TRAVELLING WITH CHILDREN

Travelling with children: For some people it is a terrifying thought, for others it is no big deal

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There are certainly a couple of things you can do to improve both the flight and your holiday.

Some things you can prepare before even you take off. If you are going on a long, transatlantic flight, choose a connection at a time when your child is most likely to sleep a large part of the way.

You can start adapting to the new time zone a few days before you leave by getting up and going to bed earlier than usual.

Prepare a couple of small bags with toys to play with during the flight, especially if travelling with small children. That way you can always pull out a new bag to keep your child entertained. We have also found that it works well to pack small snacks like raisins, muesli bars and wafers. But keep an eye on the sugar content. Sugar gives children extra energy that they won’t be able to use up.

We also recommend taking a blanket and warm clothes and socks on board with you. And it is definitely worth taking an extra set of clothes in case of a food or drink related accident. We are not really big fans of electric devices such as tablets, but we do recommend taking them on long flights. It helps keep children entertained and pass the time for everyone. And a pair of children’s headphones with sound protection are bound to come in handy.

Always have something prepared for the children to do during the flight – a book, a couple of small toys, something for them to watch, headphones, or a colouring book.

While waiting for connecting flights, make sure your child has enough space to move around and play. Let your child run along next to the pushchair, go play in the children’s corner for a while, take a walk around the shops.

And one last tip: the best toy tends to be a new toy. So pack one new toy for your child or choose a new one together at the airport.

Jet-lag

Make sure you don’t plan anything too hectic or demanding for the first few days. It will take both you and your child a while to get used to the time difference. Children react differently, but it is generally best to move your clocks about one to two hours a day. The first day your child might wake up at three in the morning and then be grumpy and tired during the day. This is normal, and it happens to anyone travelling with children. But with each day it improves by about an hour or two. And the sunrises above the island are magical. Don’t overdo it, don’t push yourself to the max.

Sun, water, and food

The Caribbean sun is very strong. Make sure you always use either sun cream or clothes to protect your child from the sun and keep their head covered. Also keep an eye on their liquid intake. It can be a good idea to give them fruit with a high liquid content (such as watermelon).

The Caribbean Sea is calm, but you still need to keep an eye on the children at all time

The humidity here is quite high and so it is a good idea to pack light cotton clothes to avoid overheating. Stay in a cool, shady spot between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. and avoid direct sunlight during this time.