Traveling with Little Ones

It is infinitely easier to please babies and small children than young teenagers..... Small children just want to be with you and don't really care where they are as long as you are there too. They won't remember anything much before the age of 4-5 anyway.

Rent apartments or houses where possible for the space, having a kitchen, laundry facilities, and not having to worry so much about the tantrums disturbing the rooms on either side!

And at least once in every trip, get a babysitter and have a night out on your own to keep the romance going!

Take off and landing can be hard on your children's ears. Make sure you have pacifiers and/or bottles that they can suckle during these times.

Bring any medication that they might need. Here in Switzerland, they still use suppositories instead of baby aspirin for small children. Ouch!

Keep enough food and drinks with you. You never know when they will get hungry.

Renting apartments is a very good idea. Try to avoid being on the road too much.

Trains can be dirty. Bring enough wipes with you to keep your children clean.

My brother and sister-in-law travelled extensively before they had kids. Now that they have young kids, they have concentrated on cruises, as less moving around, etc. They find it a great way to travel with kids. Have done a mediterranean cruise as well as the Scandinavian one with St. Petersburg. Just another option to consider.

I saw several books on Amazon about this subject. Try typing in traveling with children.

My kids are ages 5, 7 and 10 and we are just now going on an international trip.

We did a warm up trip to Disneyland (which no one complained about!) last year.

We had a miserable trip to a wedding with an infant that caused me to shy away from plane trips with kids for a long time. My feeling was I made that trip for my very good friend, but I would not call that insanity a vacation.

I did have the opportunity to travel overseas once myself and saw Europe through a parenting perspective, and was glad I had gone alone.

During those years, we rented cabins or hotels by the beach,or various regional attractions. We also have had good luck with state parks and "yurts" -- which are much nicer than true camping in a tent.

If you feel the itch to get out of your own neck of the woods, I would consider going to other parts of the USA or Canada to start with. My in-laws have been traveling more and I have been reading up with them on some of their destinations -- I realized there were fascinating destinations that I had not strongly considered before.

Whatever you decide, please post back. It's always interesting to see what people decide and how it all plays out....

We travelled a few times out of necessity when our son was in that age bracket . . . and then put off any further international travel until he was seven or eight -- at which time we stayed with in-laws overseas. Wasn't until age nine that we took him to London on a pleasure trip. Since then he has been a great traveller -- he's now closing in on seventeen. So I disagree entirely with Julia.

My advice is, whether at home or abroad, rent houses or apartments, avoid long car or rail trips, eat at home or be prepared to bail immediately if the kid acts up in a restaurant, museum or other attraction.

Remember that this is all about you -- the kids don't care and won't remember a thing and would probably do better at Grandma's house.

If you insist on dragging them along, pity them first, then your neighbors, then yourselves.

"If you insist on dragging them along" - give me a break. Obviously, fiesty is looking for tips that don't include leaving them with grandma.

Yes, it can be a challenge and no they won't remember a thing at their current ages, but they will enjoy the time with you and your husband.

The most difficult thing is the amount of stuff necessary for children in that age range. I always have a ziploc bag filled with medical items, Motrin, Tylenol cold, etc. I always make sure that it contains the essentials so a late night run to a drugstore in an unfamilar area won't be necessary.

I used a foldable umbrella stroller for my four year old when we were in Paris several years ago. He didn't use a stroller at home, but he was happy to be wheeled around Paris. Plus, it was convenient when he was tuckered out. We enjoyed the Louvre while he slept in the stroller.

We have traveled since my kids were infants and although it was insane at times, I don't regret it at all. They have really become great travelers and look forward to every trip we take.

Until our son was about 7 (and well-behaved in public), we did only car trips (when you can conveniently bring everything you could possibly need) to child-friendly, and of interest to the little one, destinations.

I cannot even imagine international/airline travels with a baby and a toddler. For one thing, little ones at that age require SO much of your attention you can hardly enjoy anything else.

