any tips on what to say to mean people who complain to you directly so as not to be mean back, yet get your point across that they’re being a jerk? (about to travel with an eight week old baby – back to see the family…)

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Bring on your car seat. Kids, especially toddlers are much more comfortable in the seats they are used to sitting in. This will help them get comfortable and fall asleep.

For an infant, using a dropper, give the child sugar water sips on the way up and down. Gets the child to swallow and keep the ears cleared.

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Elaine just smile at them and be sarcastic.

Something like “would you like me to leave the child at home alone” and then smile. People hate sarcasm.

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Here’s a couple more tips from our frequent travels with our two toddlers:

Dress your kids in layers, there’s simply no way to predict whether the plane will be hot, cold or just right.

Pack non-perishable, non-liquid snacks that you know your child likes. Many airlines are doing away with meals, and it can be difficult to get child-friendly meals and snacks on board.

Pack a busy bag filled with engaging activities. I’ve listed some of my favorites on
http://www.deliciousbaby.com/journal/2007/nov/16/ten-tips-keeping-toddler-occupied-plane/

Debbie
http://www.deliciousbaby.com

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Granted I may remember things differently then they actually were, but, I used to travel often when I was a child. Between trips around the states, and family visits to spain each year, I deemed my self an old pro by the time I started flying on my own at 13.

My parent’s trick? For as long as I can remember (so about 4 or 5 year old) they would give me a backpack the night before and let me go to town. I’d pack every doll, book, game, cd, puzzle, art supply, etc. that I cuold find. Granted I never used half the stuff. But I also loved flying and apparently never bothered anyone except to ask them to let me out for the bathroom.

Entertainment goes a long way.

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I went to turkey in May with my husband and 2 kids. 1 child and a 9 month baby. It was a night flight and it was delayed! My child wasn’t too bad, infact he was great but the baby was hard work!

She was so used to sleeping in her cot that she wouldn’t sleep in my arms without a fight. Thankfully i didn’t get any bad looks or anything to put me off, but i did say to my husband that i wouldn’t do night flight again!

We have just booked a flight to India with ba and it’s a night flight! I have arranged for a cot cause i know she will sleep once we leave from Heathrow and when we land it will be about 6:15 am british time and my kids are up at that time,clever me. (babys has to sit upright on take off and landing)

I chose ba cause we don’t have to wait long for our connecting flight and becaues there wasn’t going to be another stop. I do adivce any one who is doing a long flight with young kids is to look at the times and try to work around our childrens routine even if it means paying for that bit extra.

I also would give them a dummy or a bottle to suck on during take offs and landing, it’s a tried and tested method and it does work and for older children give them something to chew like a chewing gum. Also read up airline reviews before you book.

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When you’re traveling, either by car or plane you want to be able to get comfortable and rest, whenever possible. It’s especially important for kids to be comfortable so it’s easier for them to fall asleep. I’ve tried many different travel pillows and I have finally found one that is as comfortable as my pillow on my bed. The pillow itself is designed to feel like down and it’s hypoallergenic. Both the satin pillowcase and the pillow are completely washable. Another thing that’s great is, because it’s satin, my hair just glides across it so I don’t get out of the car with bed head anymore. When I’m home I throw it on the sofa and use it as a nap pillow. Now I won’t travel without it. The company I purchased the travel pillow from is A Touch Of Satin. Their website is http://www.atouchofsatin.com if you’re interested. They had a great selection to choose from and they have some really cute ones for kids as well. The children like the smooth feeling of satin on their faces and they are a great sleepy time pillow for those long airport delays and even longer car trips. If you are doing any car trips or traveling by plane or train, this travel pillow is a must to take with you. I hope this helps. Good luck!

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Travelling with kids in Sri Lanka…

Sri Lanka is one of the most child friendly places to travel in the world. Children are always welcome and indulged and it will help you break the ice and get far more involved with the country than otherwise. It’s a real joy. The children will enjoy it too – the sites, smells, fun and elephants make Sri Lanka a winning combination for all.

However, there are some important tips that can make your trip considerably more enjoyable, whether it is small children or surly teenagers that you have in tow.

