travel-related stories
Pregnancy: Week 22
Babies, Pregnancy & Birth, Development, Resources
Time to sign up for a childbirth education class. Credit: GE Healthcare
What's happening to baby: Baby weighs 14 ounces and is looking more and more like a newborn: Her eyes are fully formed, her lips are becoming more noticeable and she even has eyebrows!
What's happening to Mom: Your growing uterus is nearly an inch above your belly button, and you're probably feeling pretty good: not too uncomfortable, and with energy to spare!
Pregnancy: Week 23
Related: Parents-to-Be Enjoy "Babymooning," Childbirth Education Classes
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Travelling with Children? What to Pack in the Activity Bag
Holidays, Amazing Kids, Books, Cabin Fever
A couple of years ago, my husband and I flew with three children, ages 5, 4, and 14 months, to Nicaragua, one of the least-developed countries in the Americas. It is also stunningly beautiful, wild and friendly, its varied geography pock-marked by volcanoes and lakes, lush with rainforest and sandy ocean beaches. To ensure safe travel, we'd gotten immunizations (screaming children), packed emergency antibiotics, and re-hydration salts.In the days leading up to our departure, my to-do lists had to-do lists.
But the question we were asked most often was: What the heck are you going to do with the kids all day long?
I had the answer: the well-appointed activity bag. And while we didn't need to dive into it at every moment of every day (digging in wet sand beside crashing ocean waves pretty much solves all entertainment issues), there were many other moments when it served as our survival kit.
Coolest Travel Gear For Kids
Newborns, Babies, Toddlers, Preschoolers, Kids 5-7, Kids 8-11, Holidays, Baby Essentials, Shopping
Airline Sends 10-Year-Old to Wrong State
Continental sends two kids to wrong destinations. Image: cylonka Bsg/sxc.hu
Most times, they do get it right. But as Jonathan Kamens can attest, when they get it wrong they do it in a big way. Last weekend, his 10-year-old daughter was booked to fly as an unaccompanied minor on Continental Airlines from Boston to visit her grandparents in Cleveland. But instead of being greeted by hugs and kisses by her Ohio grandparents at the end of her trip, she ended up alone in Newark, New Jersey.
When kids fly alone like this, there's special paperwork and fees involved that are supposed to guarantee that a responsible adult airline employee will shepherd the child from departure to destination. In this case, things went wrong at the departure.
Ben Stiller, Grandparent Wars and More - Links We Love
Love your teenage daughter's look, but don't want to be that mom? Help is on the way. "Steal This Style" helps moms look trendy while still acting their age. -- Lemondrop
Father's Day is just around the corner, and this year funny dad Ben Stiller is hoping for that classic gift: the tie. ""That's when you feel like you've actually become a dad - when you get that official Father's Day tie," says Stiller. -- Celebrity Baby Blog
Taking care of hair and skin is hard enough when you're a mom, and hot weather just makes it harder. Lighten up your beauty routine with one of these summer-friendly products. -- MomFinds
A breastfeeding mom was asked to stop nursing at a public pool because she was violating the "No Food and Drink" policy. Yes, I'm serious. -- MomLogic
Move over Mommy Wars, there's a new girl in town, and she's your mom. Rumor has it Boomer grandparents are fighting each other for their place as World's Best Grandparent. -- Mommy Track'd
Looking for a little inspiration today? Read about a single mom who saw a problem -- poverty and hunger -- and pitched in to help. You can help, too. Check out her charity Family-to-Family. -- The Motherhood
A dad gets so fed up with his adult son's messy room, he calls the police. Overreaction? Or an appropriate response to twenty eight years of asking someone to clean their room? -- Strollerderby
Swine Flu - How Far Would You Go to Keep Your Kids Healthy?
