Category: Travel

Surviving the holidays with your young children

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Holiday celebrations and visits are occasions of happiness and sharing among family and friends but can also be stressful. For your young child/children, the holidays often mean changes in their schedules, family visitors and gatherings, and sleeping in unfamiliar surroundings. See our tips on traveling with your child: https://uwsparentingsupport.com/2015/06/30/traveling-with-your-baby/ https://uwsparentingsupport.com/2015/06/30/traveling-with-your-toddler-or-preschooler/

Here are some things to keep in mind that may help the holidays be more enjoyable for both you and your child/children:

YOU WILL HAVE TO BALANCE YOUR NEEDS AND THOSE OF YOUR CHILD DURING SOCIAL GATHERINGS

  • Make sure your child is being supervised by a familiar adult or is engaged with a toy, with another child or a group of children.
  • Don’t assume your child will manage on her own while you chat with the adults. This can create a situation in which she could become disruptive.
  • You and your partner can switch off doing childcare. This will allow for more rewarding time with the adults when it is your turn to socialize.

YOUR CHILD NEEDS TIME TO BECOME COMFORTABLE AND TO GRADUALLY CONNECT WITH UNFAMILIAR FAMILY MEMBERS

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  • Explain to your relatives that your child does best when he can come on his own timetable. If applicable, remind your relative that it has been a while since your child has seen him or her.
  • Talk in a calm, authoritative manner, even if your relative is insulted by your child’s refusal to “give a hug”. Reassure your relative that this is what will work best in the end.
  • Try playing a familiar game with your child and your relative so they can begin to form a connection.
  • Remember, you are your child’s advocate, even if it means presenting a different point of view to demanding or critical family members.

HOLIDAYS  ARE OFTEN A TIME OF OVERSTIMULATION FOR YOUNG CHILDREN

  • If your child receives too many presents at once, you can give her one or two gifts at a time. That way, your child can focus on and enjoy each gift without feeling overwhelmed.
  • Try to allow some down time in between events.
  • Rather than be disappointed in your child or yourself, assume there will be some meltdowns, even with the best planning.

Traveling without your baby or toddler

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Part 3 of our Travel Series

couple-168191_1280Many parents feel the need to have some time away from their children in order to relax, reconnect as a couple, enjoy uninterrupted conversations and other adult activities, or simply to catch up on sleep.

We are often asked, “Is it OK to leave my 4 month old son with the nanny for a weekend?” “If I leave my 18 month old daughter with my parents for a week, will she be traumatized?”

As with most questions about parenting, there isn’t a “yes” or “no” answer. Many factors must be considered. However, in most cases, with thoughtful planning and preparation, you can ensure that your child will be OK and that you will be able to have a good time.*

Preparing to travel without your baby (up to 12 months of age)

  • Babies live by their senses. They know their caregivers’ faces, voices, how their bodies feel, smell and move, and the sequence of routines throughout the day.  It is important for the environment to retain as much as possible of what is familiar to them during your absence.
  • Leave your child with a trusted person whom your baby knows well. This is the single most important factor.
  • Make sure that routines, such as the sequence of meals, naps, play time, bath time, and especially the bedtime rituals remain the same as when you are at home.
  • Even though you may think your baby does not understand words, it is never too early to begin talking to him. Tell him you will be back, that he will be safe and well-taken care of while you are away. Tell the caregiver to talk to your child in this reassuring way as well. Be sure to say goodbye when the time comes.
  • Do not stay away more than 2 or 3 days. If possible, start by taking an overnight trip and see how that goes.

 Preparing your toddler for your going away

Many of the same principles apply to toddlers as to babies, except that toddlers are far more aware and have the added advantage of understanding and being able to use words.

  • Tell your toddler you will be leaving on a trip without him. For young toddlers of 16 to 24 months, tell them the day before. Tell older toddlers no more than 2 to 3 days before you leave.
  • Talk to them in simple, concrete terms that they can understand. For example, you can say,   “We will be gone for 2 bath times” or “2 sleeps.”
  • Choose a familiar and trusted person to care for your child. If more than one person will be with her, tell her the order. For example, “Grandma and Grandpa will take care of you for one bath time (choose the word you think will make sense to your child), then Aunt Sue will take care of you for one more sleep, and then we will be back.”
  • Try and keep your toddler’s routine and environment consistent and familiar. Talk to her about what will be the same as always and also about the special activities that are planned for her during your absence.
  • Do not give details about what you will be doing during your trip. Keep it very simple, for example, “Mommy and Daddy are going on an airplane and will sleep in a hotel for two nights.”
  • A book of pictures helps a child, especially a preverbal child, master an extended separation. This book can contain photos of you, your child, and the caregivers who will be staying with him. Or the book can tell a very simple story of what will happen and can be illustrated by hand or with photographs: saying goodbye; parent/s on an airplane or in a car; child with the person taking care of him; child in an activity with the caregiver; the return of the parent/s and reunion with the child. The child is at the center of the story, not the parents. Some children ask for the book to be “read” to them a lot, some carry it around like a transitional object, some ignore it completely. Any and all reactions are normal and typical.
  • If you are going to be away for more than a couple of days, you can think about whether Skyping or phoning would be reassuring for your older toddler. If you do decide to call or to Skype, choose a time of day that will be least disruptive and upsetting to your child.
  • If your child protests and cries when you explain to him that you are leaving, tell him you know that he is not used to your going away, but that he will be fine and you will be together again soon. It will help your child if you show empathy for her feelings in a calm and confident manner.

