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Traveling internationally with kids - Possible? How does it work? (1 Viewer)

koreansteve

koreansteve

Footballguy
I'm 30 years old and had previously been a strong "no" on the idea of kids. Been dating a fairly amazing lady. Rethinking that strong stance. My #1 issue is the limited international travel I'd be able to do with kids. Right now I enjoy taking an annual trip overseas, with only my backpack, ideally to a 3rd world country full of adventure.

For those of you with kids that enjoy traveling overseas...

  • Is it possible?
  • How old do the kids need to be to for everyone to enjoy the trip?
  • What sort of international trips have you taken with your kids (12 years and under)?
  • Is it possible to travel to non-1st world countries (ie. Thailand, Peru, Mongolia, etc) with kids?
  • ...or does international travel become less of a priority once you have kids and you're ok not traveling as much (tough for me to picture)
Interested in hearing what you parents have to say :)

 
If you pay $150 you can have them ride in the cargo area as long as you provide water and food.  Many countries have quarantine rules though, so check those first before traveling.  glllllllll

 
When my daughter was three, we travelled to Taiwan, Vietnam and Hong Kong (before it was China) with no issues.  I think Mexico and the Carribean were the only countries when younger.   Of course you are more limited, but you can do normal things like sightseeing and enjoy the food.  

 
koreansteve said:
I'm 30 years old and had previously been a strong "no" on the idea of kids. Been dating a fairly amazing lady. Rethinking that strong stance. My #1 issue is the limited international travel I'd be able to do with kids. Right now I enjoy taking an annual trip overseas, with only my backpack, ideally to a 3rd world country full of adventure.

For those of you with kids that enjoy traveling overseas...

  • Is it possible?
  • How old do the kids need to be to for everyone to enjoy the trip?
  • What sort of international trips have you taken with your kids (12 years and under)?
  • Is it possible to travel to non-1st world countries (ie. Thailand, Peru, Mongolia, etc) with kids?
  • ...or does international travel become less of a priority once you have kids and you're ok not traveling as much (tough for me to picture)
Interested in hearing what you parents have to say :)
Click to expand...
I lived in Thailand for 4 years as a kid and another 4 in Indonesia. 18 hour flights were the norm for me. With that said I could not fathom taking my kids over seas until they were 10+.

They won't appreciate it and it is not easy. Maybe start with a more western country and see how that goes? Dealing with other cultures can be different and frustrating as kids (they'll have a ton of fun getting their cheeks pinched) and weird food options means bringing a jar of two of peanut butter to make sandwiches will be key.

Honestly I would focus more on traveling within the US, motor homing and camping and then wait until they are older to incur the expense for an international trip where they would prefer to be in the hotel room than see their third Buddah temple.

 
proninja said:
Kids are the worst. And the best. All at the same time. 
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There's nothing quite like the elation you feel when you leave them for a weekend combined with how excited you are to see them when you get back.

 
proninja said:
Or how excited you are when you get a babysitter and go to dinner alone together without the hooligans. Then you talk about the damn kids the whole dinner. 
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And you're like oh my god we are just talking about the kids lets stop.  and then you stop for about 2 minutes.

 
Drop off kids for a free weekend:  oh my god so happy

first night: this is so great.  i remember now wjhy i married you

second night: this is so great. i love this.  i kinda miss the kids

drive home: i so miss the kids 

pick up kids: yes i'm so happy

5 minutes later: i wish we were still on vacation

 
Kids feed off of the parents emotions, so it really depends more on the parents than the kids, IMO. I actually liked travelling with kids better than travelling without. You are instantly accepted by anyone that has (or likes) kids and often times our kids made friends with other kids which opened us up to experiences that we otherwise would have missed out on. As far as how old they need to be, travelling becomes much easier and enjoyable once they stop needing naps (happens at a different age for everyone) and you can operate on a more flexible schedule. It can be tough on everyone when they get out of the normal nap routine.

 
Baloney Sandwich said:
Don't decide to have kids because the snatch you are currently with wants them, have them because you want them.
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He actually seems pretty on the ball. Doesn't care about potential...lack of sleep, not having any free time, wife being too tired for sex, lack of space, lack of quiet, lack of money plus needing to save for college, etc. He's willing to take on that on if it still means he gets a week away internationally a year.

 
I travel internationally a lot, like most FBGs that pull 7 figures.  sadly, no kids, so I can't offer any advise for you whatsoever obviously.

 
Sounds like literally the worst thing in the world.

