Lady P’s Travel Hack! When you tell people, you’re traveling with a toddler or kids for that matter, you get two reactions. The first? Wow! Are you nuts? The second? Great, when you’re done with your traveling can you give me all your tips So here goes: Just before Penelope turned 2 she had been on 26 flights, visited 6 countries and been to nearly every state in Australia, and not to mention the long car trips, up and back from the country. It’s quite a number of flights and I often have people say; ‘didn’t it interrupt Penelope’s routine’? or the classic was, ‘how could you be bothered’? I even got, ‘you’re best to leave her at home, she’ll HOLD YOU BACK!’. No, Lady P is mostly happy when she is with me and the real importance is the time spent together. The opportunities to open your Childs mind is priceless. Sure, we didn’t travel around the world like we used to or party as much as we did pre-kids, but we still had so much fun (without the hangovers) If I’m being honest, traveling with Penelope made us change our traveling style and in my opinion, it was for the better. Ok I’m diverting and trying to sell you that traveling with kids is really not that bad. Anyhoo, here are my top 5 tips when travelling with young ones. I have travelled alone with Penelope and just recently with my husband. Traveling with my husband was a real treat and great for us to share the load around when traveling with an active toddler, but don’t worry you can do it alone, it’s really not that bad. 1. Check-in Get in early and first of all ask for an upgrade, it can’t hurt and you just never know your luck. If that doesn’t work beg and I mean beg for an extra seat either side of you or whoever you are traveling with. This will make your flight just that much more bearable. I was personally in that awkward stage with Penelope, where she was getting too big for the bassinet on the plane and she wasn’t two yet so we didn’t need a seat, yup risky business but it paid off and we got extra seats on either side. So again, I triple urge you to try and request one of those extra seats beside you, you’ll survive that flight, just that much better. 2. What’s in Penelope’s bag? Ok this is my favourite part, I literally used everything in her Trunki suitcase but I could have relaxed on the nappies, milk and clothes which I went overboard on in that department. Check-List  Stroller (This was life, I explain more in detail in my next tip which one to get)  Nappies (Enough to make it through the flight, plus 6 extra)  Baby Wipes  Disposable Changing Nappy Pads (I thought I was being over the top getting these but used them heaps)  Change of Clothes for Baby (And one for you, you just never know what could happen)  Plastic Bags for Dirty Nappies (Air sickness bags can be used for this as well)  Bottles (Enough to make it through the flight, plus 2 – 3 extra)  Dummies (Have these easily accessible if your baby uses them)  Powdered Formula (Pre-measured into a plastic container with serving dividers or take mini milk cartons on the plane which you can get from Coles)  Healthy Snacks (load up)  Forbidden Snacks (load up)  Lolly-Pops (helps your baby unblock its ears on the flight by sucking on them if they tend to get blocked ears)  A Sippy-Cup (if need be, I didn’t as Penelope has always been quite good with drinking out of cups)  Bib (Plastic-coated so it is easily wiped clean)  Baby Food (In those squeeze pouches – twice as much as you think you will need)  Baby Medications (Nurofen or Panadol for sore ears and anything else baby/toddler may need)  3 – 6 Favourite Books (Depending on the length of the flight)  1 – 2 New Books  1 – 2 Favourite Small Toys  Cuddle Object (Favourite blankie or stuffed toy)  2 – 6 New Small Toys (I gift wrapped all of Penelope’s toys from Kmart and she opened them on the plane and thought it was Christmas)  Pack of Fat, Triangular Crayons or Washable Markers and a Colouring Book (must be triangular shape so the crayons DON’T ROLL OFF THE TRAYS)  Stickers  Flash Cards, Lacing Cards or Other Compact Activity (For older toddlers) However, you need to remember you need things for the way back on your flight. I had a few people tag me in a company called ‘very busy bags’ and it was literally magic. I can’t recommend these guys enough, they have thought of everything when it comes to traveling with a toddler/baby. 3. A Stroller you can take on the plane My pick is without a doubt the Babyzen yoyo in all black. Comes with its own travel bag and carry strap. Folds / unfolds one handed, yup (You Tube it!) Fits in overhead luggage on plane and behind the driver’s seat in a car. The Babyzen Yoyo is light, without giving up too many features. 4. Let your standards drop and fly with an IPad or Tablet Let’s not be super heroes, if you need to pull the Ipad out do it. I downloaded kid’s games, rented movies and anything that looked happy and shiny for Penelope and it was a win. This will save your marriage... GET AN IPAD and drop those standards of being a super mum. 5. Can you get Ubers with Babies’Toddlers? Ok this is purely food for thought and clearly it is up to you how you play this out. Uber is essential sit up as a ‘car seat free’ set up, but it is becoming quite common to use their service to get your fam bam around. I never thought I would however, we were stuck in Europe couldn’t get a Cab and I gave up and called an Uber. It was so handy to jump into the Uber without fiddling with money (remember you have a baby in tow too) or working out the number to the Cab service. I’m aware this opens up a bunch of safety questions, that’s for you to decide as a parent, obviously the safest way is to travel with a car seat but sometimes it’s not an option. I hope you found these tips helpful and I would love to hear your travel tips and what worked for your family so I can add it to my travel tips. Bon voyage! Jauntlet.comhttps://jauntlet.com/https://jauntlet.com//86487https://jauntlet.com//86487Tue, 01 May 2018 00:00:00 +0200https://jauntlet.com//86486https://jauntlet.com//86486Sun, 15 Apr 2018 00:00:00 +0200https://jauntlet.com//86485https://jauntlet.com//86485Sun, 08 Apr 2018 00:00:00 +0200<p><img src='https://d1p4rder6xfx69.cloudfront.net/snapshot-106346-1528275590-19170-t.jpg'/><br/>From Paris with Love</p><p><img src='https://d1p4rder6xfx69.cloudfront.net/snapshot-106346-1528276661-50232-t.jpg'/><br/>Lady P's Trunki suitcase and Antler Luggage </p><p><img src='https://d1p4rder6xfx69.cloudfront.net/snapshot-106346-1528275607-95406-t.jpg'/><br/>Flying up the Pointy End lucky one</p><p><img src='https://d1p4rder6xfx69.cloudfront.net/snapshot-106346-1528276088-20870-t.jpg'/><br/>Babyzen Stroller</p><p><img src='https://d1p4rder6xfx69.cloudfront.net/snapshot-106346-1528275635-93209-t.jpg'/><br/>Very Busy Bag </p>https://jauntlet.com//86484https://jauntlet.com//86484Sun, 01 Apr 2018 00:00:00 +0100