Separation is one of the main developmental challenges of the first three years of every child’s life. Here are a couple of developmental points to bear in mind:

  • Just because your child is unable to speak or “too young to remember”, separations from main caregivers and changes in environment do have an impact that can be lasting if they go on for too long.
  • Each baby will react in his and her own way to the separation. Do not be fooled if your child appears not to notice that you were gone, some children’s reactions are more subtle than others’. The amount of crying or the absence of crying is not an indication of how well the separation was tolerated.
  • If your child turns away from you when you return, do not take this as a personal rejection or a sign that he or she is angry at you.   It takes many babies and toddlers a little time to shift away from one caregiver back to another. This has more to do with cognitive development than with feelings about your absence.

You can read further about separation on our website uwsparentingsupport.com under Common Parenting Concerns.

*Please note: There are some circumstances that cannot be addressed in this post in which leaving your baby or toddler even for two days may not be advisable. You can consult one of our parent-child experts if you have concerns about leaving your child.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Traveling with your toddler or preschooler

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Part 2 of our Travel Series

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Most toddlers, contrary to infants, understand and use language to communicate, but the degree to which they understand and express themselves with words varies greatly. You can and should therefore help your toddler or preschooler by explaining things to her in words, bearing in mind that children at this stage of development are very concrete and immersed in the present moment. Here are some suggestions that will help prepare your toddler for traveling and for being away from home.

Traveling with your toddler or preschooler (part 2 of 3)

  • Tell your child about your trip only a few days before you leave.   Young children are unable to understand time as adults do and the anticipation of a trip that is several weeks away may cause anxiety. For example, a two and half year old cannot understand what 3 weeks really means and he may think that your date of departure is the day after you discuss the trip. This will result in 3 weeks of repeatedly having to answer the question, “Are we leaving today?” This open-endedness can feel unsettling to a small child.
  • Pack portable, familiar comforts from home. For most children, trips are easier to enjoy when they have their favorite snacks, books, toys and transitional object such as a blanket or lovey.
  • Pack a bag with fun activities and games to help pass the time on long trips or in restaurants.
  • If possible travel with only a backpack so that you have both hands free for attending to your child.
  • Prepare your child for what will be new and different. A day or two before your trip use simple language and pictures (when possible) to discuss your trip with your child. Talk about who you will see, some of the activities you will do and where you will stay.child-215317_1920
  • Reassure your child by discussing what will be the same as at home when you are traveling. Vacations provide a much needed break from our daily routines, but this can be unsettling to toddlers and preschoolers who are comforted by predictability and repetition. Knowing what will remain the same will help manage your child’s reaction to the change. For example, let him know that you will all be together and that “you will still have your cheerios for breakfast”, “naptime in the afternoon (but some days in your stroller)” and “3 books before bed, just like at home.“ You may need to go over and expand on these familiar and reassuring routines more than once before you leave as well as during the trip.
  • Children are not always able to verbalize or identify what is hard for them and parents need to interpret certain behaviors as communications that something doesn’t feel right. Increased whining, clinginess or tantrums, change in sleep patterns, resisting transitions, and changes in eating habits can be signs that your child needs more support and attention during your trip. If she is having a hard time, you can tell her, “I know that trips can be hard and not always fun and I am going to help you”. Then slow things down and try to allow for more quiet time for your child to relax and recharge during these busy days.
  • Making adjustments or changes in routines so that your child feels comfortable during the trip is perfectly normal. Routines can be regained when you return home. There will be an adjustment period, but it will not be a permanent change. Remind your child that you will be returning home soon to what is familiar.

Traveling with your baby

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The holidays are here, and for many families this means vacations and breaks from your child’s typical routine. This can be a special time to have new experiences and create new memories, but it can also be stressful for young children who rely on the predictability of their daily routines and home environment. Luckily, there are several ways to ensure that a trip or break can be fun and relaxing for you and your child.

Follow us for our 3 part travel series: Traveling With Your Baby, Traveling With Your Toddler, and Traveling Without Your Child.

Traveling With Your Baby 0 -12 months (part 1 of 3, parts 2 and 3 to follow)

  • Start small – If this is your first time traveling with your baby, consider a short getaway that does not involve long travel times and/or demanding schedules. Weekend trips to visit friends or family or car travel can be ideal to practice being away from home and provide a necessary break from your daily routine.
  • Pack all the necessary food, bottles, diapers and equipment (books and toys) that comfort your baby and your family
  • If your baby sleeps in a crib, check that your accommodations include a crib for your baby and consider bringing his/her own bedding or something familiar to his/her sleep environment.
  • Try to adhere to important routine and schedules when planning your itinerary (feeding, naps, sleep, playtime). This predictability will be comforting to your baby and will help ease the transition back to your home.
  • Allow flexibility if your child has a reaction to the different environment and routines of your trip. Your child may need more emotional support and physical closeness to tolerate the newness of your vacation. (For example, babies who typically sleep alone might feel uncomfortable in a portable crib and may only sleep in bed with the parent.) This is perfectly normal and routines can be regained when you return home. There will be an adjustment period, but it will not be a permanent change.