The Case for Traveling with a Baby (an excerpt)
Who could use a vacation more than a couple in the trenches of new parenthood? Sleep deprivation, mounting laundry, visits from gift-bearing guests, and a return to the workplace can leave Mom and Dad with little energy or time to enjoy the marvel of the newest twig on the family tree. But when you travel with your child, far afield or close to home, it allows for a refreshing change of scenery for both of you. Better yet, it is an escape from the other responsibilities of home that too often get in the way of enjoying quality time together. So why wait?
The Top 3 Reasons to Travel While Your Child Is Still a Baby
- You can choose a destination and activities that interest you. For now, your child is equally content to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art as the aquarium or zoo, so long as she’s with you. In a couple of years, however, you can bet that you’ll all be finding Nemo.
- Jetlag won’t faze you with your already sporadic sleeping routine. Or more importantly, your baby adapts to new time zones more easily when she still sleeps multiple times per 24-hour day. Later on, when she naps only once a day or not at all, it may take longer to adjust to a difference in time zones. For now, you can also look forward to her naps to help catch extra winks for yourself during your vacation, should you need them.
- Your child will never be cheaper to travel with (hurry!). Your heart may skip a beat the first time you price airfare for THREE to your extended family’s festivities or your favorite vacation spot. Until she turns 2 years, however, your child can fly free on your lap for domestic flights or for 10% of your ticket on most international flights, or for 50% in her own seat with some airlines (more details in Chapter 14). Plus, some cruise lines, all-inclusive resorts, and tour operators will not charge fees for infants—though they will for “children,” which is sometimes defined as 1 year or, most often, 2 years and older.
Ready to get packing? Jump to these popular pages for help kick-starting your next family vacation:
- Destination advice & reviews
- Product & gear recommendations
- Road trip & car seat travel advice
- Flying tips & advice
- Worldwide Directory of Baby Gear Rentals
- Worldwide Directory of Vacation Babysitting Services
Hope you enjoyed this exc
erpt from Travels with Baby: The Ultimate Guide… Chapter 1: Deciding When to Go. You can follow the link or click the cover to browse the Table of Contents online.
Safe journeys,
Shelly Rivoli, author of the award-winning Travels with Baby guidebooks
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Traveling with kids over 5? Don’t miss the new FamilyTravel411.com.