I know a few parents that need 4 bags to take their kid to the park for an hour. Can't imagine the caravan required for 2 weeks out of the country. 

 
koreansteve said:
I'm 30 years old and had previously been a strong "no" on the idea of kids. Been dating a fairly amazing lady. Rethinking that strong stance. My #1 issue is the limited international travel I'd be able to do with kids. Right now I enjoy taking an annual trip overseas, with only my backpack, ideally to a 3rd world country full of adventure.

For those of you with kids that enjoy traveling overseas...

  • Is it possible?
  • How old do the kids need to be to for everyone to enjoy the trip?
  • What sort of international trips have you taken with your kids (12 years and under)?
  • Is it possible to travel to non-1st world countries (ie. Thailand, Peru, Mongolia, etc) with kids?
  • ...or does international travel become less of a priority once you have kids and you're ok not traveling as much (tough for me to picture)
Interested in hearing what you parents have to say :)
Click to expand...
Have traveled extensively with my daughter since she was 9 months old.

- Yes

- She was always a good traveler, rarely cried on planes and didn't have a problem being dragged around places.  Much easier for us this last trip at age 7 where she was able to walk long distances on her own

- Tanzania 5x, Australia, Canada, all over Europe

- Yes

- I've traveled more since she was born than before

 
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ok... 

as with anything else, kids ruin everything. you don't get to do what you want, when you want. 

that said...

- possible? of course- anything is possible, if you're game.

- how old? infants travel really easily- they're going to do what they do anywhere... eat, sleep, crap, rinse repeat; they're doorstops that need a bottle and burping. toddlers and younger kids get tricky- 1.5-3/4, they're mobile, bigger, louder and more in need of attention. doable, but longer flights are rough and exhausting for the parents. 4/5 and up, the kids start to be more selfcontained depending on the kid. this is when things get easier again. 

- we've been to a few places in the caribbean, mexico, and a couple of spots in western europe. we started travelling with our oldest (now 9) when he was 5 months. my parents took me and my brother all over the world (1st through 3rd) starting when I was a few months.

- 3rd world? of course... but it's up to how you and the SO are while travelling and how you are as parents.

- priority? still a priority to us- I've witnessed first hand from myself and now my kids the explosion of development and understanding that happens when travelling... different cultures, different ways of living- it's absolutely priceless.

that said, of course it has a price- literally. and unfortunately I don't make as much as my dad did... so the worst part is that I can't afford to travel the way I'd like to and the way I did growing up. kids can sit in your lap under the age of two (no ticket required... but you have a kid on your lap- we always tried to get a ticket for the kids just to make the flight easier), but after that you have to buy a ticket... family of four starts getting expensive really fast. and you have to plan...kid needs a passport, you need to bring any kind of special food that they'll eat (kids are picky), medicines, diapers, etc. wife and I used to see a cheap flight and pick up and go that weekend... now it's all about planning and paying.

 
We are just entering the intro phase with ours.  Want to (did) do some domestic air travel with them the next few years before going overseas.  They are 9 (been on 3 or 4 rt flights) and 4 (been on 2 rt flights).  Next summer will be a pretty big test as they will be on a 5 hour flight + a layover.  All up till now have just been direct 2-2.5 hours.

 
My oldest son went to Vietnam when he was 9, my daughter went to Argentina also at 9.  Great trips for both of them.

My oldest son is turning 13 this year and we are planning a trip to Normandy in the spring.

 
cstu said:
Have traveled extensively with my daughter since she was 9 months old.

- Yes

- She was always a good traveler, rarely cried on planes and didn't have a problem being dragged around places.  Much easier for us this last trip at age 7 where she was able to walk long distances on her own

- Tanzania 5x, Australia, Canada, all over Europe

- Yes

- I'm traveled more since she was born than before
Click to expand...
"Excuse me, Rule, I would like you to meet Exception."

 
I don't have any kids--but my guess is that you shoot them up with tranquilizers using an old style blow dart gun.   They won't know what hit them--and before you know it--they'll be asleep and perfectly behaved for hours.    It's a win win situation.   It makes your travel experience more enjoyable--and you feel gangsta for using a blow dart gun.   You're welcome.  

 
Kids can be the ugliest Americans because the key to travel is patience and that is the last word that comes to mind to describe the children i see around. They also don't seem to be very strong on grokking that the ways of others are as valid as their own.

That said, if your kids are the kids and you are the parent who can do this right, the rewards are unending. The chance that it will make one of them want to learn a language - the most effective door to growing up with a good mind - alone makes it worth trying. GL -

 
wikkidpissah said:
Kids can be the ugliest Americans because the key to travel is patience and that is the last word that comes to mind to describe the children i see around. They also don't seem to be very strong on grokking that the ways of others are as valid as their own.

