Grandparents re-learning how to travel with a child
We headed to Washington state, my granddaughter and I, two flights in one day with a 3-year-old. I remember traveling with a child being challenging even when I was young and spry. My goal? Go in prepared, act like I know what I am doing, maybe everyone will fall for it.
My granddaughter had her “Frozen” luggage packed with her favorite toys for the trip and a backpack with activities for the flight. I checked my bag and ordered a booster seat to be delivered by Amazon on the other end of our journey to ensure I had one less thing to lug around.
I remember from traveling with my kids when they were young, that I needed a birth certificate and immunization records; I learned this is no longer needed. My granddaughter needed to state her name and age, and with my ID, life was good, and we were through security. With all of the heightened security measures, it is more challenging then it was in yesteryear. The airlines did make one thing more comfortable; she didn’t have to remove her shoes. Traveling during a pandemic also has it’s set of challenges. Luckily my grandchild is perfect about wearing her mask when instructed and is pretty aware of social distancing.
To my amazement, my granddaughter was incredible with the entire process from security and on the flight. Her being able to manage her luggage made her feel proud and responsible.
Once we made it to our destination, that is where it begins to get hard. As a grandparent, your friends and family members are older and not quite as patient as they once were. Most older adults that have not been exposed to children in awhile will naturally find them annoying. Luckily, we saw my sister and father, and they knew that I needed patients accepting people and that they were.
I think preparation is vital, having activities for them to do, and allowing them to take responsibility for their items. I had my granddaughter choose her toys and activities, and for every leg of our journey, I prepped her on what to expect.
We were in three states in 7 days, and we had a wonderful time. I will travel with this little human every chance I get.
