Let’s start with the bad news. The Unite union predicts that, unless the issues are resolved, this half-term’s airport “will last the entire summer season.” So the honest first time on our guide is to consider if you can avoid air travel during the peak season – maybe postponing trips until the autumn when demand will be lower. However, we don’t all have that choice; we might be travelling for family events or just not have much flexibility, so:
Slow down
Work out how long you think everything will take – and we do mean everything:
- Time from home to the airport
- Time need to check in
- How long to get through security
- Time for eating or buying snacks and drinks
- How long to board the plane
Ditto for car travel or trains. Then double it. Do the same for days out, trips etc. It seems like a lot of faff, but seriously, an hour spent working out these timings, doubling them, and getting them into your diary, planner or app, will save you hours of misery during your holiday. You’ll find that you can relax along the way, take time to dawdle, allow for little legs and those intense moments of interest that children having for the strangest things … one of our Elite Nanny team remembers a toddler spending a good fifteen minutes engaging with a fire hydrant in San Francisco. It’s still the one part of that holiday that child remembers – and he’s a teenager now!
Accept the unexpected
Things always go wrong. Children need to sleep, eat and go to the toilet at the most inconvenient times. You plan an amazing day and there’s a massive traffic jam or terrible weather. Somebody in your group or somebody back home gets ill and it plays on everybody’s mind. Travel is unpredictable so allow yourselves to adjust … you might spend some days not doing much, or calling home a lot more than you planned. There may be disappointments, but if your planning is fairly fluid, you’ll find new experiences to enjoy. The temptation, after a couple of years of restricted travel, is to cram in as much as you can, but honestly, while we’re readjusting to international travel, there are going to be a lot of bumps and swerves in your path … and you won’t be able to plan for all of them.
Food, food, food
It’s impossible to pack too many snacks when travelling with children! It can also save you from some of the dangerous fizzy drink and sugar traps that waylay the unprepared traveller. Making sure snacks are nicely presented – pretty napkins and bright paper straws etc – can also give your snack break a feeling of being an occasion rather than a pit stop, which adds to the holiday spirit.
Something old, something new …
Kids need a lot of entertainment and distraction when travelling – and when there are likely to be delays, you really have to be on top of your game. Bringing along some new toys and games, especially things that don’t need batteries or internet access, gives you the chance to occupy your children with novelties. One Elite Nanny candidate packs a small scrapbook, glue stick and a bunch of pre-cut images and stickers (remember even round-nose scissors get confiscated sometimes) for each child over three. Being able to craft allows children to concentrate while adults relax or try to work out how to resolve travel issues. But old toys are important too – a favourite soft toy and a much-loved book in hand luggage can give small children a feeling of familiarity and comfort if they become overwhelmed.
Credit: Airport photograph by Jessica West