Forget lying in the sun: with a child, you're going to have to be running around on the beach...
Travel: abandon oneself to calm, not be governed by any other compass than that of desire. Getting up when you feel like it, lying down to read a book, looking out the train window. Travel: the long buffet breakfast, the rustling of the paper newspaper, the sweet drowsiness in the pool, the "Would you like another drink?" with views.
Traveling, always traveling light, taking the delay of the plane with humor, changing plans, going into a cinema, spending idle hours searching through books. Travel, the verb closest to hedonism, our homeland for so many years, the future we dream of.
Traveling with children is not a good idea. And yet we do
And yet traveling with children:
Bring the toy, the book, the stuffed animal, the change of clothes, the food, the favorite pacifier. Change the hostel for a hotel, the backpack for a suitcase, the adventure for sure. Waking up only when the other wants to, finishing breakfast in a hurry, forgetting the last time you read a novel.
wish very hard that the train goes faster, that the plane leaves on time, that everything goes according to plan. Discard restaurants because they don't have a high chair, change views for parks, movie theaters for toy stores. Leave dinner half done, go to sleep without dessert, not go out at night anymore.
Traveling with children clearly does not seem like a good idea. The reasons why they will argue to you - and you will argue yourself - that it is not desirable, are many. Here are some that will surely sound familiar to you. And, with them, what are we going to do, is also our response of resolute travelers . Because, despite the thousand inconveniences, there is much that drives us to share what we like most in the world with them too:
YOU WILL HAVE TO CARRY A LOT MORE LUGGAGE
It is evident that you will need changes of clothes, toys, a diaper, a bottle if you drink... But it is also true that we are talking, at most, of one more backpack per child -after all, their things are quite small-. Is it really that terrible to carry another piece of luggage with you? And if you're thinking about strollers, cribs and so on, think that, normally, there is a cot in any hotel , and the cart you can even rent it at the destination -sometimes they even leave it for you in certain hotels-. The same goes for the car seat .
However, if you prefer your own stroller or chair, companies like EasyJet They let you transport it at zero cost. The ideal, in any case, is to carry a comfortable baby carrier , just as a pediatrician recommended when we asked ourselves how to fly with a baby And not die trying.
THEY ARE NOT GOING TO REMEMBER ANYTHING
Well, actually this depends a bit on how old they are: a five-year-old may not remember the name of the squares he has visited -do you remember?-, but he sure does remember that big statue that called his attention or how much fun he had eating ice cream in front of the lake. And, even if they are babies who still cannot register their memories, surely they do register happiness, the sensation of novelty, your enthusiasm.
"Traveling brings great benefits to children to develop socially and emotionally, and generates a new attitude towards life and towards others ", the family health specialists at Hospital Sant Joan de Déu explained to us. And they continue: "Through the trip, they enjoy good family times, develop a thought more rational and, in addition, they acquire new values and abilities of emotional and social type , among other benefits". And the most important thing is that you do have a memory, and you will be able to remember, amazed, how much fun you had wallowing in the grass of that same lake in which you all ended up with ice cream churretes...
Travel may not leave them with memories, but it teaches them indelible lessons
THE JOURNEY WITH THEM -WHETHER BY CAR, TRAIN OR PLANE- IS GOING TO BE INFERNAL
We all know -and fear- the “ A lot is missing?" "How much is left? ", the tantrums on board , the "Mom, I'm bored...". However, it is clear that they are a necessary evil if we want to transport ourselves from one place to another. And, in addition, we can even avoid them as much as possible by following the advice of the experts . If they are old enough, we can also entertain them by revealing this curiosity: Why do we always the outward journey takes longer what the back?
CHILDREN NEED A GOOD ROUTINE
Food, playtime, dinner, bath… Everything seems to have a certain time in the universe of the child and the baby, and sometimes we fear that, if we skip it, what will blow up is our whole world. However, you will be surprised to know how adaptable kids are when they're having a good time. And, if the idea of leaving them without routines still tortures you, why not implant them in the trip itself?
"When we left, my daughter had just turned one. That's a difficult time wherever you are! They can't understand or communicate, and they won't stop moving. So we had to prepare to keep her happy on long car and plane rides. we learned that she needed as much stability and routines as we could give her. We did what we could to keep to a nap and sleep schedule, and she helped us tremendously!" she told us. Jessica Gee , mother of three children who live traveling.
What does routine matter when you're having a good time?
CHILDREN TIRE EASILY
It is true that children tire easily, and as we all know, this can lead to outbursts of anger that are difficult to contain. However, with their leisurely times, your children, in reality, are giving you the chance to relax at last . To avoid going from one place to another like a madman, trying tick all the boxes who is supposed to have a trip. To walk slowly and look at everything, to stop to sit on the grass. To play in a park and thus make true connections with the local culture. To focus on family time -what is inside-, instead of in the perfect photo -the outside-. To discover with the eyes of a child everything that you would not have noticed before, but that now takes on a new and beautiful meaning.
YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GO OUT TO EAT IN PEACE
Perhaps what you want most with a baby or a small child is not to sit on a michelin star to try the tasting menu - although, in total, ¿ who already wants tasting menus ? -. But you will agree with us that there are many other options apart from that: perhaps it is time to enjoy the local street food, which can be eaten anywhere without any kind of label, or to taste the delights of a good takeaway while lying on the room sofa.
You can even opt for the controversial decision of put the pictures while they eat : " We strongly recommend the use of devices when eating in a restaurant -although, personally, we prefer to give our son applications that are educational and from which he can learn-. In doing so, we enjoy our food and, while he is distracted, we take the opportunity for him to try new foods - he has tried all kinds of cuisines on our trip around the world in this way, "explained travelers and parents AJ Ratani and Natasha Sandhir to Traveler. .it is.
You will spend more hours in the pool than looking at monuments. AND THAT?
THEY ARE GOING TO GET BAD
As usual, the world is a safe place . However, there are countries that present health risks for the visitor, which can be consulted on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Even so, with the necessary vaccinations and following the corresponding instructions -do not drink tap water, apply anti-mosquito smears, carry travel insurance, etc-, everything should go well, as families who have been traveling their entire lives show us, such as the Zapp . Of course, if you prefer a known environment, nothing better than Europe , which is gigantic and full of wonders to discover.
YOU WILL COME BACK MORE TIRED THAN YOU LEFT
With this one we only half agree: it is true that just making sure your children stay within your vision zone is already an exhausting task, but on the other hand, you will soon learn that traveling with them has a lot to do with it. change an afternoon exploring the city for hours in a playground -and that, after all, is pure rest for a father-.
In addition, getting out of the day-to-day routine, although it involves more stress, has benefits for everyone, and the most obvious is that all your attention will be focused on your family. Neither work, nor laundry, nor the caravan from home to school will stand between you and yours, and good times will bloom with such magic that, when you return, loaded with gear and full of bags under your eyes, you will ask: "Where are we going now?"
You will come back more tired, but also happier