Traveling with a Child

My son is a natural-born traveler and I hope that he will be a globetrotter or host a traveling show when he grows up. While pregnant, I travelled twice to Japan and he was just a month old when we traveled at sea to visit my husband's family.

Since then, he has been traveling by sea, land and air--he is a well-traveled baby. Maybe he is used to it already that he is such an angel during our trips and will not get sick like most babies.

Babies are also known to be very grumpy in new environment; they are anxious of the unfamiliar bed and the whole place itself. How do I keep my baby happy and myself sane during our trips? Simple, bring something that your baby is familiar with or at least reminds him of home. Here are the two things that I have to include in our luggage.

1. His favorite toy. Just skip the bulky ones, you can put his favorite stuffed toy or small car. When he throws a tantrum, hand the toy to him to make him feel calm and happy too.

2. Parents may notice that children can't sleep well during vacations specially during the first night. I make sure that I bring his "blankie" and most babies cling to their blanket. This is their security blanket and no matter how smelly it is, I make sure that I will not forget to pack his blankie.

It's best to gradually let your child travel to make him familiarize with the concept of leaving your house for a long time. Traveling is a great time to spend time with your child, away from the daily pressure of work. Utilize travel to bond with you lovely angel and enjoy your holidays.