Planned a trip recently with your kid ? Getting nightmares?
The first thing which comes to your mind must be “yeah, you bet?”…. So does packing.
I have a travel lined up shortly and it has been giving me all the nightmares. More so because I travel alone with my child more frequently. We are called the fairer sex for no apparent reason while men continue to enjoy all the privilege. Be it the household chores or taking care of kids or running errands or the most dreaded – traveling, it is always ‘momma’s job’..grrr!
So, based on my own experience of handling a super energetic ADHD kid, here am going to give you some tips about packing for a hassle-free travel.
1. Travel Light
Once you think about traveling, imagine yourself running after your kid who is all over the place, literally. So, pack only that is necessary to save yourself some energy.
My son is 7 yrs old and I really need that energy to run after him everywhere as soon as I get out of the house starting from the gate till I reach the destination.
2.Keep back ups
But then my packing goes like – this he will wear while traveling, then take 2 backups as he is gonna make them dirty while running, sliding and gliding around the airport and then spill food and drinks and what not during the flight.
Even after this I always feel “Okay, what if I run out of luck and need a 3rd back up?” Yeah, I keep a few more backups handy in the hand luggage, and there goes my wish of having a lighter luggage hopping out of the window and jumping from the top floor of the building (without a parachute… sob! sob!).
3.Backups for yourself
No, the backups don’t end there. You gotta keep your own backups as well for the pukes, food and drink spills, sticky and dirty hands and a last one as a backup of a backup, which I call it as the MASTER BACKUP 😊.
4. Stock some food
Second comes the food – homemade as well as ready-to-eat.
I might sound like a careless mom here but trust me these occasional treats help a lot, especially when you must avoid the cranky meltdowns while all the other eyes pierce you to keep the noise down. I keep backups of food too, what if he doesn’t eat what I offer, I cannot run out of options in mid-air.
So, stock their favourite biscuit, chocolate, juice, parantha, sabji, noodles or whatever they like. After all you do want a peaceful journey, don’t you? 😉
5. Gadgets
My son is extremely friendly and always on the lookout for people who will talk and play with him. For this reason, we end up becoming celebrities (pun).
He quickly scans the surrounding and approaches random strangers around us by– “Hello, aap kahan ja rahe ho? (where are you going?), Mere saath kheloge? (will you play with me?), Aapka school ka naam kya hain? (what is the name of your school?) ” while I try to avoid any eye contact quietly thinking “yeh mera bachcha nahi hain (God! This is not my kid)” as I try to stop him from bothering others.
Keep your phones, tabs, i-pads charged for those moments. I not only keep them charged and handy but download videos, games, songs etc. which doesn’t need internet. Ab hawa mein latakte hue internet kahan se laun! (Now how do i get internet in mid air?)
6. Toys
Did we forget the toys? Nah, these can keep them busy for at least 5-10 mins or longer, if am not being too ambitious. Let them hold their own toys, if there is no space left in your bag. And ask them to take care of it, this will not only save you some space but will give them a sense of responsibility too.
7. Dress comfortably
Every time I think, this time we will dress well and be presentable but then the thought of changing multiple times automatically takes my hands to pick up the most loose and comfortable clothing, jeans or cargos with multiple pockets and elastic waist.
Who knows if I just need to fill them with some more things 😉, headphones, cotton, medicines, wipes, chocolates etc., while I choose the most comfortable shoes which can be slipped in and out easily. Though we end up looking like we are going for a picnic, but it’s worth it.
8. Burn their extra energy
The thought of running around in the whole airport tires me even before we reach it.
But it helps in burning and exhausting the pile of energy that they have which makes them doze off during the flight hours. I have even gone to the extent of keeping him awake till late night when we had an early morning flight and
had to reach the airport during odd hours. But that was the most comfortable journey I have ever had though it was a long one of 4.5 hrs.
He slept as soon as we took off while I kept my fingers crossed during the long stop-over. He woke up while landing and said “Mamma aaj toh flight mein bahot majaa aya (Mumma, I had a great flight today)” while I grinned feeling like a winner “Haan beta mamma ko bhi bahot majaa aya (Yes baby, Mumma too had a great flight)”
P.S: If you are traveling by train or road, then double up everything I have mentioned above (the pain too) 😊.