Traveling with kids—two unpredictable elements combined into one daunting experience. Many new parents are so overwhelmed by the prospect that they choose to postpone travel until their children are older. However, in a world where families often find themselves a flight away from loved ones, avoiding travel isn’t a viable option for many. Despite our hopes for a relaxing vacation, the journey itself can be anything but peaceful.
I recently undertook a solo trip from Paris to Chicago, with a layover in Philadelphia, accompanied by my two young children aged 4 years and 15 months. The experience was nothing short of chaotic, featuring multiple meltdowns from not only my kids but myself as well. The long hours aboard the first flight drained me, but the stopover in Philadelphia truly tested my resolve. By the time we landed in Chicago, I felt like a mere shadow of my former self, my children asleep in my arms, all of us with tear-streaked faces. We had made it, against all odds.
Traveling with small children exposes parents to heightened vulnerability in crisis situations. Often, you must rely on the kindness of strangers, especially when you’re the sole adult responsible for multiple kids. Sometimes, all you can do is hope for a miracle. This anxiety is a common concern for many parents; embarking on a journey with little ones can feel like preparing for battle, leaving you stripped down to your primal instincts.
Despite the struggles, the desire to explore the world with family drives many parents to face the chaos head-on, even if it means risking a few panic attacks along the way. I am certainly not the first weary mother to endure such trials, and I won’t be the last. This realization is what prompted me to co-found a community for traveling parents, Bébé Voyage, where we can support one another through the ups and downs of traveling with our little ones.
Harrowing Travel Tales from Fellow Parents
Here’s a glimpse into some harrowing travel tales from fellow parents. Each story resonated with me, a reminder that it could easily have been my own experience.
Take the account of Mia, who shared her unfortunate ordeal: “My toddler’s diaper leaked all over me during landing, leaving me with a massive wet patch on my backside. I had to scramble for luggage and locate a shower, all while my child seemed to pee a gallon on that flight.”
Or consider the story from Lisa, whose journey was almost as epic as Homer’s Odyssey. On a trip from Vienna to Bratislava, she mistakenly boarded the wrong train with her toddler and parents, while her husband and baby were off fetching snacks. When she realized the error, chaos ensued. Without a way to contact her husband, who was still at the station with their nursing baby, she felt helpless. Thankfully, some gracious locals intervened, contacting the train station to locate her husband and child. However, the reunion was anything but smooth, as they ended up separated again.
Then there’s the experience of Sarah, whose trip from London to South Africa took a turn for the worse when she forgot her 18-month-old daughter’s birth certificate during a layover in Istanbul. This oversight caused her to spend the night in Turkey, incurring hefty rebooking fees and an overwhelming amount of stress. “I felt the adrenaline leave my body for the first time,” she described, shaking with anxiety until a friend managed to send her the document.
When travel with children goes awry, the worry escalates. Parents fret about where they will sleep, if their kids will eat, and whether everything will be okay. I felt every bit of Natalie’s frustration as she described her grueling journey from Iquitos, Peru to Nashville, TN. After a tearful farewell and nearly missing their connection due to weather delays, her 21-month-old screamed in agony during the overnight flight. “We were that family,” she recalled, “the one with the baby who wouldn’t stop crying.”
Finally, after dealing with a series of hurdles—including a random bag check and a long trek through the airport with multiple suitcases and an exhausted toddler—they made it home. Just as they arrived in Nashville, her daughter threw up on both of them. “I was too tired to care,” Natalie admitted, using baby wipes to clean them up while assuring concerned onlookers that they were fine.
These anecdotes are just a taste of the myriad of stories shared within my traveling parent community. Each narrative was more chaotic than the last, highlighting how parents and their young children are often treated poorly in airports. Despite our best efforts to prepare for every eventuality, traveling with little ones is fraught with challenges that can quickly spiral out of control.
Why Is It So Difficult?
Why do we have protocols for the elderly but so little consideration for our tiniest travelers? Other countries seem to prioritize the needs of families far better than the U.S., which clearly has a long way to go.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while the journey of traveling with children can often feel like an uphill battle, the memories created along the way are invaluable. It’s a wild ride, but one that many parents are willing to take for the sake of adventure and family bonding.