That said, if your kids are the kids and you are the parent who can do this right, the rewards are unending. The chance that it will make one of them want to learn a language - the most effective door to growing up with a good mind - alone makes it worth trying. GL -
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there are parents who that their kids can be a nuisance to the world/airplane around them and spend a lot of energy making sure the kid... isn't. that kind of parent (observant of their kid and considerate of the world around them) usually raises a kid that's the same... so it can often be fairly painless. of course, toddlers and less than 5yos just aren't there yet developmentally, so need either a lot more work to manage on flights, or just shouldn't be subjected to situations that the parents know will be failures (if they know the kid can't handle that kind of trip). 

but there are also parents who apparently don't give a crap about the world around them, and usually have kids that are the same way- or have less than 5yos who are just being themselves but not being overseen. don't be that parent. 

 
kids can sit in your lap under the age of two (no ticket required... but you have a kid on your lap- we always tried to get a ticket for the kids just to make the flight easier)
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My daughter still ends up laying on me, either head or legs, so it's not much of a change from those days.

PRO TIP: if you buy the aisle and window seats you'll likely end up with the middle seat for free.  The person that ends up with that middle seat will gladly move elsewhere.  Worst case is the plane is completely full and you give the window seat to the person.

 
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cstu said:
My daughter still ends up laying on me, either head or legs, so it's not much of a change from those days.

PRO TIP: if you buy the aisle and window seats you'll likely end up with the middle seat for free.  The person that ends up with that middle seat will gladly move elsewhere.  Worst case is the plane is completely full and you give the window seat to the person.
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we used to do that too, when it was just the one kid... but only good until he was two. only took a handful of flights in that time- think it worked most of the time (4 out of 5ish).

 
El Floppo said:
there are parents who that their kids can be a nuisance to the world/airplane around them and spend a lot of energy making sure the kid... isn't. that kind of parent (observant of their kid and considerate of the world around them) usually raises a kid that's the same... so it can often be fairly painless. of course, toddlers and less than 5yos just aren't there yet developmentally, so need either a lot more work to manage on flights, or just shouldn't be subjected to situations that the parents know will be failures (if they know the kid can't handle that kind of trip). 

but there are also parents who apparently don't give a crap about the world around them, and usually have kids that are the same way- or have less than 5yos who are just being themselves but not being overseen. don't be that parent. 
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I have not seen this type of parent on an international flight.

 
jvdesigns2002 said:
I don't have any kids--but my guess is that you shoot them up with tranquilizers using an old style blow dart gun.   They won't know what hit them--and before you know it--they'll be asleep and perfectly behaved for hours.    It's a win win situation.   It makes your travel experience more enjoyable--and you feel gangsta for using a blow dart gun.   You're welcome.  
Click to expand...
Benadryl is a life saver.

 
:blackdot:  

We're traveling to China next winter to finalize an adoption.  We're on the fence as to bringing our biokids for the trip but pretty sure we won't at this time.  In a few years we'll probably take all 5 on a heritage tour - at that point they'll be 16, 14, 11, 8, and 5.  But that's a few years away so there's time to bring back our sanity.

 
I think it's important to take family trips to destinations that are age appropriate for kids.  For many years our annual vacations revolved around the beach.  Hawaii, Cabo, did a cruise in the Caribbean and a week in St. Maarten, Club Med in Mexico, etc.  Disney World was probably the exception to that.  They love the water, are entertained, introduced them to snorkeling and did other excursions, but it was all relaxing.  They were well behaved, good travelers.  We also did a dude ranch (one of the best vacations ever).  

Personally, it's not where, it's the type of vacation.  I waited to do anything with a bit more culture until they were a bit older.  First a weekend in San Francisco.  Then a week in New York.  They were 17-21 then.  Could take them to see much more, enjoyed museums, I could take them to see Book of Mormon, they appreciated and were moved by the Freedom Tower site after 911.  Same thing with Chicago and Washington D.C.  I waited for Europe travel after that.  It didn't make sense to me to drag uninterested younger kids to places like Paris, Florence, Rome, London, Amsterdam, Barcelona, etc.  So much history, so much culture.  While I wanted to go these places years ago, it made sense for us to wait  Having screaming, tired kids just takes away from your experience.

 
cstu said:
I have not seen this type of parent on an international flight.
Click to expand...
really? wow- lucky.

I see them pretty regularly. kid is freaking out, and they either ignore them or keep trying to shove an ipad in front of them (without success). kid is louder than normal, kicking the seat, etc and parents don't want to take the time/energy (aside from giving the kid a screen) to make the kid more comfortable.

 
We waited until our kids were older (young teens) to take them out of the country. The youngest was 10 when we went to Hawaii and 12 when we went to Alaska. When they were really young we didn't travel much due to finances and time. But I don't think I would take really young kids on a long vacation. It just seems like so much work. 

