If you watch parents with small children in the airport, you will see that they are struggling to move the kids along, you will also see that they are struggling to move the massive amount of carry on items that are necessary to move the kids from one city to another. When I was married, it was the same for me. One or both of us were managing the kids and I was usually juggling multiple carry-ons filled with supplies that would prepare us for any possible emergency. I'm not criticizing Jack & Lilah's mom, sherpaing this amount of stuff seems to be the norm.
There are a number of travel "checklists" with essential stuff to bring on your trip, but I have condensed it down to a level that works for me. Here ya go:
A Comprehensive List of Things to Bring when Traveling with Children by John Willis:
1. Money
Money..that's it. There you have it. When traveling to the places I go in this day and age, there is really no problem you can't buy your way out of. Its not like we're going "off the grid" and will have to survive on our own. We go from one place where they already have everything you need to another place where they already have everything you need. Why break your back?
Let's break down the trip to illustrate why you really don't need to carry much with you.
1.First the car trip to the airport. They are in the car all the time already, I already know how to deal with this.
2. Check in at the airport. This will always be a nightmare no matter what you do. I have yet to see a parent do this successfully, so I have given up. In my opinion, its best just to bite the bullet and suffer through it.
3. Waiting in the departure area. This is easy, we go look at the planes, maybe go to the snack bar, walk around. The hour or so will fly by. If there is a delay, just repeat. Its not bad. (If you have access to an airline executive lounge, this helps too. Lots of stuff to entertain the kids there even though you might annoy some business travelers, but oh well.)
4. On the plane. I immediately get snacks for the kids. Flight attendants are very very helpful. Jack will pretend to fly the plane for at least an hour. Lilah will talk and talk about her vacation plans. Once airborne, it's movie time (in flight or via the magic if iPod) / Nintendo DS time. OK, I know I did not put these items on my packing list, but if you ever leave the house without these anyway, you're nuts. If they get bored, you have to get involved. Talk and play with them. Some may consider this the down side of travelling light. You get absolutely no downtime as a parent on the plane ride, but it is actually fun for me.
5. Arrival at the airport. This can also be a pain, but it isn't nearly as bad as departure. The kids are excited and it really isn't a problem. This is one reason I chose Orlando as our destination. The place is built for kids and they actually get a kick out of being there.
5. This next step is important and can be difficult. Before going to the hotel, stop and wal-mart and the grocery store to get as many things as you can for the week. We rent a condo, so I try to stock up on food and other essentials ahead of time. This extra effort pays dividends in the days to come.
6. Arrival at the hotel. Forget about getting organized, the goal here is to start having fun asap. I ask the kids to help me bring in the groceries and the bare essentials to our room. We immediately go to the pool/water park/amusement park. This is their reward for being good travelers.
7. After the kids go to bed, it is time to spend an hour or so unpacking and getting organized. When that is done, have a glass of wine and go to bed. Tough day. You will sleep like a baby.