For another, small children are very noisy and, I think, annoy others in many places. In museums, for example, I feel folks with screaming babies, fussy toddlers, are just being terrible inconsiderate to others. Worse is the parents' attempts to shush them. To me, it's torture for the little ones as well, who really do not care to be strapped down for hours, when they'd love to be making noise, climbing, running, touching, exploring, and otherwise enjoying themselves.

My daughter is now 3 1/2 & has been to Europe 3 times & once to Puerto Rico, as well as various other, shorter trips. Prep work is certainly important but the airlines we have flown on (US Air & Lufthansa) had amazingly helpful staff on all of our trips abroad. A small, portable DVD player would be a good thing to take along if you don't have your own personal video screen on the flight(s). Snacks & quiet toys are also a must. Our motto has always been the earlier you start them, the earlier they learn, & we have had little in the way of problems. Once in Europe we tend to do things based on the childs schedule (even w/time changes) to allow them to still take naps, eat etc. when they want to. I believe we have pictures of my daughter sleeping on nearly every park bench in Paris. I would also advise taking the apartment route as it gives you the space to actually relax & 'spread out' while the children may be sleeping. Doing so in a small, cramped European size hotel room can be a challenge. Our next trip will be to the Carribean in the Winter & will include (my now 7 month old)as well. This will be his first extended trip but I don't anticipate any problems. For those parents who don't expose their children to these things at an early age, well I pity them & their kids. My daughter stills talks about the merry-go-rounds in Paris & the rain forest in PR. I hope I am instilling the same love for travel & knowledge in my children, that I have...

Happily or otherwise, I don't have any personal experience of this, but have followed with interest a series of articles about travelling with children in my regular newspaper. The author's set up an internet forum for people to exchange views and tips - it might be interesting:
http://www.deabirkett.com/forum.htm

THanks so much for all the input...I would welcome any other ideas that you found, or learned the hard way!, that you would never leave home without. I definitely will back the umbrella stroller, thanks! I kind of chuckled, because I failed to mention that for a big chunk of the trip, we are going to visit Grandpa in Germany. But we are going to spend about a week in Spain, with the kids, (and a three days in Rome without!! Looking forward to that!) The time in Spain and the plane rides have me the most nervous. We have a mini-DVD player, and we have already put away a few favorite quite toys, to bring back out on the trip so they will be new. With all the stuff, I think we are going to look like a traveling circus! I told one friend that we should take tranquilizers, it remained to be seen if it would be for the kids or the people around us! Thanks for all the great ideas so far!

The umbrella stroller is a must...ours has literally been all over the world & is still going strong on baby #2. Certainly the best $20 we've ever spent.

Fiesty1,

I have a 3.5 year old and a 20 month old. We took them to England last summer. It was my 3yr old's second international trip abroad actually, I also went when I was pg with my second child. We also do 10-16 hour road trips on a regular basis to visit family. To tell you the truth, we love travelling with our kids. I find it fun and they do too. (Well, at least the 3 year old can say he likes it, word is out on my little one.)

The challenges...the flight this summer was looong. It helped to have a good sense of humor about it. We are very considerate of other passengers, and do not like to have them inconvenience anyone, so we try to accomodate them when we can to keep the crying/screaming down. So really, there wasn't much of that, but mommy and daddy were constantly getting this or that, singing, reading, walking...it was a lot of work. Of course going over there is much easier, I think my 3 year old slept at least 75% of the flight. Coming back was harder. And then of course there was jet lag to overcome, one did great, the other took awhile. You never know.

You have a lot of good advice about what to bring. I can't emphasise the umbrella stroller enough. It is just so much easier than those big things we use at home. I imagine your 6 mos. old still fits in a Baby Bjorn. That would be necessary as well.

Also, yes, a flat of sorts is critical, if you can swing it. The laundry alone is a big thing for us.

