Will You Survive Your Next Family Vacation?
When I had to return home from Alabama, alone, with a toddler, I played out every detail of the trip. My main concern was how would I carry a car seat, a baby, a suitcase and a diaper bag and how would I keep a baby happy on my lap for a 2- or 3-hour flight?
My solution was to put the baby in a mei tai carrier, carry the 20-lb car seat in one hand (okay, I dragged it, too), carry a rolling suitcase in the other and strap the diaper bag across my chest. We stood in line for 1 to 1.5 hours. I could have gone through quick checkout if she’d had a ticket. It seems cruel to make parents wait in line with their newborns for so long, yet the very reason I was forced to use the in-person check-in system was because I had a child. It made no sense to me.
At first, I talked and sang with the Nugget. Another women (older with grandchildren) kindly helped me by singing to the baby and playing little pat-a-cake games her.
The baby had understandably had it after 90 minutes of going nowhere. No doubt she was also hungry, yet we could not spare a minute to stop and nurse, especially at the leisurely place the Nugget likes to eat.
I had no idea just how late the long wait had made me. As I made my way to the security checkpoint, I knew I’d have to stop and change a diaper. I had far too many items to carry to take into the bathroom, so I resorted to changing my baby in full view of everyone in the main hall of the airport. By that point, I was drenched with sweat from carrying 50 lbs of equipment, and my back was aching. Although I’d found a cart and was able to use it for a few hundred feet, I had to surrender it at securty.
To get through the checkpoint, I had to unstrap the whole mei tai, remove the baby, remove my shoes, place my heavy carseat in the machine, place the heavy suitcase in the machine, and walk through the sensors. I was relieved when they didn’t go off due to a forgotten watch or belt buckle.
Once on the other side, I had to restrap the mei tai, get the baby back inside it, put my shoes on, lace them up, get the suitcase off the conveyor belt, and hoist the car seat off the belt, too. Then, I had to catch the little train to get out to the gate. I had to do all of that with one hand, of course.
My back is still killing me, and I still have to wait for a train to get to the gate. I am thirsty, hot, and tired. The train gets me the concourse. I walk up to the gate, and the flight is already boarding. I barely made it and had not even known how close I was to getting ditched! Getting to the airport 2 hours early didn’t do much for me.
Once on the plane, I’m happy that there’s an extra seat where I can put the baby’s car seat even though I didn’t buy her a ticket. I’m relieved because I have no idea how I’d hold her in my lap for two hours and keep her from ripping the highlighter out of my seatmate’s hand, which she appears to want desperately. I managed to occupy the time with snacks, letting her peek over at the people behind us, and play with the few toys I could squish into the overtuffed diaper bag.
Once the plane lands, I carry the 50 lbs across another airport, onto a bus, off a bus, across burning-hot asphalt in the parking lot, and finally make it to the car where I quickly must learn how to install the car seat in the blazing 90-degree heat — all while continuing to hold the baby.
I felt proud of myself for being able to do all of this. At the same time, I swore never again!
Family vacations can definitely be easier.
Stay tuned and I’ll share some ideas for low stress vacations with your family.
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