Traveling with little kids

Not trying to be funny, but don’t do it.

Wait til they are old enough to enjoy and not be miserable

Planes: Snacks and tablets. The snacks are to keep their jaws moving to clear their ears for the pressure changes, which causes most young kids discomfort. But you know what the Orlando airport (more kids per capita than any airport in the world?) doesn't sell? Gum, because of environment, something or other. Anything that makes them swallow works. I don't use water bottles, I use collapsible bags to fill with water once through security. Refill whatever they're drinking out of with your refillable bags. As long as you never drink directly out of them, and contaminate them with your mouth bacteria, they stay surprisingly clean (dry them out completely when done using, etc.)

The more mobile the stroller, the easier your life is. Moms have insisted on overbuilt strollers that can hold their shopping bags and Stanleys, when you need mobility and speed to fit through tight spaces, etc.

Your kids can travel 6-7 hours until it gets hairy. That's a flight from Atlanta to Ireland or London. They're fine. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Have a plan, driving or flying, and communicate it. We're eating breakfast before we leave, we're stopping to pee at Mobile, and we're not stopping again until lunch. Expectations created. Kids, including that young, crave certainty. Do you have to pull off at a Wendy's unexpectedly every couple of trips? Sure.

My 9 and 7 year olds were perfectly fine on flights to/from IAH to Paris/Barca, it's 100% about the parent energy. If you're (and the wife) are OK, they're OK.

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Take them to grandma and grandpas and go enjoy yourselves. They will NOT remember this vacation and neither will you. just sayin'

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Don't say this to the Disney freaks.

But, OP needs to expose his kids to variety that is not on a screen. Dragging your kids to Mammoth Caverns, Smoky Mountains cabins, hell yes. There is a lot of joy in your young kids saying young kid things like, "I know why they say it's smoky up here," etc.

My (then) 7 and 9 year olds still talk about trips you wouldn't expect them to remember more than five years later. There are stories that came out of "they won't remember it" ages that I have already sworn I will bring up at their rehearsal dinners in 15 years. My 7 year old clearly remembers telling me, " I want to eat so many croissant I turn into one." Some of the memories are for the parents.

My trick with snacks while traveling is I make sure I bring all the snacks they stopped eating or "don't like."

When forced between nothing and that, it's amazing what they will "like."

I was able to clear out my pantry last trip out.

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If you're (and the wife) are OK, they're OK.

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This statement is underrated

If you're visibly stressed, yelling, freaking out - it will be a disaster. And equally so with the wife - things need to be discussed about keeping cool beforehand because when a parent cracks at the first sign of adversity, kids smell blood in the water.

The more you travel with kids the better of a system you get.
Now that I have booster seats in a travel bag, rent car with Turo, have TSA precheck, etc, airports and rental cars are a breeze.

Public transport in large cities with kids is a new adventure but also doable.
People who say don't travel with kids are lazy.

Dad checking in with a 2 and a 4 yr old.

We've done a number of short and long (8 hour) road trips, hadn't flown until this month.

We just got back from a week in Mexico and honestly, it was fine. Snacks, tablets, even a few crayons to draw. It did help that we a number of younger kids on the flight, but it's fine.

Lastly, I agree the 2 yrd old prob won't remember, but the 4 year old will and these memories are you for you two.

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Not trying to be funny, but don’t do it.

Wait til they are old enough to enjoy and not be miserable

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frick that. My kids have been flying since 5 mos old. You gonna tuck in and not live your life?

Fly. It sucks for 2-3 hours. You're busy AF, your balls are stomped, sometimes people around your hate you. But then you're there. Take your SSRIs, get your airplane drink (chug it or it will get spilled), and enjoy your "trip". You won't have another vacation for 15 years.

Pack your bags with snacks to the top, coloring books, activities, etc...

I think when my son turned 5 we let ipads enter our lives for flights and 2hr+ car rides only. Kids are now 4 and 8 and that's still the rule.

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They are good kids but we’ve traveled 6-7 hours with them already and it can get hairy.

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Have you tried hitting them?

On road trips stop at rest areas and let them ride a bike or run around. Lots of states have big rest areas with lots of trees and areas to run and play.

Make room for a scooter, bike, glider bike in your car. It will be worth it to tire them out make them happy.

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Not trying to be funny, but don’t do it. Wait til they are old enough to enjoy and not be miserable

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This is so lame.

Our 3 and 1.5 year olds have been to Puerto Rico, Disney/Orlando, and we are currently in Lisbon. Our 3 year old had something like 35 flights under his belt by his first birthday.

It’s not easy, but if you plan properly it’s worth it.

Our kids hate cars for whatever reason, so no advice there, but some plane tips. Screen time rules go out the window. Download them some shows they like and get them their own headphones and that covers a lot of time. Ours like stickers and coloring, so get them cheap sticker books and the mess free marker books. Snacks are a big plus. Also try to roughly plan to be in the air while they are normally napping so they can sleep a little (not always possible).

Plan, plan, and plan. Make an itinerary, and have back ups. Things won’t go as smooth as you plan so having to pivot in the moment becomes a lot easier if you have a B or C option. Give yourself at least 15-30 extra minutes to get anywhere. Travel strollers are game changers, as well as the travel car seats that are lightweight and click in easily.

Do I like traveling with just my wife more? Yes, but I’ve loved traveling with kids. Seeing how happy something as mundane as drinking out of a coconut makes them is part of the joy of being a parent.