Do you have more specific questions?

Great info so far- I have specific questions about: Availibility of diapers if we run out, do we pack them, or just plan on buying there? Anyone have tips to help the jet lag? What items are "must haves" for easy access, I don't mind packing majorly in checked bags, especially since we will have a "base" with my father-in-law's house where we can leave stuff we don't need for our little jaunts from there. But, I hate feeling like I have stuff strung from one end of the plane to another, and with a couple of stops, I don't want to lug it all around the airport for connections. My husband and I (Pre-children of course) would each pack a backpack for a three week trip-we like light, but I don't think that is realistic for children! So, we would like to keep the bags in flight to a minimum, but not be without something really important. The DVD player will be definitely in the in-flight bag! (My mother flew frequently from Alaska to the lower 48 with three kids, how did she do it without the miracle of portable dvd???)

Fiesty1,

Oh I forgot to mention, we got a great double umbrella stroller. It is by Jeep. Less than $100, light and easy. If you don't want to buy one I have seen those attachments which enables you to link 2 together at Toys R Us/Geoffrey. Probably won't fit through doors with those though.

I bought diapers over in England. They were more expensive. I packed some too and replaced the extra space later with items we purchased on travels.

Re: Jet lag, I have decided all kids are different on this. My eldest, even when he was just a year had no problem. We just kept him up until normal bedtime and then put him down, he slept all night like it was nothing. My second child, who was almost the same age on his first trip did not do so well. It took about 5 days of early wakeups before he was adjusted. And we did the same thing. Nature took over nurture, again.

Must haves on the plane--food! And lots of it. Their favorites, special treats, whatever works. A change of clothes for them, and for you too. Not a full outfit, but on both flights I had milk spilled all over me and was glad I had a clean shirt on hand. Also little toys that are new. Oh, trash bags! I know this is weird, but for diapers, trash, food etc. I kept whipping them out to clean up messes and whatnot and handing them to flight attendants. Like you, I don't like to leave my stuff all over the place. On that note you can never have enough wipes. I used a whole pack. Books! My kids had a ton of them, but the little ones that didn't take up much room. (This means you have to read to them though, over, and over again, LOL.) I actually did not bring a portable DVD, they had movies on our plane (played Madagascar even, and cartoons). The 3 year old watched some, the 20 month old does not watch TV yet really. He is too active, unfortunately.

You can still pack light if you have access to laundry facilities. I do recommend packing for a range of climates--short sleeves for layering and coats, sweatshirts, jeans...just a variety. You will need that since Spain is on your list too, followed by Germany. (You probably already thought of this, sorry, I type faster than I think.)

Hope that helps. It really is fun. The sense of humor is a big thing. Our motto is that which does not kill you makes you stronger.

When you get there, as you undoubtably know, you will move at a much slower pace. But you are probably already used to that with 2. You can still do fun things, but we just aimed for 1-2 activities daily, which were organized in between nap times.

We took enough diapers/wipes, etc. to give us ample time to find a place to purchase said items then bought wherever we found a place. We carried everything on, 2 roll-alongs, a diaper bag & gate checked the stroller. Not sure we'll be able to pull that off w/2 though. Another reason why an Apt. (& the ability to do laundry if need be) is most helpful. My daughter will eat most anything & was actually still breast-feeding the first trip, so food has never been an issue. Although while in Germany, nearly everything she ate was considered a 'hot dog'. BTW, on the return trip one of those times, she was wearing the last diaper when she got off the plane...lol

When I was in Italy recently I was thinking about how difficult it would be to navigate around Florence with an umbrella stroller (I can't even imagine a double-wide one). It's interesting to me that so many here have traveled so easily with them. Some sidewalks are so narrow that they require single file passage and buses with rear view mirrors go zooming by close enough to thump you in the head. There are so many cobblestone streets that I would think it would vibrate the poor kid's bones. It seems that handicapped accessibility has not been as well addressed in Europe as it is in the States. Venice is prime example of that.

