Surviving Travel with Kids – My Top 5 + 1

I have used the term surviving because I wanted to keep it real guys and say sometimes travelling with kids is hard. But as we have two of them and you can’t leave them home alone. They get to come along, free of charge on all of our adventures.

Now I know the word ‘surviving’ might have some negative connotations, but what I mean is while I love travelling with my kids and sharing awesome experiences sometimes it isn’t always as happy and relaxed as my Instagram photos might like to make out.

We have 2 kids who are currently aged 10 and 14 and we have taken them on nearly all of our travels with us as young as a tiny 4 months old. Over the years, I have on a few occasions coped the odd comment. Such as they will never remember anything, why bother? It’s a waste of money, and so on. But the photos, like the one below always remind me of why I have always loved travelling with my babies and now big kids.

My comeback comment has always been, it’s not about their memories but about my own. We have such a short window of them being little and wanting to hang out with us. The memories I have gathered over the years are so precious to me. Memories recorded forever in photos that pop up on facebook, which give you a pause and a smile. Reminders of all the different experiences we have shared over the years together.

So don’t let others discourage you with their negativity, I say go for it! Travelling with your kids while it can be challenging, is very very rewarding at the same time. Over those years I have learned a thing or two about what to do and what not to worry about so hopefully this can help some of you to take the plunge but with a little pre-travel knowledge on-board as we

So here is my top 5 list with a bonus

1. Take each day as it comes….

One thing I learned real quick is that travel with kids can’t involve too much planning. I had to forget that ‘list of must see’ when we travelled and instead change the list to ‘if we can’. If your previous day’s, booked in activities. Have left your kids a little drained then a slow relaxing pool day, the next day will be in order and will make your holidays a lot less stressful and more enjoyable.

Some days you will have to change your plans. That will be a given. So try your best to go with the flow and not feel the pressure of, having to do and see everything.

2. You kids will seem a little ungrateful…

Now that may sound a little harsh but I can’t emphasise this point enough. While YOU will love walking through the 1000-year-old temple, that has so much history to soak up. But the reality is that they mostly just see an old building and a quick 5 min walkthrough is enough for them. I mean absolutely, give them a quick lesson in history. Don’t get bogged down in the details, that they don’t really understand or appreciate just yet.

On a very humid and hot day in Beijing we walked through the Forbidden Palace. Which was an amazing experience for us, but our kids did SO much complaining. It was a real struggle to keep a cool head and not leave them there! Sometimes they are going to drive you crazy, and they won’t appreciate the fact of where they are. You need to check yourself and remember, they are just kids.

Once I let go of trying to make them appreciate every little culturally significant thing, our holidays became more relaxed. Or maybe that’s just my kids!

3. The more room the better….

Now that my kids are getting older, this is a big thing for us. Where your budget can afford it, the bigger 1 bedroom hotel room or adjoining cruise cabin will make for a much better overall family experience. I mean I love my kids but on holidays you all get jammed into tight living quarters together and things sometimes can get a little ‘tense’. Not to mention you will all have to be asleep at 8.30 pm.

Now in some expensive destinations like Singapore, this can be a little harder to wrangle or justify the extra cost. But if you can, do it. We once went on a cruise and to have 2 adjoining cabins was only another $400. So to me that was a no brainer and we had two bathrooms and a little more privacy for all of us. It always pays to check the price difference as you may be pleasantly surprised and that it won’t actually cost that much extra.

4. Don’t pack too much……

On our first trip with a little baby at 4 months, I had to admit that I packed too much stuff. Things that we would have been perfectly fine without. But the anxiety of making sure that my kids would be okay and not stressed, really weighed down our suitcases. Most countries we travelled to with our younger children, had all of the things that I could have purchased if we really needed it.

One of the things I do now is write a list that consists of shorts x 2, T-shirts x 4, pants x 2 etc. I grab those things that are on the list and mark them off. This stops me from grabbing another T-shirt, just in case. Most of the time these ‘extra’ things never get worn anyway.

These days my kids are asked to pick one favourite teddy or toy, a couple of books, a pencil case, notepad and preferred electronic device. Oh and if they want to take their own pillow that’s okay. But please be warned, Mum is NOT carrying that for you.

5. The day you fly will always be a little difficult….

This comes down to those pesky expectations we put on our kids. Even as an adult, flying combined with airports can be a difficult experience. So put yourself in your kid’s shoes and think about those long lines to drop your bags and then those long lines to get on the plane and those long lines…..well you get the gist of it.

I have low expectations on the day of travelling. I do expect that at certain times during the day, things may become a little tense and taxing for the whole family. I try and keep those expectations in check and not get too cross with them during those tedious bits, that are a required part of travel.

I try my best to be upbeat and keep a smile on my face, anxiety at bay and remember the end destination is worth a little hard work. Spending several hours on a plane is not anyone’s idea of a fun time or maybe that’s what I am missing out on in first-class??

Bonus Tip. Book a hotel with free happy hour…

Now I am only half kidding here, free alcohol is always a nice perk and sometimes needed after a day of sightseeing with your cherubs. But there are quite a few hotels around the world that offer this. In the USA, Embassy Suites is a top pick of mine as they offer a happy hour in the evening with snacks. They also have one-bedroom suites so win win there. In Waikiki the happy hour is around the pool, so we spent many a lovely evening sipping our cocktails while the kids swam in the pool.

Novotel in the executive room category also does this and we have spent some nice relaxing evenings after a busy day with snacks and drinks in the premier lounge. Also, these categories quite often have the 1 bedroom suites, which sometimes are not that much dearer than booking 2 rooms. This is another feature I look for when comparing the prices of accommodation. Sometimes it’s worth it and sometimes it really is not. But I always do a quick check wherever I am staying.

So don’t let those few negative thoughts get in the way of what is a truly magical experience that you will hold onto for the rest of your lives. Travelling with your kids can be the most wonderful experience for everyone. With each trip you take, you will be a little wiser next time.

We are all Happier on Holidays.