This coming weekend, my 2- and 5-year-old are traveling by airplane to visit their grandparents in Arizona for three weeks. Grandpa will be flying in from Sky Harbor airport in Phoenix and picking them up in Minneapolis to fly with them back to the Valley of the Sun. However, the recent outbreak of swine flu and, the number of yet unanswered questions about it's actual scope, has given us additional reasons to fret about putting our little treasures on an airplane without us.
The EU has urged Europeans to cancel travel plans to the US and Mexico and judging by comments on the web, plenty of Americans are also rethinking their air travel plans, especially those bound for Mexico. And honestly, we're rethinking our plans to send our kids to Arizona.
Truthfully, if my kids were flying to Billings, Montana, I'd be a lot less afraid of them contracting swine flu. But my kids are flying to Arizona, a state who's residents are more likely to travel to Mexico or come in contact with people coming from Mexico. In fact, much of the web chatter surrounds Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano's decision not to test airplane travelers from Mexico for the virus, thought the State Department is issuing a warning urging Americans to avoid nonessential travel to Mexico. "Right now we don't think the facts warrant more active testing or screening of passengers coming in from Mexico," she said.
Save for breaking news that this flu has erupted into a full-blown pandemic, I'm still tentatively planning on sending my winter weary kids to grandma and grandpa's for some much needed bonding this coming weekend. In the meantime, I've been scouring the web to find the best advice on how to minimize their chance of contraction during travel. Here's what I've learned:
Wash your hands. Frequent hand washing with good old soap and water is the number one preventative measure you can take. Hand sanitizers are OK when soap isn't available, but they are not fully effective against viruses. Remember to always wash after touching handrails, pens, phones, remotes, or shaking hands.
Cover your mouth. Wearing a mask on your flight is a good idea, but only if it is industrial respirator strength and snugly fit. You can purchase them online with speedy delivery. Run of the mill masks sold at your local DIY store will not prevent transmission. However, they will prevent you from touching your nose and mouth, which will help cut down on transmission.
I've just purchased a box of 3M masks for the kid's flight. They will arrive by Wednesday. I'm also planning on stuffing grandpa's pockets with mini hand sanatizers. The hard part, will be trying to convince our toddler to keep his mask on during the flight. Good luck, Grandpa!
What are you doing to keep your kids healthy? And are you worried about swine flu, or do you think the response is greater than the actual illness?
The EU has urged Europeans to cancel travel plans to the US and Mexico and judging by comments on the web, plenty of Americans are also rethinking their air travel plans, especially those bound for Mexico. And honestly, we're rethinking our plans to send our kids to Arizona.
Truthfully, if my kids were flying to Billings, Montana, I'd be a lot less afraid of them contracting swine flu. But my kids are flying to Arizona, a state who's residents are more likely to travel to Mexico or come in contact with people coming from Mexico. In fact, much of the web chatter surrounds Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano's decision not to test airplane travelers from Mexico for the virus, thought the State Department is issuing a warning urging Americans to avoid nonessential travel to Mexico. "Right now we don't think the facts warrant more active testing or screening of passengers coming in from Mexico," she said.
Save for breaking news that this flu has erupted into a full-blown pandemic, I'm still tentatively planning on sending my winter weary kids to grandma and grandpa's for some much needed bonding this coming weekend. In the meantime, I've been scouring the web to find the best advice on how to minimize their chance of contraction during travel. Here's what I've learned:
Wash your hands. Frequent hand washing with good old soap and water is the number one preventative measure you can take. Hand sanitizers are OK when soap isn't available, but they are not fully effective against viruses. Remember to always wash after touching handrails, pens, phones, remotes, or shaking hands.
Cover your mouth. Wearing a mask on your flight is a good idea, but only if it is industrial respirator strength and snugly fit. You can purchase them online with speedy delivery. Run of the mill masks sold at your local DIY store will not prevent transmission. However, they will prevent you from touching your nose and mouth, which will help cut down on transmission.
