efore crossing the Pacific with our firstborn, we had braced ourselves for the worst, half-expecting a long-haul exercise in torture we would boldly endure to reach our destination: Thailand. To our surprise, flying overseas with our 7-month-old was much more fun than any overseas flight we’d ever experienced. Instead of checking our watches as the airplane icon inched its way across the movie screen in between showings of second-run films, we were simply hanging out with our favorite little person in the world, having meals prepared for us and delivered right to our seats, watching movies which, for obvious reasons, we hadn’t made it to the theater to see yet. We quickly realized that we were already on vacation—free to enjoy our daughter’s wonderful smiles and share her fascination with the reading lights and passenger safety brochures, free to cuddle her and cat nap at leisure with nary a load of laundry to fold, free to agree with the flight attendants and fellow passengers that yes, she is absolutely adorable. Even when she cries.

                Whether you are gearing up for your trip because you you you have to travel with your baby, toddler, or preschooler, or because you simply have to travel and are ready to try it with your child, this book will help you lay the groundwork for successful travel of any kind: weekend getaways, lengthy road trips, international treks, family reunions, and virtually every reason you might have for packing up and heading out with the newest member of your family. Rest assured, it is written by someone who has been there—inventing songs no one should ever sing in the eleventh hour on the road, pleading with the manager of the general store to let a helpless infant (and her numb-knuckled mother) come inside to warm up before opening hours, and sprinting behind the train caboose through the rain shouting, “Stop! You have our car seat!!!”

As you might suspect, there have been moments when even I have had to ask myself, “Who in her right mind travels with a baby?” But I will be honest with you; after trotting the globe with a small child in tow, the good times have by far outweighed the more challenging moments. Yes, by far. And much like the birthing of a child, I suspect you will find that even the roughest moments look much rosier in retrospect—and have all proven to be well worth the effort.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that traveling with your baby or toddler will be easy. In fact, I can pretty much guarantee that, as with any trip you might take, with or without children, you will have some difficult moments. Yet, while many parents opt to wait to vacation until their children are older, or are old enough to be left behind with grandparents or friends, they are—sometimes literally—missing the boat. New parents need vacations. New families need bonding time. New people need stimulation, fresh air and scenery, and happy parents. Leaving the house together, if only for a day, can work wonders for a family.

                As I stroll along our “wall of travel,” the collage of travel snapshots plastering our hallway at home, I am often overwhelmed by feelings of nostalgia and a longing to not just go back to many of the wonderful places we’ve visited, but to feel the weight once more of our eldest daughter still in her sling as we visited the elephant farm, to hear the clatter of her stroller wheels on the cobblestones of Provence, to feel her small hand squeeze mine the first time she realized what it really meant to take-off in the airplane as she shouted to all the passengers, “Big Daddy Ay-pane! Up!”

Traveling with a baby, a toddler, a baby and a toddler, and now with a toddler and a preschooler, has certainly kept us on our toes. As our tenth wedding anniversary approached, friends kept asking, “So, are the Rivolis finally going on a trip without the kids?” My husband explained, “We could, but it wouldn’t be nearly as much fun.” Sure, the nature of travel has changed for us somewhat after having two kids. Mostly, it’s more expensive. There are more people to please as well. Cultural odysseys are generally bypassed in favor of beach vacations and camping trips. When possible, flights are dismissed in favor of road trips and travel by train. The concept of cruising, something that had never entered our minds to do in our pre-parent lives, has become especially enticing.

We count ourselves so lucky to have had these chances to see so much of the world already, from the sandy shores of Santa Cruz to the markets of Tunisia. But wherever our adventures take us, be it the backyard or abroad, I count myself luckiest for the chance to see it through the eyes of my children. Here’s wishing your family many safe, memorable, and pleasant journeys.

Shelly Rivoli