane or in a car?

[Anonymous]

Five is much easier. But even then, when we went to Europe DD was not used to a lot of walking and getting around was a struggle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Firstly, I do not allow whining. I have a 3y old and almost 2 yr old. If you whine, you immediately get sent to your bedroom and can't come out until you're ready to speak without whining.

Secondly, kids like to MOVE. Sitting in a car for hours is horridly boring for a kid. I like to set my kids up for success/good behavior. I make sure I put food in them before a meltdown comes, I put them down for a nap/quiet time before they're overtired and cranky.

You can't keep them out in the hot sun all day. I've been traveling with them since the oldest was just born and they're both great at it, save for time changes.

You sound like a real joy. Can't wait till you hit the teenage years. That iron hand approach won't work when you can't just order them around.

Lol, yes, I absolutely CAN order my kids around. There is absolutely nothing unreasonable about sending a kid to their bedroom to regroup and calm down when they've misbehaved. I don't know why you guys think it's so awful to punish a kid for whining, but I stand by my decision.

How do you send them to their rooms when you're on a plane or in a car?

How also do you punish a two year old for whining? That seems extreme. I have four kids and at two they were either overjoyed or whining. If I always sent them to their rooms I would never see them. Enjoy your kids and all their whines. You'll miss it later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:it gets easier every year, OP. At least for the first 11 years! I can't speak about the years beyond that.

True, but now we have teenagers who have very different ideas of what their vacation "should" be... DD happy to "tan" as primary activity. DS son disappointed that the waves weren't good enough. Ahh let me see what I can do about that darling.
A wise parent told me that family vacations with kids weren't really vacations but experiences. If at all possible parents should try to schedule an adult only getaway.
There is also a fabulous Onion article about beach vacations. Can't find it now.