A week after my exhausting transatlantic journey with my two young children, ages 4 and 15 months, I’m finally beginning to feel like myself again. Traveling with multiple little ones is not for the faint of heart. I thought I was prepared; after all, I’ve traveled with babies before. In fact, I even created a community focused on this very topic when my first child turned 18 months.
Now, we are 6,000 parents worldwide who share our experiences, triumphs, and fears about traveling with our little ones. We exchange travel tips, local insights, and support one another, because let’s face it—support is crucial for parents, whether we’re on the road or at home.
The day after my harrowing journey, I shared my tale with my community and was overwhelmed by the understanding responses from hundreds of fellow traveling parents. It was evident that many could relate to my experience. There’s clearly a problem with travel today; it has become increasingly stressful, especially for parents. Why must it be this way? Why does the U.S. rank as one of the least family-friendly countries when it comes to air travel? In many other countries, parents with young children are granted priority access and can easily find play areas—something I wished I had during our travels.
When I finally returned home, I felt as if I had emerged from battle. Just the night before our flight, my mom had humorously suggested I consider wearing a bathing suit for ease while traveling with my kids. Perhaps I should have taken her advice more seriously.
I flew alone with my two children from Paris to Chicago, with an unfortunate layover in Philadelphia. I knew I shouldn’t have agreed to the stopover, but budget constraints left me no choice. The eight-hour flight from Paris to Philadelphia was exhausting enough. My 15-month-old couldn’t sit still, and I spent most of the flight rifling through my carry-on for toys, books, and snacks to keep her occupied. My nearly four-year-old still needed help with everything—finding cartoons, bathroom trips, you name it.
My baby managed only an hour and a half of sleep—broken into two 45-minute segments, the second interrupted by her brother. There was plenty of screaming and fussing from both kids, culminating in a meltdown as we descended into Philadelphia. I had to wrestle my son into his seatbelt while my daughter squirmed on my lap, adding to the chaos. It took a full twenty minutes before things calmed down.
Upon landing, I was beyond exhausted but still had to navigate the Philadelphia airport—Customs, baggage claim, and security—all while managing my two children and carry-ons. My fun was just beginning.
I rushed to the Global Entry line at Customs, having been assured previously that I could bring my kids through despite not having Global Entry for them. In Philadelphia, however, that protocol was apparently disregarded, and I was sent to the back of the line. My energy was quickly depleting, and tears began to flow as I feared missing my connecting flight. Thankfully, kind passengers recognized my plight and allowed me to skip ahead in line. Yet, airport employees seemed indifferent to my predicament, telling me it was out of their hands whether I’d make my flight. I was reduced to tears in the Customs photo booth.
At baggage claim, the same passengers who helped me earlier also assisted in getting my luggage and car seat to the drop-off. I could never have managed it alone with two kids in tow. We then faced the security checkpoint, which required me to unload my baby from her stroller and pack everything back up. After a frantic dash to the gate, I paused to grab two glasses of water—one for me and one for my son—while my daughter sipped milk. I must have looked like a frazzled mess, but in that moment, I truly didn’t care what anyone thought. My son, witnessing my distress, asked why I was crying.
Many people showed concern, and countless strangers offered help throughout the journey. I cannot forget the gentleman who lent us his iPad on the first flight, sharing parenting advice and checking in on us multiple times.
As I sipped water to calm my nerves, another dad approached and offered assistance. Just as I was about to ask him to keep an eye on my things while I grabbed food, I realized my daughter’s passport was missing. Panic surged again, but thankfully, it had simply fallen beneath my backpack. In those few frantic moments, I honestly thought we might miss our flight.
Not everyone was kind, however. While trying to navigate a self-service machine to buy food, a woman in her sixties, wearing oversized sunglasses, approached me, claiming to be a pediatric nurse. She expressed concern that my baby looked to be in “great distress.” Yes, my little one was crying—she was tired from a long day—but I was managing. I needed my two hands free to pay for food.
At that moment, I lost it and burst into tears. The employees at the mini-mart rushed to my side, asking how they could help. Feeling utterly vulnerable, I admitted, “No, I am most certainly not okay!” The woman returned, more appalled than ever, and insisted that I should be reported for my parenting. Fortunately, the staff defended me, and I mustered enough strength to tell her to leave me alone, which she finally did.
Despite the turmoil, I experienced heartwarming acts of kindness, including a manager at the mini-mart who gifted me a bag filled with cookies, muffins, bananas, and water. With the help of several good Samaritans, I eventually boarded the plane to Chicago, where my husband awaited us.
As I stared blankly into the distance during the flight home, watching the sun dip below the horizon, I pondered how social media often portrays travel with children as a perfect adventure. I’m all for exposing kids to the world, and I created a community to promote that very idea. But two lessons stood out from this chaotic trip: (1) traveling with little ones in America is excessively stressful, and it needs addressing, and (2) we should stop pretending to be perfect parents. Social media pressures us to show only our best moments, but the truth is we are all human, and we do our best—let’s embrace our imperfections.
For those interested in exploring more about family planning and pregnancy, consider checking out the resources available at Make a Mom and Parents.com for valuable insights.
Summary:
Traveling with young children can be an overwhelming experience, especially when navigating the complexities of airports and flights. Through a recent challenging journey, I learned the importance of community support and the need for improvements in family-friendly travel in the U.S. It’s crucial for parents to share their real experiences rather than just the highlights seen on social media.
Keyphrase: Traveling with young children
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