When Your Kid Gets the Travel Bug: Tips from the Trenches

A couple of weeks ago I posted about our family trip to Nicaragua . This photo is from our zipline tour above the bay of San Juan del Sur. It was almost the last day of our trip, and the experience had been fun, smooth and exhilarating. But despite our vigilance of all things food & water, our eldest daughter came down with a stomach bug as we were packing up.

She got dehydrated so quickly that after 24 hours air travel was out of the question, and we needed to seek medical attention (and an IV) at a hospital in Managua. Although she recovered the next day, I don't think I ever fully recovered.

To anyone considering a similar trip, here is what I wish I had done better...

1)Partnered more closely with my pediatrician during the planning stages to come up with an action plan in the event of a travel bug. Although I called our pediatrician's office to let them know where we were going and inquire about meds we could take along, that phone conversation didn't accomplish much. Moving forward, I'll plan a face to face with our doctor, complete with a checklist and prescriptions.

2)Known which medical facility we should use in case of an emergency, and check in advance to ensure it provides reasonable medical care. A bad situation was made worse by the fact that we didn't know the location of the right hospital.

Two years later I can finally look at the hundreds of pictures and memories we created together as a family in the beautiful country of Nicaragua. I can see their smiling faces on the beaches, playing with the other kids. I can see them on horseback. I can see them flying down the zipline. I can see them at the playground in the town square with the local kids. I can see them at Thanksgiving dinner with our dear friends who live there. But those memories came with tough lessons, and the least I can do is pass those along.

And can you believe it? The next year we went in the complete opposite direction and headed up to cruise Alaska. What did my youngest come down with just after that trip? Mono. No kidding. Maybe, it's just our luck.

This post is part of the Delicious Baby blog round-up, where more travel tips and stories await!

PicPocket Books: A Travel Tool of Choice

As a parent, so much of my energy is spent addressing what is the right amount of media for my children. On one hand, I limit screentime and encourage play. On the other hand, I want my kids to be aware of modern technology and how it can be used productively. When I experienced PicPocket Books on my iPhone, it was the first time I had a clear conscience about handing a device over to my kids. Finally, no devil on my shoulder murmuring about brains and mush. With a digital library of PicPocket Books on my phone, I just increased reading opportunities. For us, these little apps will turn out to be an ultimate travel tool. I hope it will for you as well. Curious? Take a look:



So far I have two titles downloaded on my phone, but we plan on downloading all 16 (and that number is increasing by the week as more publishers come into the mix). Browsing their titles, you will find books about trucks, sisters, sea creatures and more. Kids can listen along, read along, or read at their own pace.

So before you board your next airplane trip, what would you rather do? Download videos, or download books? Now, at least, you have options.

Playgrounds of New Zealand

Nelson, South Island

Picton, South Island



Wellington, North Island

The spinning seat video - in action.


An elaboration on our trip to New Zealand lives on Ciao Bambino. I'm linking this post up with Photo Friday at Delicious Baby - go give them a whirl!

Coastal Trails in Half Moon Bay

Part of our strategy to avoid H1N1 this season is to increase outdoor activity and decrease crowded, indoor events. Half Moon Bay comes in handy for these purposes, especially when you get to team up with friends. The kids were out of school on Veterans Day, so we headed for the open space preserves near Poplar Beach. The trails were very kid-friendly (well, as long as we didn't go over the cliff) and the crew especially enjoyed the enchanted forests along the way. Of course, it always helps to have a hearty tailgate to motivate everyone to finish the journey!

Family Travel Tips
Half Moon Bay

Kailua Beach: Oahu's Gem

What started as a drive to the other side of the island, ended up as my favorite destination on Oahu. Thanks to my cousins for their recommendation, Kailua Beach was a huge hit! Stunning scenery over the valley, pristine beaches, lively surf, and a delectable deli lunch at Kalapawai Market. If you are heading to Oahu, don't miss Kailua Beach. Thanks to everyone who guessed on the What Beach Am I post - yes, this was it!

Family Travel Tips
Honolulu

Mom-Powered Partnerships

Moms are popular these days. They are creating products, starting businesses, and networking at a rate that has caught mainstream attention. They've found their own market niche (other moms) and are working hard to get their message out. So, what is going to define the next generation of moms who succeed in business? As the competition gets tougher, I believe it will require not only remarkable products, but also the ability to form partnerships with peers. The good news? This is exactly what moms do best!

Here is a first-hand example. Tara Rison is the creator and founder of Itty Bitty Bookworm, a literature-based preschool curriculum. She used Twitter to comment about my product, and later hosted a My Busy Kit giveaway on her blog. Since then we decided to co-produce a travel activity sheet, using her curriculum, to be included in My Busy Kits. Not only have I improved my product with more educational content, but we've also gained visibility into each others networks. We discussed the topic of partnerships on Maria Bailey's Mom Talk Radio earlier this month, and in preparation pulled together ideas to share on forming partnerships...

* Use the Direct Message capability on Twitter to reach out to others (in a productive, non-spammy way)

* Feature guests on your blog

* Ask questions and advice - moms love to be resources!

* Develop relationships by leaving blog comments, retweeting useful posts, or paying a compliment over email

* Don't be bashful!

When you're in start-up mode, it's easy to get overwhelmed and intimidated. But there are many others in the same place, hoping to make a difference. So find some partners and forge ahead together! Not only will it be more fun, but you will probably find encouragement, support, brainstorming and collaboration along the way.

Nicaragua: Finding Friends Our Own Age

Two years ago, over Thanksgiving, we took a trip to Nicaragua. We decided to visit our family friends to find out about their exciting projects. When we were there, we made some new friends. We shared our toys. They shared their beach. We saw their house. They ate our PB&Js. To Tim, Sebastian, and all of our friends in San Juan del Sur - we miss riding in the back of your pickup truck and hope to ride some bumpy roads again soon!

This post is part of Delicious Baby's weekly link exchange.