Traveling With Children - Trials and Success - Both Are Reasonable Expectations in the Same Trip

Children are amazing creatures, as i have said a time or two before, but they are also little monsters who come out at the most inopportune time. We have only taken my boys on a plane once, and luckily that was a relatively painless experience, but not without trials. We do however frequently take road trips, about 2.5 or 3 hours to the lake and other miscellaneous locations and distances . There have been some downright dirty road trips.

Yes, we did decide to jump in with both feet the very first time we took our boys on an airplane. Why not, they are good kids who want to see their aunt, uncle, and cousins in Fairbanks, sounds like a good plan. Now add the smart decisions, travel at night, they should be sleeping anyway, put each kid with Mommy or Daddy in two separate rows because there isn't a row with four seats, and pack a new backpack with all new toys and snacks to keep them occupied. Actually all of these decisions could be good, in the right situation, but I will fill you in on why they didn't work as planned for us.

Let's start with the traveling at night. It's not like at bedtime we could just place our boys in their seats as they drift off to sleep. Of course we actually had to get to the airport, get our bags checked, go through security, and then wait "forever" for the plane to load. Nothing like dragging our kids through a completely new experience when they really should be settled down in their beds. Luckily things were exciting enough they we didn't have any breakdowns, though maybe a few nervous whimpers as they had to walk through the body scanner by themselves. Off to a good start, now onto the plane to get settled in so they can sleep.

Nope, not happening. Now there are all new sounds, some of which are frightening, a strange guy sitting beside Mommy, and so many people. Once again we got lucky and it wasn't too difficult. The boys quickly decided who was sitting with each of us and got settled down to get this thing started.

The plane takes off, exciting, then it levels out, boring. Oh but those new backpacks, hours of entertainment, right? No, actually bags of new exciting things, to include candy, that the boys really didn't need to see well after bedtime.

Even given those slight miscalculations, once again the boys did pretty stinking good. No crying or other potential reactions that can be annoying to other passengers. Then the questions started. Things I didn't know answers to, so I made up reasonable responses, and things that I was just way to tired to go into. Remember, at my house, if it's bedtime for Wilbur and Wallace, it's also bedtime for Mommy and Daddy. Minor unrecognized details that may have helped us some adjustments to our travels.

Finally, no more questions because Wallace, at three years old with a three year old bladder, has to pee. Here's where the splitting the boys up became a bad decision. I wasn't thinking about the poor gentleman next to me who also took a night flight so he could sleep. Quietly ask if he can let us out, no response. Gently tap his shoulder, and ask again, no response. DUDE, I CAN SEE YOU BREATHING (another topic, but if I had a dollar for every time I have wanted to say that to someone I would probably have 5 dollars, yes I live an exciting life). Still no response, so finally I rather roughly shake him, let me out the kid has to pee. He looks at me like I'm the devil, but Wallace is started to cry and he's shifting like he isn't going to make it. Now to backtrack slightly, Wallace is potty trained, but he wears pull-ups at night. What possessed us to not put him in a pull-up while flying over-night on a plane, I can't tell you, oops. Finally, we get out only to experience the terrifying airplane toilets, but we made it. Only a few more hours to go, and well, only a few more trips to the bathroom. Sorry kind gentleman who always did eventually wake up from his sleep to let us out.

Last but not least. no foresight in this one at all, we arrive in Fairbanks Alaska after 2 a.m. We made it, all is well. If you know how to carry very sleepy, slightly grouchy 5 year old and 3 year old, while also navigating stairs with carry on luggage, and grabbing checked luggage as it comes around the carousel, let me know. I didn't want to deal with a stroller, probably would have been worth the little hassle for this part. We're done.

Well not quite, head out to the truck and guess what, mosquito the size of birds. I know you think I'm joking or exaggerating, I'm not, go there and see. They spray almost everywhere for them, so most yards are safe, but apparently not the airport parking lot. Oh well, doors closed, we are on our way. Arrive, say goodnight to the family and off to bed we go. We made it, successfulish.

We literally drive out of town, usually 3 or less hours, almost every single weekend. This is hard on children, we know it, but the experiences they have once we get to our destinations hopefully makes it worth it. Let's not forget that we miss birthday parties, weddings, retirements, BBQs etc, but we life the way we think we should.

I have a ton of road travel stories, but I will focus and generalize on one thing. Sick children. Yep that's it. I would highly recommend if you can help it that you don't travel when the kids are sick. Easier said than done, and also sometimes recovery is fleeting. They have been fine for two days and then suddenly the illness re-instates it's ownership and the child is ill again. This has always happened when we were too far to turn back. Here's a few brief instances:

Wilbur has been vomiting for a couple days. I take him to the doctor, he's fine, not even dehydrated, no more vomiting. Goes to preschool, comes home, we drive down the lake. Houseboat dock has been moved out (our lake is used for drinking water, so the water is released, recreating is resettled where the water remains), so we drive on a dirt road that has been underwater and is not smooth. Almost there, Wilbur pukes all over my car. UGH.

Wallace has hand, foot, and mouth. Doctor says he is healed and can go back to preschool. He goes to preschool for the day, comes home, we head out of town. Wallace starts screaming and we can't console him. He shows us his hand where his scab has been ripped off from his car seat strap and is bleeding. Luckily this one was more of an over reaction on Wallace's part. I carry various character band-aids in my van (yep I drive a van, by choice even), so it was easy to resolve.

Wilbur, now we know, is very susceptible to dry air from A.C. or heaters. He had a terrible bloody nose in bed on Monday night. Heals, no more occurrence, until we are stuck in very slow moving traffic. Bloody nose that looks like someone has been hurt bad, it won't stop. He's scared and crying. I am leaning over the backseat consoling as well as I can, but I get car sick, so not the ideal situation. Eventually get to an exit and it slows, clean up the mess and we move on.

I think I could go on and on. There were so many trips with the boys at all ages where we get somewhere just in time for them to think they are starving to death, though they had been eating snacks all the way, so we get to deal with correcting awful behavior in a restaurant, but also feeling slightly guilty that they had to ride in the car. Endless stories.

It's important to note that I really do enjoy every minute with my children. We have to have the trials to help mold the kids into the responsible, respectful, and strong individuals we want them to be. It's all different and all the same. On an airplane home from Tennessee two weeks ago the little girl in her mom's lap in front of me whimpered and cried, but I swear she was just wanting to hear her own voice. The mom was stressed and I just prayed that she had peace knowing her child is amazing and it really doesn't matter what others think. If that were me, I would hope to receive the same treatment. On the next flight there was a grown woman who was so much more trouble than that little girl. Why don't we hold adults to the same standard of travel appropriateness that we do kids, well duh, they can fight back. Anyway you do it, travel is an experience and even in the worst instances enjoy it. It doesn't last forever, soon they will travel with their families, or not, and it's okay either way. The good outweighs the bad, even when we can't tell at the time. Go give your kid a squeeze, even the grown ones if you can. They deserve it, you deserve it. Rock on Parentals.