I've just purchased a box of 3M masks for the kid's flight. They will arrive by Wednesday. I'm also planning on stuffing grandpa's pockets with mini hand sanatizers. The hard part, will be trying to convince our toddler to keep his mask on during the flight. Good luck, Grandpa!
What are you doing to keep your kids healthy? And are you worried about swine flu, or do you think the response is greater than the actual illness?
Healthy or Hurtful?
Lice
Once upon a time, that kid in kindergarten with the lice had to stay home until he (or she) was nit-free. Not any more. Some schools are letting nit-infested students back into the classroom. Makes you itchy just thinking about it, doesn't it?
anissat on sxc
Long-Term Breastfeeding
We all know that breast is best, but how long would you nurse to give your baby the best start? Six months? A year? How about eight years? Some moms do, but it's a controversial decision, to say the least.
Getty Images
Autism and Vaccines
After a decade of worry, it turns out that the doctor who linked autism and the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine faked his data. This is a double whammy. We're no closer to knowing what causes autism, but some parts of the world, like Great Britain, are seeing reductions in vaccination rates and an increase in childhood illnesses.
Getty Images
Crying isn't Necessarily Cathartic
Think a good cry will make it all better? Maybe not, at least not in any measurable physiological way. The value of a crying jag is all in the social response of the people around you. If they're sympathetic, the crying helps. But if they're not, you won't feel any better.
jupiterimages
Probiotics
Trying to keep your kids healthy? Take a look at their diet -- and their prescriptions. One mom cured her son's gastrointestinal issues by introducing a milk-like drink containing probiotics into his diet.
un-sung on flickr
Stress Makes Kids Fat
We blame junk food and television for kids' weight problems, but a new study has found that a stressful home life can double a child's chances of being fat. Kids whose families are going through stressful life events -- an illness or death, a divorce, or a financial crisis -- are at higher risk for obesity and it's related health concerns.
Getty Images
Eating Disorders - Not Just a Girl Thing
Parents of girls know to be on the lookout for signs of an eating disorder, but boys are also at risk for disordered eating and distorted body image, and it's just as dangerous for them as for their female peers.
matchstick on sxc
A Big Butt is a Sign of Good Health
Here's a common post-baby complaint: "My butt is huge now!" Stop complaining -- that extra padding in the back may actually be protecting your health. Adults with pear-shaped bodies -- carrying their weight in their hips and thighs -- are less prone to Type 2 diabetes. Embrace your butt!
lunita on flickr
After the Inauguration - Home at Last!
"No matter what you believe in your political affiliation or party, you have to respect the fact that we had a peaceful transition of power."
You can find more of René's videos -- including additional footage from her trip to Washington, DC -- at The Good Enough Mother.
How to Fit a Car Seat on a Camel
Just For Moms, Places To Go, That's Entertainment
Once upon a time, I had plans to be a world traveler. I explored the Black Rock Desert in my 1959 Land Rover with other Roverfolk and my wife and I wandered all over the western United States and Canada in it. I had plans to cross Europe and Africa from top to bottom and back someday... and then we had kids. These days, a trip to Costco is an major adventure.Not everyone lets kids keep them tied to home. How to Fit a Car Seat on a Camel And Other Misadventures Traveling with Kids is a collection of stories from moms who braved the notion of traveling with their children and lived to tell about it. The book includes a touching tale of a backpacking trip that didn't quite go exactly as planned by our own Jennifer Graf Groneberg.
If you're in the mood for some inspiration to get moving -- or perhaps a warning not to -- I suggest picking up Hot to Fit a Car Seat. You'll laugh a lot, you might cry a bit, but either way, you'll enjoy it.
TSA Opens Family Lanes
Happy holidays from the Transportation Security Authority -- every airport across the nation now has special security lanes just for travelers who may need extra time or assistance, such as families, those unfamiliar with the security process, and those who must travel with more than 3 ounces of liquids or gels.The program was expanded from just 48 participating locations to every airport in the country. The TSA did so just prior to Thanksgiving, in an effort to provide relief during an extra-busy travel time. Not only does it allow travelers to get through the lines at their own pace, it also provides more security.
