Don't Be Scared of Baby Travel

Posted by Kelby Carr Mar 16, 2007

Here are some tips for overcoming new-baby-agoraphobia:

• Baby steps - Don't go from homebody and homebaby to world traveler. Just vow to hit the grocery store, a museum (yes, babies CAN do museums!) or a decent restaurant once a week. Then work your way up to daytrips an hour away, and in no time you'll be planning a week's vacation abroad.
• Realize that babies are so portable - When that little one gets mobile, gets preferences, gets a mouth and gets an attitude, it won't be nearly as easy to drag them around the globe. While babies present challenges, it's no more than you encounter in the woobie-like security of home.
• Embrace unpredictability! - Yes, babies are unpredictable. Shoot, isn't that what's so great about travel? Ramp it up a notch by traveling with a baby, and you'll surely have tears, laughs and amazing memories to cherish forever. Besides, test your parenting skills trying to figure out a way to change a poop diaper when you (a) have run out of wipes, (b) you're in a strange place and (c) there's no changing table anywhere to be seen. Now that's extreme parenting!

They say travel is life intensified. Raising a baby is even more intense. Well, travel with babies and you will truly discover the meaning of adventure travel. But wouldn't you rather show your child pictures of him or her at the Eiffel Tower or the Great Wall of China than boring old photos sitting in a bouncy seat in your living room?

Want some inspiration? See Family Travel Resolutions for 2007 or Top 10 Reasons to Travel with Kids.