MyBaby - 5 things I've learned about traveling with 3 kids

5 things I've learned about traveling with 3 kids

Posted July 14, 2008 at 1:49PM in Family Living General by dustbunny | Back

dishing the dirt, cleaning the chaos

Hello!
I haven't really mentioned I'd be traveling for three weeks, visiting family and squeezing a vacation to HI in there, so I figure, I'd share my adventure with you. Here's a few things I've learned so far....

1. BRING A PHARMACY. I swear, I hadn't touched these in my medicine cabinet for a month. 3 days on the road, and we've used nearly every ointment, bandaid and sunscreen...Even if you don't go far, get one mesh zip bag and stash:

hydrocortizone or anti-itch- especially for the salt water!!! my kids got a rash on their thighs f/ the salt (such pasty white vermont thighs!lol)
bandaids
kapoectate (?)
tylenol
benadryl
travel teaspoon
sunscreen
chapstick
diaper ointment (for baby)
thermometer

2. USE TRAVEL SIZED CONTAINERS. I reused old tubes, etc...I found I could carry more variety and less bulk. I fit a travel size of all these in onle ziploc:

cetaphil cleanser (worked great to wash sand off the rash)
sunscreen
bronzer
make-up
hair serum
deep moisturizer (by the beach, very important!)
extra conditioner

You could easily pack one for the kids with:
sunscreen
diaper ointment
aloe gel
shampoo
detangler
etc.

3. Buy your own booze!
Why cash out the mini bar or pay $10/cocktail... Just don't bring it on the plane...I made that mistake once- pre 9/11... (what, it was just a little mudslide mixer for my in-flight enjoyment...I guess you can go to jail or something?)

Here's a hotel-room friendly cocktail:

Vodka
Club soda- cheap and found anywhere
splash of juice (hello, vending machine!)
ice...and a lime from the kitchen...

this you can drink in leisure, looks innocent (no beer cans on the beach, right?), and they are relatively low-cal...

4. Pack snacks, extra ziplocs and a frickin' sharpie!
They are always hungry and room service is pricey. Some good ones that stay together when traveling are:

cereal
rice crispy treats
granola bars, not cereal bars!
dried fruit
fruit leather
power bars

for mommy:
starbucks extra espresso b/c sipping coffee on a plane just won't happen! I brought my own on board...it worked out well (add vodka once in flight, lol).

ziplocs- Noah peed on the plane, glad I had gladlock!
sharpie- We had more than one hotel room and within 5 minutes, our keys were mixed up...I couldn't find my sharpie until after I had already requested a new set of room keys...

5. USE A ZIPPER TRAVEL BAG for ALL THINGS WIRED.

OMG, all I can say is I had wire confusion within 1 day. ipods to phone chargers, find a special bag and commit to it. I use the mesh bags you can get at the container store...