TSA officers in the new lanes are trained to help families get through the security checkpoint quickly and easily.
Ah, I remember the days when I used to tap my foot impatiently and sigh loudly as parents struggled with strollers and diaper bags. Now, I am the one apologizing while trying to collapse my stroller, get my laptop out of my bag and get the kids' shoes off -- all at the same time.
With airlines cutting back on services (fewer cabin crew members, no entertainment systems, get your own snacks, dude), it's nice to know someone is looking out for family travelers.
Thanks, TSA!
Reese Witherspoon, DIY Castles, and Packing Lists - Links We Love
Got a little princess and a free weekend ahead? Try your hand at making her a castle. -- AlphamomReady or not, here it (Christmas shopping, that is) comes! Get some hints with Babble's holiday gift guide. -- Babble
Traveling with baby over Thanksgiving? Don't get stuck in the air without something you need. -- BabyCenter
Reese Witherspoon on the paparazzi: My kids "have been treated terribly." Could you handle life in the celebrity fish bowl? -- Celebrity Baby Blog
Pediatricians say never to mix medicine in a bottle, because your child may not finish it. Behold, the solution: The Medibottle. -- LilSugar
Put these on your Christmas list -- bright coats and scarves. -- Mom Finds
Has the financial crisis put your personal budget into a tight spot? Learn how to how to renegotiate your mortgage. -- MomLogic
Primetime parents are adopting. How is Hollywood handling this sensitive issue? -- Mommy Track'd
Working parents know that commuting is sometimes a necessary evil. Do you love yours for the peace and quiet, or resent the time spent away from family? -- Work it, Mom!
Suri Cruise is "Powerful," Eating Worms and Hillary Clinton's New Gig - Links We Love
Suri Cruise can't even tie her own shoes, and she's already being called an influential person?! Forbes has put Suri at the top of their list of the World's Most Powerful Tot Under Age Five. -- MomLogic
Have you ever sedated an infant during air travel? We know a couple moms who have tried it. As for the rest of you, what do you think? -- Cookie
I have to admit, Secretary of State was not a position that came to mind when I envisioned Senator Clinton in an Obama administration. -- BlogHer
Try and answer this one from a 10-year-old about the economy: "But why can't we just fix it? Why can't the government just make more money if everyone needs it?" -- The Mommy Blog
Britney Spears calls her life since the breakdown worse than a jail sentence. (Tell that to Robert Downey, Jr.)
Pick up a worm. Bake a cake. Ride a bike through a puddle. There are 30 things to do before age 10. How many of your kids done? -- KOL
Alllllvin! Everyone's Favorite Chipmunk is Fifty. -- StrollerDerby
The price of food is on the rise, but that's no reason to avoid organic. With a little planning, flexibility and ingenuity, you can keep organics on your list. Here's how. -- Ecomii
Where Do You Eat Thanksgiving Dinner?
Last year, the Automobile Association of America found that of 2,000 people surveyed, 43 percent traveled over the Thanksgiving holiday, and of that number, 71 percent traveled with children. Don't believe it? Just hang out at O'Hare International Airport next Wednesday. It's like the evacuation of Saigon.And get this -- 44 percent of all travelers had an annual income of $40,000 or less. What does that mean? My guess is that more folks will travel by road than by air, considering the high price of plane tickets -- folks like me.
I start getting anxiety headaches in October, because I know come November we'll drive more than 1,400 miles to eat turkey with my husband's father and grandparents, and my mother and sister. Yes, we eat twice.
And yes, we are insane. Personally, I hate it. I've come to loathe even the idea of November, and just wait until I tell you what we do at Christmas. My favorite month of the year?
January.
