Family suggesting vacation to exotic places with 14 month old

[Anonymous]

The only reason to do this is if you are really, really enthusiastic about the idea. If you're really into it, the extra headaches won't mean much. If you're being dragged into it, every little thing is going to make you miserable.

Of course, if you have lots of money, you can make this work no problem, starting with booking the child his own seat on the plane.

[Anonymous]

OP here. I am not enthusiastic about it. My family has a way of badgering me into spending time with them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We took our then 14 month old to Cuba last March. It was a great trip and she did great. So glad we went. We geared a number of activities to her - visits to farms and the beaches - but also just took her in the portable stroller to see the sights with us! We visited a school where she danced with the "big kids" and was in her glory. Our tour guide graciously invited us over to his house and DD played with his toddler.

We were careful with water but DD loved the food - everything was so fresh and local. She became obsessed with rice and beans and chicken. She obviously heard a lot of Spanish which was good for her, too.

So, yes - I might be a crazy adventurer but I believe in travel as a way of broadening a child's mind and starting travel very young so they learn to deal with flights, waiting, and a world not made just for them.

We brought a full extra suitcase of diapers, snacks (although we never used them and ended up leaving them there), a few books and her travel stroller. No need for a car seat in Cuba since the cars don't have seatbelts.

Hahahaha this is precious. Bless your heart, PP.

[Anonymous]

If you have the money I would go

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We took our then 14 month old to Cuba last March. It was a great trip and she did great. So glad we went. We geared a number of activities to her - visits to farms and the beaches - but also just took her in the portable stroller to see the sights with us! We visited a school where she danced with the "big kids" and was in her glory. Our tour guide graciously invited us over to his house and DD played with his toddler.

We were careful with water but DD loved the food - everything was so fresh and local. She became obsessed with rice and beans and chicken. She obviously heard a lot of Spanish which was good for her, too.

So, yes - I might be a crazy adventurer but I believe in travel as a way of broadening a child's mind and starting travel very young so they learn to deal with flights, waiting, and a world not made just for them.

We brought a full extra suitcase of diapers, snacks (although we never used them and ended up leaving them there), a few books and her travel stroller. No need for a car seat in Cuba since the cars don't have seatbelts.

Hahahaha this is precious. Bless your heart, PP.

NP here but hearing different languages actually is good for babies and toddlers. Studies have proven that it lights up different areas of the brain and creating those synapses is always good. We do a class with DS in Los Angeles where we sing and count in various different languages as well as sign language to light up those areas.

Might be truly "precious" but also true.

[Anonymous]

Op, you are never "wrong" for thinking - whatever -
Stop believing you need a reason to say no
Stop believing you will need to justify, explain or convince
re: whatever decision you make - about anything.
Always - you are allowed a preference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op, you are never "wrong" for thinking - whatever -
Stop believing you need a reason to say no
Stop believing you will need to justify, explain or convince
re: whatever decision you make - about anything.
Always - you are allowed a preference.

Can you tell my dad that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We took our then 14 month old to Cuba last March. It was a great trip and she did great. So glad we went. We geared a number of activities to her - visits to farms and the beaches - but also just took her in the portable stroller to see the sights with us! We visited a school where she danced with the "big kids" and was in her glory. Our tour guide graciously invited us over to his house and DD played with his toddler.

We were careful with water but DD loved the food - everything was so fresh and local. She became obsessed with rice and beans and chicken. She obviously heard a lot of Spanish which was good for her, too.

So, yes - I might be a crazy adventurer but I believe in travel as a way of broadening a child's mind and starting travel very young so they learn to deal with flights, waiting, and a world not made just for them.

We brought a full extra suitcase of diapers, snacks (although we never used them and ended up leaving them there), a few books and her travel stroller. No need for a car seat in Cuba since the cars don't have seatbelts.

Hahahaha this is precious. Bless your heart, PP.

NP here but hearing different languages actually is good for babies and toddlers. Studies have proven that it lights up different areas of the brain and creating those synapses is always good. We do a class with DS in Los Angeles where we sing and count in various different languages as well as sign language to light up those areas.

Might be truly "precious" but also true.

Of course it's good for them, but a handful of days hearing Spanish is not going to have any sort of impact. But it's sweet that PP thinks it will!

