Christmas school holidays. Its that time of year when we all get into the car/plane and head of to the rellies. This year the FIFO husband is taking the kids across to Nana and Poppa’s so I can have a little rest. Everyone is so looking forward to it. They leave this Saturday and are heading off to Darwin. From here its juts a two and half hour flight. I have done it many many times before with the boys on my own. Its all part of being a FIFO wife travelling alone iwth the kids is just one more thing we have to learn to do on our own. I have been travelling solo domestically and international with the kids since B1 was six weeks old. It can be stressful but going any where with kids is stressful but as long as you are organised and keep things relatively simple it can makes things so much easier.
Here is a couple of things I have learnt when travelling solo with three kids under five.
Buy/make a travel wallet to keep EVERYTHING you need in one place. One of those plastic envelopes are fantastic. They are large, easy to grab with one hand and keeps everything together.
Along with travelling with usual travel bag for kiddies, travel with a small medicine kit include things such as panadol, phenergan a great over the counter for nausea and allergy, band aids anti bacterial hand wash etc
Avoid trigger foods (things that make them slightly hyper) before travel. For my kids its soft drink and anything orange.
If you are travelling via plane let them have a supervised run in the terminal. Don’t let them behave like monkeys but my kids play quietly playing Ben 10 ducking behind chairs and poles. They aren’t loud, screaming or running just burning off excess excited energy. If its by car stop at a park and let them run themselves ragged.
Pack plenty of toys but give them one at a time, when they look like they are getting bored swap it. Make sure each child has one of their own to avoid fighting.
Play family games such as I spy or look at purchasing some card travel games such as these.
If travelling by plane make a request at check in or with your travel agent for a bassinet for babies or to be over the bulk head so the kids can have a little place to play.
As crazy as this sounds try and keep their routine going even when travelling especially at night. If you are travelling at night pack their pyjama’s and change them settle them with a story or a milk whatever your routine. It will help them settle them into sleep.
When I travelled with boys as babies I always gave them a breast feed or bottle during take off and landing it just helped with the ear popping. If they did cry and wouldn’t take a drink I just let them its the best thing to do. Don’t worry to much about the other passengers most will understand those that don’t well do your best to ignore them.
Oh and I know that this will sound terrible but label the kids with a wrist band, nothing worse than losing a child in a busy terminal when your flights boarding..
So those are my tips to the FIFO husband. Hope they are helpful for you too,
xxD