It sounds like you will go to Germany Grandparent central and then only have to contend with traveling in Spain for one week with the kids. Correct?

I can imagine that toddlers and younger children might enjoy running in the parks of some cities (maybe the a stroll along the Ramblas in Barcelona if it's not too crowded ) in good weather. You'll probably be able to muddle through this bit of the trip but I can't imagine it will be much fun for the kids.

Could Grandma and Grandpa keep them in Germany while you did a little exploring of Spain (and Rome)on your own?

All the best for your trip!

Oh I forgot I posted a thread a few years ago on this topic, the title was Travel with a 1 year old: Tips and Tricks. I don't have the link, but it is under my old screen name which is SRC51102. (Which I only changed b/c it wasn't user friendly and I kept forgeting it!) I got lots of good idea from it and posted a return trip reply on how it went. Seems so long ago...plus, one child is MUCH easier than 2!

In May, we took our 2.5 y.o. to Spain to visit family in Madrid. It was fun, in a completely different way than our previous travels. We enjoyed a looong walk along Paseo de la Castellana letting him play on all the playgrounds and in, on, and around all the fountains and benches. We probably would never have done this walk without him and it was beautiful. He loved little things, like a bull's head in a bar at La Plaza Mayor that he couldn't stop talking about. But, our trip was necessarily slower, less full of the usual tourist things we do. If you don't have too many expectations of places to go, things to see, you will probably have a great time with the kids. Flexibility becomes key with them.

I guess basically I'm saying that it will be fun if you sort of take it in stride - kid's stride. We didn't make it to a museum this time, for example, to my dismay. We bought pampers at a pharmacy, not a problem, not too much more expensive.

Now, he never got over his jet lag (in a week), so he was bouncing off walls (and ceilings, and sofas) at odd hours, and he barely ate, maybe a croqueta here or there. So whomever said that jet lag affects kids in all different ways is totally correct.

Try gift wrapping some of the little toys for the plane as that keeps them busy for a bit and they love it. Stickers were also a hit.

We went to Italy with an 18 month old. A few tips I can give you are: if you are in one location more than 3 days go for an apt or villa (even in Rome). You'll be grateful for the refrig and washing machine. There are agencies that specialize in apts.

Bring lots of ziplocs - dropped pacifiers, dropped toys, dropped hats that need washing, etc. They are light and cheap.

Bring a carrier for the 6 month old - like Baby Bjorn type thing. Even though she was way heavy at 18 months, it made the Sistine Chapel and the Siena and Florence and cobblestones much easier to navigate. As earlier posters have said, you'll already have an umbrella stroller for the 2 year old.

I went to Ireland last may when my daughter was 23 months old. I packed enough diapers and wipes for the trip and like another person said it left room for my purchases . I too ran out of diapers on the plane and my daughter wore a swimmie for about 2 hours. Thank good ness it lasted until I got to the car.

We took our big stroller there but when we go to Italy in may we will take an umbrella stroller. I am also looking in to a actual small backpack carrier for my daughter if she is less than 33 pounds.

I also thought that taking a night flight there worked out well for my daughter and my 7 year old niece. Good luck and have fun.

Has anyone mounting such a trip consulted their pediatrician. What was his/her advice?

Hi fiesty1. Not insanity but a lot of prep work. I brought my daughter to Asia when she was 2 yrs. old. Months before our trip, I already told her that walking on the plane was NOT ALLOWED and that she had to stay on her seat except if she or I had to go to the bathroom. Of course she had a lot of why, if and but questions but I just told her it was the RULE for safety and she accepted it because she really wanted to go on her 1st airplane ride. I had to prepare things to keep her busy though. I got the leapster game from Leap frog and we played it together. I also brought sticker books, crayons, lots of snacks and small juice boxes which she drank during landing and take off. It turned out very well. Spending quality time together for hours was fun for both of us! Good Luck!