[Anonymous]

I have always loved to travel and so does DH. Taking our then baby - now 11 year old to exotic places has always been a part of her life. We were in Kenya when she was 12 months old, Iceland when she was two. Scotland, the northern isles, pretty much every year. China when she was 3. (amazing trip). She is a comfortable and happy traveler which is exactly what we wanted for her. Every year we plan an abroad trip. Lived in Austria for two years when she was 7 to 9 where she attended local German-speaking school. We are going to Senegal in August this year.

But you do what feels most comfortable for you and your family, OP. Travel isn't for everyone, I know. But Costa Rica is lovely and a great place to take a baby/toddler.

[Anonymous]

India and Africa are simply too far. Plus, you run into food borne illness and the need for shots.

Costa Rica is more realistic...if you have a direct flight and a high end resort or villa. Otherwise, I would go elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have always loved to travel and so does DH. Taking our then baby - now 11 year old to exotic places has always been a part of her life. We were in Kenya when she was 12 months old, Iceland when she was two. Scotland, the northern isles, pretty much every year. China when she was 3. (amazing trip). She is a comfortable and happy traveler which is exactly what we wanted for her. Every year we plan an abroad trip. Lived in Austria for two years when she was 7 to 9 where she attended local German-speaking school. We are going to Senegal in August this year.

But you do what feels most comfortable for you and your family, OP. Travel isn't for everyone, I know. But Costa Rica is lovely and a great place to take a baby/toddler.

Does anyone else find posts like this to be bit classist?

"Travel isn't for everyone, I know". Rolling my eyes hard at this. You mean like people who don't have as much money as you? My family is fortunate enough that DH and I earn enough money that we can take international trips regularly, but so many people love to travel and cannot afford to. You sound incredibly unaware, PP, or perhaps knowingly elitist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We took our then 14 month old to Cuba last March. It was a great trip and she did great. So glad we went. We geared a number of activities to her - visits to farms and the beaches - but also just took her in the portable stroller to see the sights with us! We visited a school where she danced with the "big kids" and was in her glory. Our tour guide graciously invited us over to his house and DD played with his toddler.

We were careful with water but DD loved the food - everything was so fresh and local. She became obsessed with rice and beans and chicken. She obviously heard a lot of Spanish which was good for her, too.

So, yes - I might be a crazy adventurer but I believe in travel as a way of broadening a child's mind and starting travel very young so they learn to deal with flights, waiting, and a world not made just for them.

We brought a full extra suitcase of diapers, snacks (although we never used them and ended up leaving them there), a few books and her travel stroller. No need for a car seat in Cuba since the cars don't have seatbelts.

Hahahaha this is precious. Bless your heart, PP.

Ha. Larla learned sooooo much on our trip to Cuba!

[Anonymous]

"With a 14mo, that's just not realistic for us this year; we'd be happy to discuss a trip like this in the future. If you want to go, please enjoy, and bon voyage. If you'd like us to join you, let's discuss some domestic, realistic vacations."

[Anonymous]

This is so personal. If this kind of trip is not for you, you don't have to justify why.

I took my kids abroad young, including Costa Rica around your child's age. I'm a stickler for sleep routine, etc., so I have saved really long-haul flights for much older.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have always loved to travel and so does DH. Taking our then baby - now 11 year old to exotic places has always been a part of her life. We were in Kenya when she was 12 months old, Iceland when she was two. Scotland, the northern isles, pretty much every year. China when she was 3. (amazing trip). She is a comfortable and happy traveler which is exactly what we wanted for her. Every year we plan an abroad trip. Lived in Austria for two years when she was 7 to 9 where she attended local German-speaking school. We are going to Senegal in August this year.

But you do what feels most comfortable for you and your family, OP. Travel isn't for everyone, I know. But Costa Rica is lovely and a great place to take a baby/toddler.

Does anyone else find posts like this to be bit classist?

"Travel isn't for everyone, I know". Rolling my eyes hard at this. You mean like people who don't have as much money as you? My family is fortunate enough that DH and I earn enough money that we can take international trips regularly, but so many people love to travel and cannot afford to. You sound incredibly unaware, PP, or perhaps knowingly elitist.

Seriously. Just because I am not interested in taking a 30 hour flight with a 1 year old doesn't mean I don't travel. I met my husband in Paris, we have spent a lot of time with his family in Eastern Europe, and I ate so much steak in Argentina that I didn't eat red meat for years. This is also about actually being able to enjoy the experience, which I doubt I would with my thoroughly unhelpful parents.