Travelling alone with 3year old and 10month old
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We traveled from the east coast to Hawai’i with our 3 year old a couple weeks ago. The 3year old will be the easier one to travel with. It is weird to say the 3 year old would ever be easier to deal with. but they can go potty mostly independently. It is easier to keep them awake with books, coloring, crafts, and TV and movies. On our flight I saw the moms with older babies struggling to get them to sleep while the older kids were fine. We also drive 10-12 hours to visit home every Christmas. Best tips I have: Break long travel into 2 hour blocks. In most blocks, you can eat a snack or meal, color, read, maybe some legos or an activity, and watch a tiny bit of TV. Then do a potty break & diaper change between each block. After the potty break & change, you can start all over, and it is like all the activities are new again. Hahaha. Usually, one of the blocks I use as nap time. I let him watch a little TV then turn on lullabies and he sleeps. This has worked since he was a baby.
Oh! Find your local library’s digital kid books. Load your tablet with kid books from the library.
I’ve done that. It’s hard. A lot of cartoons for 3yo. You will need a lot snacks (like more than you can imagine), and more diapers than you think you need and at least 2 changes of clothes handy for everyone, including you. I typically have a weekender as a carry on with snack diapers and clothes and it’s near empty by end of flight :) And you’d want a carrier for 10mo. I took an airplane approved large car seat but not a newborn one. It was a pain to carry but either kid would fit and could sit in it (strapped and not moving all the time) and sleep in it, which is super handy when you need a bathroom break. You can do this. It’s not the easiest thing but very doable. Getting to and from the gate was tricky for me coz I don’t have a double stroller - so consider how you will have the kids and stuff. Plan the departure in the right way. Ideally in afternoon but not too late (avoid 10mo getting overtired) and make sure 3yo gets some energy out in the morning. Yay, adventure!