When we just flew back to the States from Frankfurt there was a young mother alone with an approx. 6 month old and a two year old sitting in front of us.

Mom had two seats for the three of them (a middle and a window). The two year old sat by the window and the 6 month old on the mother's lap.

She had to ask the aisle passenger to get up to change diapers etc but he didn't seem to mind. It seemed to be a good thing that the two year old did not have access to the aisle.

It was a 9 plus hour flight but we heard not even a peep from either of the babies except a coo or laugh. They were awake almost the entire time, it was a day flight. Mom had all sorts of books, toys, games, food. She looked frazzled but somehow she managed.

I have seen baby meltdowns on planes too but it can be done!

kakalena

I am making a list, checking it twice of all the great ideas! I don't know who suggested it, but I am going to see my daughters pediatrition on Monday, I will post any tips he has. I am really excited about spending this time with my kids, but I know it will definitely not be the same kind of trip. My husband and I have planned to take it really slow. We want this to be a fun trip for all of us, and we may just come back relaxed from the trip, instead of worn out from running all over!
As Kakalena said, we are only going to have to make it a week on our own in Spain, the rest of the time we will have willing Grandparents with us. I am excited that I get to take my kids to spain, my ancestors are from there, so I think it will be neat to tell them they have been there, even if they don't remember it.
I am getting a lot of great ideas...I like the moto about what doesn't kill us makes us stronger, my husband and I also have a motto..."Never done that before!" We try to look at it like an adventure, and whatever happens builds the adventure. (Even the worst of things, you can generally laugh over after a few years have gone by!)

you have had a lot of good advice- an apt a must (or at the minimum a hotel room with a fridge) and try to stay in one place at least a week or at amin 3-4 days. The babe will not be a problem IMO but the a 2 yr old will be a challenge. Plan you trip as though you were a child. Be sure some running room each day...We would often split up if one of us had a must do. I remember having time with the swans in Green Park when my husband finished the War Rooms. Another hint- be sure to get your seats together. This may seem obvious, but I was on a flight recently with 2 Aussies and there 3 young children. Despite booking at an early date they were split 3 and 2 about 4 rows appart. They were upset as they had booked as a family but still managed with a lot of coming and going. Make sure your first day is really easy. Dont under estimate jet lag. I did much travelling with little ones because of family geography. I had family members to help out at the other end and it was still difficult- cranky kids and even crankier jet lagged mom. In all honesty with a child age 1 1/2 to about 3 1/2, I would plan a vacation close to home unless this I had family or the trip was added on to a business trip....and I will bet my passport stamps and those of my kids against anyones (since May of this year I have been to Montreal, Guyana, Puerto Rico, France, Sweden, Austria, Russia and Mexico). I am not bragging- most of this was business but I am stating this as an experienced travelling Mom whose children have families in 2 countries.

"Even the worst of things, you can generally laugh over after a few years have gone by!" This is so true and as long as you keep this positive outlook you will have a great trip.

Another thought - you may want to ask your doctor about giving your children a small dose of motrin or tylenol before takeoff to offset any ear pain. I think there are also prescription eardrum numbing drops. I didn't use these on a regular basis, but when my son was a toddler and came down with an ear infection a day before the trip, the drops worked liked a charm.

If your father-in-law is willing it might be a good idea to give him a list of things such as diapers, etc. that he can have on hand before you get there. The less you have to bring with you the better.

Your two year old might like his own little backpack for his new toys, games,DVD player and snacks.

Martinan is right about the juice boxes. I always had several stashed away and had one ready to go as we took off and another ready as the plane began to descend.

Have a great trip!

Fiesty1,

Sorry, it is me again. Just had to comment about the pediatrician. When we took our 1 year old over the first time he was still nursing, which he said was a good thing, as sometimes kids can have different reactions to the milk over there. I guess it is pasteurized differently. Even so, the second time we did not have any problems with either, and I was finished nursing the 1 year old. And in England anyway the food was just fine, we were able to find everything we needed there just like at home.