 
Been traveling to mexico annually since my oldest was 2. She's now almost 9 and my youngest if 5. The only consistent issues we've had is their ears hurting due to the elevation. Now their both old enough to chew gum so I'm hoping that's all over with. Our situation is a bit unique as it's a horde of ~15 going at a time so there's plenty of eyes and the kids kinda bounce between cousins and aunts/uncles. It does lead to issues where everyone else thinks the other has the kid, then suddenly no one knows where they are but that's another story...

Most flights we've taken are in the 2-3 hour range with a layover, but this year will be a 5-6 flight. Lately it's been the layovers that have really been the issue.

What's worked int he past:

-Go to the dollar store and shove a cheap trinket into a brown paper bag (just fold it so TSA can open if they want). Then every half hour or so they get a new gift. Works great for toddlers, but lessens as they get older.

-load up the electronics with digital copies of movies (and be sure to pack the headphones)

- pack a snuggle/lovey item. My girls both have blankets that are instant calm down items.

 
koreansteve said:
I'm 30 years old and had previously been a strong "no" on the idea of kids. Been dating a fairly amazing lady. Rethinking that strong stance. My #1 issue is the limited international travel I'd be able to do with kids. Right now I enjoy taking an annual trip overseas, with only my backpack, ideally to a 3rd world country full of adventure.

For those of you with kids that enjoy traveling overseas...

  • Is it possible?
  • How old do the kids need to be to for everyone to enjoy the trip?
  • What sort of international trips have you taken with your kids (12 years and under)?
  • Is it possible to travel to non-1st world countries (ie. Thailand, Peru, Mongolia, etc) with kids?
  • ...or does international travel become less of a priority once you have kids and you're ok not traveling as much (tough for me to picture)
Interested in hearing what you parents have to say :)
Click to expand...
If this is a real concern you are not ready for kids

 
I had the worst last week on a US flight.  This mother was absolutely clueless. 2 kids just all over the plane, about 7 and 9.  One ran up and sat in an open seat in first in row 3, was told to go back to his seat, then 5 minutes later he tries to squeeze by me in row 4.  I ask the kid if this is his seat, he says no, and I tell the little ##### he needs to go to his seat.  Both kids unbuckled when we were on the runway and stood up.  We had to stop.  They buckled - then got up again.  Kept hitting flight attendant call button.  Then they were up again when we landed but on the runway.  The mother didn't do a freaking thing.  Head down reading.  I have all the patience in the world with screaming babies, feel bad for the parents (I've been there).  Ears hurt, etc.  I think a lot of people are compassionate in those situations, try to help out, etc.  But parents who don't teach their kids appropriate behavior when traveling, in restaurants, or just in life general drive me crazy.  Horrible, lazy parenting. And it's not just the patented ADHD excuse.  There was zero parenting.  

 
kutta said:
We waited until our kids were older (young teens) to take them out of the country. The youngest was 10 when we went to Hawaii and 12 when we went to Alaska. When they were really young we didn't travel much due to finances and time. But I don't think I would take really young kids on a long vacation. It just seems like so much work. 
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Yeah, I think those are both states

 
ok... so one time I was waiting in line at security at JFK- guy in front of me is getting grilled by tsa agent as to why he doesn't have his passport for international travel. he's flying to new mexico.  another time at fed ex, I was trying to send a box to a neice that lived in hawaii... the salesperson is clickety-clacking away on her computer with increasingly exacerbated face- ummm, sir... it's not letting me access hawaii- do you have the country code for it?

 
Judge Smails said:
I had the worst last week on a US flight.  This mother was absolutely clueless. 2 kids just all over the plane, about 7 and 9.  One ran up and sat in an open seat in first in row 3, was told to go back to his seat, then 5 minutes later he tries to squeeze by me in row 4.  I ask the kid if this is his seat, he says no, and I tell the little ##### he needs to go to his seat.  Both kids unbuckled when we were on the runway and stood up.  We had to stop.  They buckled - then got up again.  Kept hitting flight attendant call button.  Then they were up again when we landed but on the runway.  The mother didn't do a freaking thing.  Head down reading.  I have all the patience in the world with screaming babies, feel bad for the parents (I've been there).  Ears hurt, etc.  I think a lot of people are compassionate in those situations, try to help out, etc.  But parents who don't teach their kids appropriate behavior when traveling, in restaurants, or just in life general drive me crazy.  Horrible, lazy parenting. And it's not just the patented ADHD excuse.  There was zero parenting.  
Click to expand...
I had that same family on a flight, except this was an international 9-hour flight.  Everyone within 8 rows wanted to whoop the mother for doing nothing.  

 
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