Are We There Yet? Are We There Yet? Are We There Yet? Traveling with kids can make even the sanest of parents feel like they are quickly going bananas. I even find myself leaning over to my husband and asking him, “Are we there yet?”

The trick to traveling with children is to be prepared. Know what your kids are interested in and make sure you bring activities that will keep their attention and are age appropriate. My children are both toddlers so I’m going to focus on what to do for toddlers.

My last trip I was actually over prepared for and I recommend you do the same. You never know when you’re going to get stuck somewhere unexpected overnight and that’s just what happened to us. Luckily, I had plenty of activities and snacks on us. Here are a few suggestions on how to be prepared.

• Let the kids pick out a backpack with wheels. Having wheels on it allows them to be able to pull it or wear it, depending on what they feel like. Pick out coloring books, lacing toys, crayons, markers, travel puzzles and put them in the back packs. Have lots of different short activities they can do in their laps. Let them pick out some toys as well and have them add them to the bags. Giving your children choices and letting them help in the packing process makes them feel important and valuable. I’ve found that giving them the choice also makes them a lot more persuadable. 
• Choose healthy snacks that make little to no mess, dried fruit, freeze dried fruit, drinkable applesauce, crisps and crackers to name a few. Keep an extra bag in your purse so you can collect the garbage. Grab some reusable drink containers and put them in their bags as well. We drink a lot of water and the kids like to be able to get it out of their own bags.
• I keep snacks, napkins, and baby wipes in my bag along with an extra set of clothes, diapers and pull ups. Even if you have a potty trained child, you might consider putting them in a pull up during a long flight. We did this with Zoe, turned out we made it without any accidents but I know if I had not been so prepared, we would have been wet.
• One last tip would be to bring something very familiar to them. We brought special pillow cases with us on our last trip. That way, no matter where we ended up sleeping it still felt a little like home to them. The pillow cases helped make a huge difference from one trip to another.

By Guest Blogger Louise from MomStart

I have always had a slight heart attack when my kids got anywhere close to the kitchen while I was cooking.  I was so worried that they would get cut, burnt, or flattened by pots and pans.  As my oldest starts to get more curious, I see my kitchen as less of a danger zone.
 
He just turned 3 a few months ago and is a picky eater.  He would eat peanut butter and jelly for every meal if I let him.  Unfortunately for him, I'm the type of mom that cooks one meal and if you don't eat it, then you don't eat at all.  I recently noticed that he gets excited to eat whatever I'm cooking as long as he's had a hand in making it.
 
I still make sure to keep him away from the stove, but he helps me get the ingredients ready.  No matter what I'm making, I can find some way for him to get excited about helping.  Usually it is simple things like stirring or pouring ingredients into bowls from the measuring cups, but he can't wait to tell everyone we know that he helped make the meal.
 
He never used to eat chicken and dumplings, but last week I had him help me roll the dough in flour and he thought that was the best job ever.  He even had to call my mom to tell her that he was helping.  I was more than excited when he ate every bite on his plate that night.
 
It might be more time consuming and messy, but having my "little helper" in the kitchen is worth it.  We're having fun bonding time and he's finally eating more than PB&J.  Seeing him beam with pride makes me want to bake all day.

By Guest Blogger Dee from Two of a Kind Working on a Full House

I grew up in Ohio and moved to California for big adventure and a change of pace. Well, I got it. I married Alec, who hails from Boston, and within a year had a baby and set up house thousands of miles from my family.  Not just any baby, but a baby who cried. And woke up in the middle of the night. (Who knew?)

I like living in California. I moved out here a dozen years ago imagining I’d only be here for four; but look what happened to me: I made friends, built a career, fell in love, made some babies, and bought a house. We aren’t going anywhere.

As much as love our network of friends and favorite places (the parks, schools, weather), I miss having extended family around to pitch in. 

When I look across town at my pal Whitney, I see a whole world of support from parents, in-laws, and step-parents all within a five-hour drive. If they each visited monthly, she’d be able to date her husband every weekend with nary a babysitter bill.  And our friend Erin? Her in-laws live next door.

For my nuclear family, every vacation means flying across the country.

