Traveling toddler

By Analee

Jan-Patrick was 4 months old when I took him with me on his first flight. We flew from Frankfurt to Manila for 14 straight hours. Despite the fact that I did not sleep at all due to paranoia, it was uneventful. A month later, since we were more experienced and confident, we flew again to Paris and then to Amsterdam. The only thing that bothered the little prude in me was the fact that a couple of men seemed to find it normal to start a conversation with me despite the fact that I was trying to breastfeed my son. Whatever happened to discreetly looking away once a woman's breast, a breastfeeding mom at that, is exposed?!

Since li'l Jan has been a good traveler, my husband and I thought that a short trip to Rome would be easy for an 11-month-old. Wrong! We found out later that we should not have compared the reactions of baby Jan to the reactions of now-toddler Jan.

It took three adults to supress his need and want to crawl around while onboard. The stewardess, my husband and I took turns playing with him and distracting him with whatever we could find. His fascination with the 2 new toys from Lufthansa only bought us 10 minutes. Thank God, the flight was only an hour and a half.

Touring around Rome was more difficult. Not the toddler's fault, of course. He was, after all, only acting his age. It was little embarassing though when we joined the 3.5 hour tour of the Vatican. In areas where we were all supposed to hush and look, he was babbling and looking around animatedly. At least, said the guide, he could appreciate the works of Michelangelo at such a young age. If only he knew that Jan has the same reactions when looking around dirty train stations.

Do not even ask what our experience was when he had our first dinner at this chichi restaurant. Let's just say, the succeeding meals were taken in restaurants were they can seat us al-fresco instead of being cooped up inside.

Many times, my husband and I have opined that we would leave Jan with his grandparents on our next trip. I doubt we will, though. As inconvenient as it may have been with a toddler during the tour, I doubt if we would have enjoyed it as much without him. For now, I am looking forward to the time when he is big enough to appreciate traveling.

Comments

[ruth]

take heart, it does get better. we just came back from an 11-hour car ride with my 2-yr old, with just a 45-min ferry ride and 2 15-min stops in between. we expected tantrums, jan being strapped to his seat for so long. but he was amazingly patient. having a stock of rhymes and songs did help. and a pack or two of gummi bears, hahaha!

[Justice]

Amen to this one! C3 is now almost 11 months and the trip to Denmark taught me all the different styles of catching an acrobatic kid. Lucky you, you had a friendly stewardess to help you a bit.

[Jet]

Before you know it AnP, JP will be traveling a real pro he'll lead you by the hand... hehe.

I think what you're doing now is good. I think a child, let alone a grown up person, wouldn't really know his extents and his limits unless he's been to any other place but home. You'll know about that, of course.

[viajero]

i greatly enjoyed your entry. you probably are one of those i see around europe who really have a hard time lugging but "enjoying" their babies on trips. I say enjoying in quotes because you seem to write them like anecdotes, funny ones at that. you seem to have a hard time albeit enjoyable it at the same time. good for you!hopefully those great moments you'd be able to recall and tell Jan Patrick when he grows up. He will be a great citizen of the world, a viajero at a young age!

[rolly]

At least, said the guide, he could appreciate the works of Michelangelo at such a young age. If only he knew that Jan has the same reactions when looking around dirty train stations

FUNNY!!!!

Enjoy him at every age as each one brings new joys and, well, yeah, hassles.

[delish]

kudos to you all!!!

we have enuff problems with just taking my nephew to church now that he's babbling and walking around like crazy :D

[Jo]

Oh gosh, I can just imagine! We traveled with Liam last month; he was 7 months old and man, our hands were full. Everything became fair game: the newspaper, my glasses, my husband's briefcase - things we'd normally not let him "play" with (except the newspaper; he loves that). It's hard - but it's worth it, too. I agree - it's better to endure it and have the experience than not to :)