The other thing I suggest is international health insurance. Check with your carrier and see if you are covered abroad. We weren't. But for a minimal fee we were able to add some coverage, which was I think less than $100 US. But we would still had to pay a $50 deductible and get reimbursed. I am convinced we didn't have any problems because we had insurance. (And I was glad for it!) But you know little ones, you never know if you are going to need to see a Dr. for something.

And I echo the poster who said make sure you get seats together! Our flight this summer was so full that they could not get us all together on the way home, even though we were a family. I sat with one and my husband sat with the other. Even though we traded it seemed whoever was sitting next to mommy at the time was high maintenance. So I was very tired on the way back!

And also whoever said the mom looked frazzeld may have been on my flight. That could have been me. Our kids did not have a meltdown either really, but that was due to constant entertainment and having every one of their needs met very quickly. They had it really good on those flights. If only I could travel like that, ha ha.

If your kids are the kind that sleep anywhere (I have one) then doing some touring during the first day may be a good idea. We did this, and one slept so soundly in the stroller for about 4 hours of touring. And then he did fine at night. This was a new thing though, my eldest is not the kind to really fall asleep just anywhere. Who knows-they are all so different. I guess as everyone else has said flexibility is the key.

I think what you need more than anything is confidence. Once you do it, it will seem like a breeze. And then you come back and domestic flights seem like nothing. Think of it this way, if you make it through that, you can make it through anything.

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

Suppositories (TylonoL,Motrin) are great for little ones who have high fever and will not take their meds. I once paid $40.00 for 5 suppositories in London when I had a sick child who needed the meds and I could not get them into her. UK does not normally use that form of medicine. So, if you get to a drugstore that has them, you might want to get them for an emergency. One benefit of traveling. I have gotten them in US, but one is never fully prepared in traveling.

For myself more than the kids, but I always get my Dr. to give some sample antibiotics prior to traveling. Anything else I've needed I've been able to get easily but I like having a couple of Z-pacs in my suitcase just in case. The Dr. may have some other ideas that I've forgotten since my wife mostly handles the Dr. end of things for the kids.

something for their ears when the plane lanes.

Rick Steves always suggest at least one activity a day that is geared towards their interests.

Fiesty1,
My husband and I have traveled to Europe many times. My oldest son is now 9yrs old and his 1st trip to Europe was when he was 1yr. We loved the baby backpacks. He enjoyed riding up high and seeing things and it was easy to navigate areas. Our second son (he's now 6y)did not enjoy the backpack very long so we went the umbrella stroller route. It worked great. It depends on the child.

Make sure you take extra meds for fever ,colds, etc. I felt like a walking pharmacy, but we were prepared. Don't forget butterfly bandages, you might need them. We gave surprise toys during the flight( little, but new) and take their favorite books. The portable DVD is great, but you may not need it depending on your carrier. We flew BA this summer and we could choose from a number of movies.
Most importantly, have FUN! Just think if your kids are tough to deal with , they probably would be in the states too. Our kids had jetlag going to California, from the midwest, but not going to Europe. They just slept in the first day. I can't explain that.

As the others have also said, take lots of snacks. Even the kid meals on BA were pretty bad and our kids did not eat them.
Whether they remember or not you will have a great trip with your family. My 9yr old is proud that he has visited many countries, even though he cannot remember his early trips. He looks at the photos and it means more when he studies the areas in school. We have never left our kids with others while traveling and although it is not the same as if we were without them it is great, it is just different.

