Aloha, Friends!
It’s our last day in Hawaii and thankfully, I’m still on California time, as is the rest of my family so I thought I’d take this opportunity to write while these ideas are fresh in my mind.
I am a firm believer that all experiences are subjective and all children are unique. I do believe that there are some general ideas to keep in mind, however.
I only have three suggestions:
Simplify. I did great in this area, but I could still afford to bring a lot less. I kept all of my son’s things in his carry-on. This way, if our luggage got lost, he was covered.
“Voluntary simplicity means going fewer places in one day rather than more, seeing less so that I can see more, doing less so I can do more, acquiring less so that I can have more.” – John Kabat-Zinn
In my personal bag, I included 2 small Montessori-approved wooden toys and learning flashcards. I was afraid that he’d lose some of the smaller pieces so I kept them in my bag for the hotel and as back-up for the plane.
My husband’s carryon included a child-friendly tablet and laptop, which he used for about 5 minutes total (we ended up giving it to a child who wasn’t having a good time; the laptop worked for him!). My son isn’t into traditional toys or mobile devices right now, which is a great problem to have. We weren’t sure how he’d respond to his first flight so we came prepared. He’s more into pushing buttons, using a paper cup to listen in or speak into and can spend an entire hour trying to button, unzip or undo his seatbelt.
On our way there, he did not nap at all and spent most of the flight standing on his seat and playing pick-a-boo with anyone who’d give him the time of day. Thankfully he’s a cutie pie and the passengers responded kindly. Will take that over crying any day.
The return flight was more challenging, even though he napped for an hour. We ran out of regular diapers and used his swim diapers. Bad idea: we changed him 4 times! Thankfully all his things were in his carryon, but we did make a note to never allow this to happen again, especially on longer trips.
Take advantage of the perks of being a parent – Yes, there are perks!
- Purchase a seat for your child. In the United States, children under 2 years of age fly for free. Thankfully we took the advice of other parents with small children and purchased a seat for Carter. This is the best decision we made and so worth the money.
- Board early. Get to the airport early so that you can board early. We bought a harness/child seatbelt and were grateful for the extra time. It does require wrapping it around the inside of your neighbor’s tray, so get there early.
- Ask for upgrades – Don’t be afraid to ask for upgrades, especially if you did not purchase a seat for your little one. I hear Southwest is especially accommodating. If the flight isn’t at capacity and you ask nicely, you may get bumped into better seating or get a free seat for your child altogether!
Flight Tip: If you have a picky eater or a vegan baby like I do, please, please bring food that you can either make or store in a hotel fridge for the duration of your trip. Airlines are super accommodating and will let all or most of your child’s food through.
I brought precooked oatmeal, chia seed homemade pudding, and plant-based milk. This was enough to last us two days, which wasn’t enough. Many places offer vegan options, but Honolulu is still very behind on not only meat-less options but it was very hard to find even plant-based milk and organic options were non-existent or so was our experience; we did stay at a resort in Waikiki so that could have been the reason.
I ordered pasta for my son with marinara sauce to last him a couple of days. We then went to the local grocery store and bought fresh blueberries, raspberries, bananas, and avocados, which is what he normally eats at home.
What I will do differently:
- Stay at a hotel or venue with a kitchen or kitchenette.
- Rent a car the first day, (we waited until day 3 to do this, big mistake.) hit a healthy grocery store (or farmer’s market) and purchase the foods he normally eats. You’ll save a ton of money and spare your child’s tummy from all the overly processed hotel and restaurant food.
- Bring a personal/travel small blender for daily smoothies (huge mistake not having one!)
We want Carter to enjoy the experience and have a variety of healthy local foods to eat when traveling so we did make sure to find vegan restaurants to dine in. When this is not possible, most restaurants are able to offer alternatives or allow for substitutions. Just ask, and do so nicely! 🙂
Relax – Yes, mom and dad, re-lax! You have a little one (or two, three!) and most people understand. Don’t worry about how his crying or fuzziness is affecting anyone, but your precious one. We told ourselves in advance that we would do the best that we could but that we weren’t going to add more pressure to the situation by worrying about everyone else, and neither should you. I’m not encouraging rudeness and a lack of consideration for others. I am suggesting that you do the best that you can, and always keep in mind how the situation is affecting your child first.
“Those who mind don’t matter and does who matter don’t mind.” – Unknown
Summary: Enjoy the journey (literally and figuratively!). Simplify. You know your child best. If it isn’t a strong yes, then it’s a firm no. If you don’t think he’ll need it, don’t bring it. Do the same with your own packing. I brought one-over-the-shoulder small purse, a pair of sneakers, flip flops, stringy sandals, and strappy heels. I used the sneakers and flip flops. Deep down I knew I would more than likely not use the others. The purse was perfect and convenient. In my earlier days, I’d bring a purse and shoes for every outfit. Things change when you have a baby and nightclubs are no longer on your agenda.
Stay tuned for a blog post on exactly what and how I packed for Carter. And what I forgot to include!
Mahalo!
Irís
