6 mistakes you're probably making when traveling with kids

Even when parenting at our best, we all make mistakes.

Yesterday, my husband forgot to put our 2-year-old’s shoes on before taking her to the park. Another day, I forgot everyone’s water bottles. Mistakes are innocent and don’t have to ruin your day — unless maybe you’re traveling.

In travel, there’s the mundane, such as a forgotten dinner reservation, and then the serious: a missed flight connection or lost travel document. 

But travel mistakes with kids can unlock a whole new level of frustration, especially when disappointment mingles with an unregulated nervous system. While some things like flight delays or traffic are out of our control, there are a few things I routinely see parents do — raises my hand hi, I’m the parent — that can easily be avoided to prevent tantrums and meltdowns — and I don’t just mean from the kids.

These are the 6 mistakes I’ve learned from the most, and adjusting for them has saved us major time, money, and sanity.

Mistake #1: Flying with a Car Seat. When my oldest was born, I couldn’t imagine strapping her into a car seat I hadn’t personally vetted. So we lugged a travel car seat on planes even though we didn’t use them onboard (my lap was free). It was easily the largest item we packed, and made maneuvering around the airport or onto the car rental shuttle a nightmare. Now, we pay extra on car rentals to include seats every time. They’re clean, from recognizable name brands, and we arrive feeling less overwhelmed.

Mistake #2: Wasting Money on Upgrades. In-flight upgrades won’t remove kids’ whining, hanger, or crankiness. You could pay more for extra legroom, or heck, upgrade all the way to a business class lie-flat seat. But your child won’t know the difference, and when have little kids ever decided to entertain themselves quietly so a parent can nap? Plus, the perks that come with upgrades, like priority boarding, are already offered to families with small children. 

Mistake #3: Not Packing a Go Bag. When we last visited Oahu, we arrived tired, sweaty, and hungry after a long flight. Our room wasn’t ready, my daughter was antsy to go to the pool, and I had no choice but to open my giant suitcase in the crowded lobby and dig for swimsuits. Strangers were bumping into me while my overtired toddler melted down, and it made for a stressful start to the trip. Now, I always pack a separate “go bag” with everyone’s bathing suits, sunscreen, coverups, and sandals to make arrival days easier.

Mistake #4: Overpacking. I used to keep a 50-item checklist on my phone that I thought was helping me, but it only created a sense of chaos when suitcases were opened and I frantically tried to keep track of so many things. Did we really need 8 stuffies and 5 bedtime books? No. Neither did we need multiple nightlights (just leave a bathroom light on with the door ajar), 12 changes of clothes for a weekend, or every medicine ever made just to go to Orlando. Paring down our list lightened our load physically and mentally.

Mistake #5: Choosing a Hotel For Me, Not the Kids. I love hotels, but when I choose one based on my interests and not my kids, it’s a mistake. The bougie hotel with a swanky spa is great — for someone else. Resorts with splash pads, zero-entry beach pools, or waterslides are like Disney to my kids, especially when combined with kid-friendly activities, casual restaurants, and sprawling open spaces. Seeing them having a blast makes their day on vacation, and mine.

Mistake #6: Having Too-High Expectations. Stop expecting to do bucket list activities, sightsee, or worse, relax. It rarely happens, and that’s not my kids’ fault. They’re 4 and 2 and can’t be expected to relax on a chaise lounge with a good book. Vacations are now for them to try new things and do fun activities they can’t at home. The spa and fancy dinners are on pause until they’re older (unless Grandma is feeling charitable). Until then, a vacation is parenting somewhere away from home and the sooner I accepted that, the better our trips became.

What are some mistakes you’ve learned from that made travel better? My inbox is always open.

Talk + travel soon,
Emily

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