But how else do you do it? There's a divorce involved, so we already skip seeing one branch of the family tree. Toss in the fact that my mom is a widower and my husband's grandparents are elderly, and the pressure for us to visit for this traditionally family-oriented holiday is huge.
So we cave. If you see a silver minivan traveling east on the New York State Thruway on Thanksgiving Day, it's me.
What do you do? How do you decide? And when did you put your foot down and start your own traditions at home, without your family of origin?
Thanksgiving travel tips for families
Newborns, Babies, Toddlers, Preschoolers, Kids 5-7, Kids 8-11, Teens & Tweens, Holidays, Playground Bureau, Resources
It's the most horrible time of the year ... oh, wait, that isn't how the song goes.Or is it?
Yes, hard to believe and harder to accept, the holidays are looming just around the corner. With so many of us living far away from our extended families, the season of turkey and green-bean casserole can also be the season of packing and driving, or even in some cases, flying. Some people (the lucky ones) get away with staying home for Thanksgiving, and others have the special burden of HOSTING Thanksgiving.
Just thinking about that gives me a headache.
But some of us, like me, will hit the open road in order to eat dry stuffing and watch football with grandmothers, grandfathers, aunts and uncles. Take heart, fellow travelers -- it doesn't have to be THAT bad.
In my other life as a travel columnist, I've gleaned lots of great travel tips for families. Follow some simple strategies and keep your sanity:
No pre-boarding for families
Babies, Toddlers, Preschoolers, Holidays
Once upon a time, families traveling with small children got to board first, to give them time to get their little ones settled in, put away their luggage, toys, and snacks, and do whatever else they needed to do, without blocking the rest of the passengers from getting on the plane. Instead of standing in the aisle getting angry at the parents, the other passengers could sit comfortably in the terminal, getting annoyed with the airline.Not so anymore, according to the St. Petersburg Times. Southwest, American, Delta, and United have all dropped the practice, although you can still ask to board early on American and Delta; it's up to the gate attendants. The reason isn't corporate hatred of families; studies have shown that boarding everyone together -- including the little ones -- saves ten to twelve minutes, on average.
"If you're bringing on people who need assistance -- younger kids -- all at once, you potentially create a bottleneck on the front end, as opposed to randomly dispersing them based on where people are sitting in the aircraft," says Anthony Black, a spokesman for Delta. "The best process is to board the aircraft normally." I imagine, too, that parents move a little quicker when they feel the stares of other passengers beating down on them and saving time is clearly more important than saving a parent's sanity.
Should airplanes have a kid's section?
Newborns, Babies, Toddlers, Preschoolers, Places To Go, In The News
These days, traveling by air can be an extreme test of patience and restraint. Herded like cattle and crammed into tiny seats, most of us suffer quietly and try to make the best of the situation. Most of us adults do, anyway. Kids are often a little short on patience and restraint and being cooped up for hours in an airplane can be pure torture for them. And for those who sit anywhere near them.
What if there were a separate section on the plane where families traveling with children could sit? Wouldn't that make things a lot easier for everyone involved, including the frustrated parent who can't seem to get junior to sit still or use his inside voice? Airfare Watchdog asked that question and a whopping 85% of respondents said that airlines should have a section of the plane reserved for parents with babies and smaller children.
I wish there had been a kid section the first time I flew with a baby in tow. I thought I was being very considerate of my fellow passengers by keeping her quiet with bottle after bottle of apple juice plugged into her mouth. It kept her quiet alright. After about the fifth bottle, she quietly had a massive apple juice-induced blowout in her diaper, causing everyone in our immediate area to reach for their barf bags. I am sure each and every one of those passengers who caught a whiff and glimpse of that mess wished there were a separate section for kids. And I would have been happy to sit there.
But, as 27% of those polled agree, having a section just for babies and small kids will probably never happen and wouldn't work anyway. Airlines want to fill each and every seat and telling non-family traveling passengers that they have to sit in the loud, stinky section probably wouldn't go over too well.
