A pediatrician gives her 5 best tips for better managing your children while traveling. Despite the stress that this can cause, the primary goal is and remains to enjoy your family vacation.
Traveling with young children is not easy. However, you have to know how to appreciate these moments spent with your family, especially when it comes to taking a vacation together.
This period must always rhyme with joy and sharing despite the lot of stress it can bring when organizing trips and excursions. These experiences are often brand new for the little ones, they are supposed to make the most of them.
Dr. Whitney Casares is a pediatrician. In this article published on Chronicle Online, this Monday, November 14, she shares her 5 best tips for traveling peacefully with your children.
The idea would be to help you make your vacation more pleasant if not less stressful, regardless of the means of transport you choose.
1. Travel light
Accompanied by your children, it would be best to travel as light as possible – even more so if you are flying. Record most of your trips so you don’t find yourself overworked in the cabin.
You’ll have much less trouble lugging a lightweight, compact travel bag or two through the airport as well as on board the aircraft.
For longer trips, pack nutritious snacks and entertainment to keep your little ones busy during the flight. Think about their well-being and make sure they never get bored.
2. Take care of their little ears
On planes, babies often cry during take-off and landing due to the change in air pressure on board.
The doctor tells Chronicle Online that it’s because they’re having trouble balancing the pressure in their auditory tube, which connects their ears and the back of their throat.
When taking off or landing, when the plane gains or loses altitude, give your little one something to suck on.
A pacifier, for example, will be perfect for reducing the accumulation of pressure in his still fragile ears.
You can also give him a few sips of water or milk. In the same way, yawning will help him to better manage the pressure in the ears during his very first flights.
3. Bring disinfectants
When travelling, always keep disinfectant wipes and products on you. Your children will be more likely to get dirty. Beyond that, you’ll need to make sure they don’t come into contact with unsanitary surfaces.
On a plane, for example, remember to always disinfect the seat trays.
Although safe on most surfaces, the doctor advises to always check the label of the wipes before using them. Then let the area dry completely before allowing your child to touch it.
Hot soapy water can also be used to clean toys and other personal items.
4. Maintain a Consistent Rhythm
Monitoring your child’s sleep pattern during the holidays is not an easy task. Some unforeseen events are to be expected during this period.
Whitney Cesares explains: If your toddler’s sleeping or feeding times are disrupted by holiday events, try to quickly get back to a consistent routine. Be patient with yourself and your baby because you will both need time to adapt “.
5. Prepare to manage their anxiety
The holidays will be part of the events that will mark your child. He will quickly risk finding himself overwhelmed by so many discoveries and new encounters. This will be the case, for example, during family reunions.
Be aware that brats begin to develop a ” separation anxiety ” and ” apprehension towards strangers around the age of 6 months.
If your child is particularly sensitive, Dr. Casares recommends introducing them to new people little by little. Make sure he or she doesn’t meet all of their family at once.