Enjoy and have a great trip!
Travelatte

Hi Fiesty
Very glad you asked this question. I plan to take a 3 year old to Europe next year. She is very easy going little girl but I am under no illusions. I have already taken her on a nearly 5 hour plane trip and it was very different!! She had a great time. The flight attendants were considerate and we just walked up and down the aisle a lot. She actually got to sleep draped over grandma and myself. I couldn't sleep because she would make sudden movements and I would instinctively grab her in case she fell on the floor.(She couldn't fall on the floor, it was cramped and no free space to fall)
Grandma was a life saver. She brought so many little presents and she would pull one out at a time. When our plane landed we waited til most people got off. It just wasn't safe with all those bags bumping in to you. Anyway I needed the time to find all the little toys she discarded all over the floor and seats. I am still going on a much longer flight on planes with tv's in back of seats with kids channels and lots of toys, books, food, water as I can carry.
Have a wonderful holiday

Thanks for all the input, I just thought of another questions. What are hotels like with little ones? A lot of people have suggested apartments, but I don't think for the three days we will go that route, unless anyone knows of an inexpensive one around Bilbao?? Do they charge for children? When they say "kids", what ages are they talking about? Do they provide cribs, like in the states? We have a fold up sleep-along that travels very easily, and we are taking to Germany, but didn't know if we needed to bring it with us to Bilbao.

If your baby sleeps well in the fold-up sleep along I'd go ahead and bring it to Bilbao. It is much easier if the sleep routine is as consistent as possible. Also, the one time I requested a crib, it didn't appear to be safe and the baby ended up sleeping with us.

I always brought a Pack n Play with us after a hotel crib collapsed on my child (fortunately, he was not hurt.) The baby will sleep better in a familiar bed, and it is very handy for the beach, for example, and other stops outside of the hotel. When a child is under 18 months, it is a good thing to have around. As he gets closer to 2 years, he will learn to climb out, so it becomes less useful.

There are many significant differences between traveling with or without kids. With kids that young, meals are hectic, so we were tried eating at outdoor cafes or in the room/condo. Our will to go out at night vaporized because the children get up so early and good babysitters were hard to find. Sightseeing changes from adult interests to family ones - zoos, parks, beach, gardens.

If you do want to see a museum or such, it has to be squeezed into naptime, giving you only an hour or so. Of course, kids' nap schedules are rarely in sync, so we wound up doing much less ambitious traveling with two little ones than with one. When our youngest was 4, we took up overseas traveling again, and it was great.

For anyone following this, I am posting some answers that I have gotten. My pediatrician reccomended Benadryl and was able to give me dosage amounts for their size, just to help them sleep on the plane. He also encouraged making sure you have the right dosage for their age of tylenol etc. He also suggested making sure you have their immunization records, or a copy of them, with you. The last idea I just got came from Leap Frog, they had a great idea for "viewing" the trip through your kids eyes, take a large manilla envelope with you and let your kids put their "keepsakes" in it. Even if it is wrapper from Hotel soap, if that is what they think is cool, let them put it in the envelope. Thanks to everyone for the great ideas!

Fiesty1,
Great ideas, but just try the benedryl before going. It makes some kids hyper. We used a cold med for my oldest and it worked great for sleeping on the plane. My youngest falls asleep even with the non-drowsy meds. They just wipe him out, but he used to be hyper on certain antibiotics. Who knows? Every child reacts differently, so just do a trial run before you go.
Have a great and enjoyable trip!
Travelatte

Hello all-
Thanks so much for the great info. My family and I are back, and we had a great trip! I have learned several things, one being that it is possible for a two and a half year old to reamain awake for over 27 hours (even with the help of Benadryl!) Fortunately for all involved, he became silly tired, and only really got loud when he had just managed to fall asleep (at the 24 hour mark) and they served breakfast! I also learned you CAN hold and nurse a six month old for those same 27 hours! We DID have a great time, and the flights were not THAT bad. The worst part was making connections, walking through the airport with the eight carryons! (O.k, two of the carryons were carseats and one was the gate checked stroller, but it was awkward!)

congratulations!!!!!!!!!

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