The grandparents barely know our kids. They don’t attend birthday parties or take the kids shopping for big boy undies. When they do visit, they don’t know how to help. They are guests in our home, so they don’t take initiative with meals or outings. To me, having a grandparent visit is like taking on another pair of children!

Kvetching aside (wait a second -- I didn’t even tell you how much it costs a family of four to fly cross-country for Christmas!) my husband and I are solutions-oriented people. We have figured out how to squeeze in as many date nights as possible with an extravagant babysitting budget that we’ve grown to believe is simply worth it. We plan our grocery shopping and cooking and lunch-packing with military precision because ain’t nobody gonna step in and cover for us if we miss a step. We even find time to enjoy mindless TV and video games because we have mastered the art of putting the children, ages 3 and 5, to bed before 7.30 pm.

Sure, we miss extended family dinners and the pleasure of knowing that a daytime “babysitter” is building a relationship with our children rather than earning a few bucks. But I think we got it covered.

By Guest Blogger Heather from Rookie Moms

For months my husband and I had conversations about the "right time" to add to our family.  My first excuse was that our little boy was still a baby and I wanted more time with him.  Subsequent excuses included financial freedom, career advancement and even a clean house.  Alas, the decision was made when one day, that little plus sign changed our lives once again.  The truth is, I was scared to add a second child to the mix.  I didn't grow up with siblings and I had no idea if my time management and organization skills could handle a second child.  Couple that with experienced mothers who'd advised me that adding a second child was more than twice the work, and I was convinced that if the decision had been left up to me, we may never have added to our family.  It's been one year, and I can honestly say that I've finally reached a point where the days when things go right far outnumber the days when they don't.  And I'll venture to say that my two sweet children have captured my heart so completely, that I may even think about adding a third to the mix.  So how did we manage to survive a year with an infant and a toddler while maintaining our sanity?

Get organized.  My experienced mom friends weren't exaggerating when they said that two is more than double the amount of work.  The closer the children are in age, the more difficult it will be...for a time.  Getting and staying organized will help alleviate the busyness of this time.  Whether it's maintaining an online calendar to keep track of schedules or simply starting a routine to pick up at the end of the night, organization decreases stress, frustration and chaos.  Setting goals for the day also helps to keep us organized and productive. 

Don't sweat the small stuff.  It wasn't until my daughter was born that I realized how much time and energy were wasted on things that don't really matter in the grand scheme of life.  A night of staying up too late, a rainy day spent indoors with the television, and a meal without veggies won't negatively affect a child's well-being.  I've slowly learned those things that are worth reacting to and those that are not.

Prioritize what's important.  It's amazing how time can fly or stand still from one moment to the next. When I look at my 3 1/2 year old son, I wonder how my sweet tiny baby became this spirited little boy.  At the same time, those days of sleeplessness, potty training, and tantrums seem like an eternity.  Because there is only one of me and a finite number of hours in the day, I've learned to focus on those things that are important in that moment. Whether it's putting aside the dishes to comfort my toddler or spending the day at the park instead of doing chores, I've learned to relinquish the guilt of failing to complete the little things that are relatively unimportant. 

Seek Support.  I can't count the number of tears I've shed out of fear, frustration, or discouragement.  It's in those moments when I feel like a failure that I need the support of my husband, my best friends, and my mom the most.  Elicit a few good friends or family members that you feel comfortable sharing, venting, and seeking support and advice from.  You can also join a local mom's club. 

Equip yourself with tools from the past.  In some ways, the second child is easier.  You know when to call the doctor and when you can treat your child at home.  You've developed your discipline style and have experience with sleep and potty training.  Make use of those experiences to guide your parenting, while recognizing that each child is unique and may need a varied approach. 

Take a break.  Parenting is a 24 hour responsibility.  It's ok to admit that you're emotionally and physically exhausted.  When I find my patience wearing thin or my mood becoming irritable, it's time to refuel.  My husband and I work together to give each other a little extra sleep, some alone time, or a night out with friends. 

Remember that it will get better. As I look back on the past year, I've seen a change...a growth and maturity in my son.  He's less of a baby and more like a child and his actions are reflective of that. 

By Guest Blogger Caryn from Rockin Mama