15 Tips For Traveling Without Kids

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Traveling with children can be stressful, but traveling without kids can be even more stressful and upsetting.  I have started to do more traveling with kids, and even alone without my husband.  Which has never been my cup of tea.  It never fails I get lost in the darn airport, and I am so thankful for all the little devices that clearly tell you where to go when you drive, lol.  I’m not even kidding.  My husband and I have always traveled a lot, and I love it.  My husband loves to drive, and is the direction police.  He always knows where he is going, and I’m not sure how he does it but we don’t get lost.

I have been traveling more, and have had to focus more on my kids and everything they will need, and might need while I’m away.  It’s hardest with my youngest daughter, she’s still so little it’s hard for her to really understand, but my older kids need things too.  Darn kids, one second I’m excited about having mommy time all alone, and the next second I’m debating if I want to go.  Of course, I end up going, but I do spend a lot of time talking to my kids.  I am very close with my husband, and my children.  It’s hard being away from them, if I’m not keeping myself busy I catch myself getting a little depressed.  

I am in no way a professional traveler, but my travel time as picked up A LOT.  Between everything my husband and I have going on, and now my blog I have been racking up the frequent flyer miles.  Here is a few things I do for my kids before I go, and a few things for me, becasue I get sad too!

15 Tips For Traveling Without Kids

• Who will the kids be staying with –  It’s important to consider how well your caregiving has bonded with your children, especially if they are young.  My youngest daughter loves to spend a few hours with my sister, but there is no way she would stay longer without being upset.  It has nothing to do with the fact that she doesn’t love or trust her aunt, but she isn’t around enough.  I’m lucky enough to have my mother-in-law to rely on when my husband and I both are traveling.

• Communication – I’m a firm believer in communication.  Talking to kids, and explaining what they will be doing while you are away, who they will be staying with, and what their parents will be doing.  Kids understand, and if they are comfortable about who they are staying with, what they are doing, and when you will be home it makes things easier on everyone involved.

• Don’t forget the swag – It’s funny my kids will tell me how sad they are I am leaving until I mention bringing them a surprise, lol.  Then they are practically pushing me out the door.  There’s nothing wrong with spoiling your kids a little now and then.

• Where will they stay while you are away – Another reason I think my children are more comfortable with my mother-n-law is becasue she is able to stay at our house with the kids.  Sure my older children would do fine at her house, but she wants my youngest to be as comfortable as possible so she doesn’t miss mom and dad any more than she needs to.  Keeping kids in their environment, with the same routine, sleeping in their bed can help.

• Activities – I know it’s like 20 questions, but if your little one has never been without you for any length of time its important to consider anything and everything.  Be sure and ask what they will be doing while you are gone, planning some fun and exciting adventure might hit the spot.

• Schedule’s – Mattie has dance, Catie has basketball, but has therapy, and so on.  I always leave a detailed list of what kid goes where at what time, with my mother-n-law, and my husband.  I’m the one who does all the running around, and half the time I need my planner to remember who goes where. I know they’re not going to without me writing everything down.  Plus, it’s just the nice thing to do.

• Insurance Card – The last thing any parents want is something to happen while we are away, but if something does happen it’s important that someone has an insurance card.

• Medical Release Form – My mother-n-law is on everything at the doctor’s office, but there are still certain situations where she would need a notarized medical release form.  You can get one online, fill it out and have it notarized.

• School? – Don’t forget to be sure your caregiving is on the schools pick up card.  As well as anywhere else you made need to add them, such as daycare.

• Phone numbers and addresses – Be sure and leave emergency phone number and address.  It’s better to be safe than sorry and if for some reason something happens you don’t leave your caregiver stranded.  Also leave phone numbers to your hotel, and any other place you will be in case you don’t have reception on your cell phone, battery dies, or anything else that always seems to happen when you are out-of-town with a cell phone, lol.  Too much is better than not enough.

• Calling and using apps on your phone – You know your child, and how much you need to call.  Something I have learned with my daughter is NOT to call too much it makes her start to miss me more, then it’s harder on both of us.  I only call once in the morning to say good morning to my kids, and once at night to tell them I love them and sleep well.  The first time I was away, something ended up happening and I had to call a lot on the 2nd day we were gone, and every time I would call my mother-n-law said she would cry for me.  If I didn’t call she would do great, play, watch TV, or whatever else they had going on.  In the evening we have a little fun on Face time or some app that allows us to see one another.

Don’t Forget We Need a Pick Me Up Too!