1: Think very carefully about your itinerary. Sri Lanka is a small country relatively speaking (think Ireland), but the infrastructure is poor, the roads are crowded and there are mountains in the middle of the country. It can take a VERY long time to get around. Indeed vehicles rarely travel faster than 30/40km per hour. Most traditional itineraries involve a rushed week long dash around the island before a week on the beach. The first week will be spent mainly in the vehicle. This is not fun with children squabbling in the back. Much better, I think, to take your time and spend a few days at least in each location. You can then approach the long journey’s as a fun part of the trip in themselves, rather than something to be endured – as you can schedule in time to take in the wonderful scenery, enjoy long meals at cheap local restaurants and interact with the ever willing locals along the way.

This has the added benefit of enabling you to take in the extraordinary variety and beauty of the countryside. From the dry plains of the cultural triangle, to the tea covered hills and the lush, tropical colour of the wet zone lowlands, Sri Lanka never ceases to amazing in the sheer diversity of its scenery. The beaches are great too – but there is much more to Sri Lanka!

2. Beware of pool quality vehicles and drivers. Most travelling is done by a chauffeur driven vehicle as driving can be a terrifying experience to the un-initiated. The most important thing here is to make sure that you have a reputable driver and that the vehicle is fitted out with seatbelts. As the traffic rarely moves above 40km per hour, dangerous accidents can always be avoided with careful driving and for minor accidents, obviously seatbelts are crucial.

3: Be careful about visiting too many sites. Sri Lankan’s are understandably proud of their extremely rich cultural heritage and many tours try to fit in as many of the cultural sites as possible. Now while adults may enjoy this, children can get ‘temple out’ quit quickly in my experience and end up not enjoying any of it. One solution is to include trips where the children are kept as active as possible. Yapahuwa and Ritigala are great examples of this – the ruins here involve fun exploring through the forest, few other tourists and mysterious evocative remains. Another good idea is instead of exploring one of the great ancient cities by vehicle – ask your guide to hire you bicycles and explore at your own pace. Take recommendations for local guides too – some, like the legendary Eddie in Anuradhapura, can really bring the majestic ancient ruins back to life.

4: Follow the Elephants! Remember that Sri Lankan style safaris are not like those on the African savannah. The national parks are comprised mainly of jungle with the odd opening and water spot, which means the wildlife can be harder to spot. This can mean disappointment to the child (or adult!) expecting to see hordes of elephants and leopards cavorting around. A crucial factor is the time of year. For example, Minneriya in the cultural triangle is amazing during the time of ‘The Garthering’ – the annual phenomenon where anything up to 300-400 elephants gather at certain guaranteed water sources at the height of the rainy season. There is a huge amount of socialising going on and it amounts to a wonderful spectacle. This is at its height in August and September, though June and July and October are generally good times to visit Minneriya too. Outside of this period chances of spotting elephants in any number are low. The best year round place is Uda Walawe with guaranteed sitings of large herds all year. Leopards are not uncommon either and the variety of birds, particularly glamorous eagles and other raptors is astonishing. A really special experience for the whole family is a camp in the park, which several reputable wildlife companies offer. The crucial early morning and late evening extra hour that staying in the park affords – when you have it to yourselves, offers amazing extra wildlife spotting opportunities before bonding around the camp fire. Just outside Uda Walawe is a wonderful elephant transit camp where cute baby elephants that have become orphaned or separated from their parents are prepared to be re-introduced into the wild.

5. Vary your choice of hotel. A comfortable hotel with a good swimming pool in areas where you are likely to have plenty of site-seeing is great – much easier all round if everyone knows they can cool off later in the pool. However, Sri Lanka also does more unusual accommodation options very well. Consider a lodge or a family run hotel and your family will really start to feel part of things in Sri Lanka and get under the skin of the country. Your children might even get a glimpse of a different way of the life they take for granted…. In the hill country it is also possible to hire entire cottages for all of you and experience the life of a colonial planter. Great fun and a totally unique experience. On the beach there are obviously a huge variety of options – but before opting for the obvious hotels – consider one of the many villas on the south coast. These villas effectively operate as mini hotels – they are fully staffed and generally beautifully maintained. The staff look after you tremendously well and it is a great way to get to know people too as it is a very intimate atmosphere. Most villa owners can recommend an experienced nanny at a very minimal cost – perfect for stressed out parents! Villas are not a cheap option – but for a slice of tropical paradise, they are well worth it. The service of the resident cook is included and all food costs are reimbursed at cost price. Sri Lankan prices are incredibly low for Europeans so it makes your extras bill tiny when compared to that of a hotel and there is a level of flexibility as to what the children eat and when they eat it, which just does not exist at a hotel. For adults, you get to avoid the massive hotel alcohol mark-up as an added bonus!

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