Just a few months earlier, before a small creature appeared in the world, the time for a trip was always good. Winter skiing madness, a weekend trip out of town or visiting friends at the seaside. Nothing difficult and complicated. And now? A trip with a toddler means constant planning, preparation, complicated packing, determining a convenient date, finding a suitable and family-friendly place with a toddler – you wonder if it is really worth the effort to spend a few days on an overcrowded beach or with a baby in a baby carrier on mountain trail. There is no need to wait for the child to grow up and be able to keep up with us. Holidays with a toddler are a real challenge, they often mean little rest and lots of duties, but they can also be a very pleasant time.
If If you follow a few rules, this time can be really pleasant. Above all, plan ahead. The days of spontaneous getaways are over, at least for a while. Don’t plan too many things to see in a short period of time. Bet on rest and relaxation, not holiday bustle. If there is such a need, consult a travel doctor, ask about the issues bothering you so that during the holidays when this contact will be difficult, you will know how to proceed. Make sure you have taken all the medicines you need: antipyretics, something for a runny nose or a sore throat or earache. A whining child during the holidays is no fun.
Decide what time you will leave, it may be conditioned by the toddler’s daily schedule, it may be worth setting off at bedtime. If you are going by train, try to plan this trip outside the peak departure time to avoid crowding and lack of space. Try to book seats that give you more freedom of movement. This will make it easier to move around with your baby. Consider a place in a hotel or guesthouse. Check if the place you have chosen is friendly for parents with children. Even if the guesthouse seems to be a charming corner, it may turn out that you cannot use a pram, there is no place for a cot, or the neighbors are only seniors who are disturbed by the crying of a small child.
The most important thing is to complete the luggage so as not to take half of the children’s room with you and at the same time be sure that we will not miss anything. We live in a world where even in tiny towns you can buy everything you need from milk or baby juice to diapers. If you can take a stroller, you will have your hands free and you can put the extra luggage needed during the day in the trunk and a trip to the beach will no longer be such a problem. If you are going on hiking trips, use a carrier for a toddler, it is a convenient form of moving with your toddler in an area that is not very comfortable for a pram.
Make wise and well-thought-out decisions – do not introduce too many changes and novelties immediately before departure. Do not wean the child from the breast, do not teach him to sit on the potty, you can do it after returning. A change of environment, a new schedule of the day will be difficult enough for the child, so do not add additional stress to him. Pack rationally. Pack all the necessary things for the duration of the trip in a handbag that you will have easy access to. They have to be there, wet wipes, diapers, a blanket, a changing mat, a change of clothes, because breakdowns sometimes happen. Provide your child with comfort during the journey, check if the car seat is properly attached, attach a few toys to it so that the child does not get bored while driving and you do not have to pick up a toy thrown on the ground every 10 seconds.
If you have followed these rules, then when you arrive at the place, all you have to do is have fun.