• Don’t forget to recharge – Recharge, don’t forget that somewhere in-between everything you have going on to stop and recharge.  Think of your trip as time for you to sleep at night, have a clean hotel room, and it’s okay that it’s a hotel room, who cares it clean.  You’re not tripping over toys, brushes, or stepping in OH MY GOSH WHAT IS THIS ON MY FOOT!

• Enjoy the little things that you will miss – It’s okay to admit it, there will be things you miss about being alone.  Being able to eat or drink without someone wanting a drink, tossing your robe your shoes wherever you want, and not caring becasue no little are there to see it’s okay, or sitting by the pool.  Whatever it is, try to focus on those things that you don’t get to enjoy daily, and soak them up becasue who knows how long it will be before you get another one, lol.

• Surprise Mom – When I was in Los Angeles I opened my work notebook to find a picture my toddler drew.  Yes my heart melted, and I have started to let my daughter doodle in my notebook from time to time.  It’s a nice surprise.

• Luggage can help too – Before my recent trip to Los Angeles I received a MyFly Bag from Luggage Pros, and if you have not had the chance to swing by Luggage Pros than I doing so.  If you travel, even if you don’t travel often I have a feeling you will love these bags.

While I was at the airport in El Paso waiting to fly out, and when I was in Los Angeles, if I was toting my awesome MyFly Bag people were asking me more about it.  “Where did you get that?”  “Is that your daughter?”  “How did you do that?” Before leaving I knew it would attract a bit of attention, but I didn’t realize how many. I also realized how many other moms missed their babies, because it came up a lot.

If you are on the lookout for an amazing, unique gift idea for him, or her than Luggage Pros is the way to go.  Let me tell you a little about my new MyFly Bag!

MyFly Bag Personalized Luggage from Luggage Pros

The MyFly Travel Gear is totally customizable you can add pictures of your friends, family, loved ones, pets, the tree in your backyard if it’s pretty and you want to look at it while you travel.  The MyFly Travel Gear also lets you show-off anything that makes you smile or laugh, and the best part is you can take it with you wherever you go.

The photo quality on the MyFly Bag is amazing, it’s crisp and clear, and looks just as good as it does in the picture.  I thought because the picture was so much larger on the suitcase it would be distorted, but I was impressed.   The hardest part of personalizing your MyFly Travel Gear is choosing the perfect picture.  Luggage Pros is easy to use, simply upload your picture, move image exactly the way you want to see it on your bag, preview to make sure everything looks fabulous, and submit…  It’s that easy!

Once you received your MyFly Travel Gear you will quickly see that it comes loaded with everything you need to travel easily.  State of the art 360 degree spinner wheels, which make taking your bag on trips cake!  You can push and pull your bag effortlessly, and thanks to the 360 mobility there is no strain on the back.

Your MyFly Travel Gear also includes superior construction.  100% customizable, with a photo of your choice, and well constructed  It’s made of lightweight polycarbonate making it extremely lightweight, and durable!  It’s the best suitcase I have ever owned from the appearance to the construction.

You can also personalize your own luggage tag to match your amazing bag, or if you’re in need of just the luggage tag that can be done as well.  My favorite part of all this is the affordable price.  You can choose from a 20” carry-on for only $129.99, to a 24” checked bag that’s only $169.99.

When you visit LuggagePros.com to customize your bag you will notice backgrounds, these can be used if you picture doesn’t cover the entire bag.  There is 23 solid colors to choose from, and 28 fun patters to choose from, and don’t forget to have a little fun and add some text, which is optional.

To sum it up, I loved that I can add pictures to my luggage.  I added my youngest daughter to my 20” carry-on bag, and my husband is getting me the 24” checked bag for Christmas and I am going to add all the kids.  Now I will have a nice picture of them wherever I go.

The MyFly Bag is well made, and can hold tons of stuff.  I admit, my bag was PACKED FULL for my trip to Los Angeles.  It was my first Red Carpet event, and I only took my carry on.  Inside was 3 pairs of pants, 4 dresses, 4 shirts, 2 pairs of shoes, makeup, curling iron, and more.   It was packed FULL, but I only needed MyFly bag on the way up there.  My trip home was a different story, I decided to shop a big and purchased a huge bag to use as my personal item, lol.  I’m a overpacker, which is why I’m getting the 24″ checked bag for Christmas, lol.

Now when I travel without kids all I have to do is look at my beautiful suitcase with their smiling faces on it to cheer up!  Be sure to swing by Luggage Pros, and check out everything they have.  Be sure to check out the MyFly Travel Gear, and the MyFly Personalized Tag!