Traveling with young children can be a daunting task, a reality I faced recently when I journeyed across the Atlantic with my two little ones, aged 4 and 15 months. Only a week later am I beginning to regain my composure. I thought I was prepared; after all, I’ve traveled with infants before and even created a community dedicated to sharing the challenges and triumphs of parenting on the go. We are over 6,000 members strong, exchanging tips, tricks, and emotional support during our adventures, be they near or far.
The day after my chaotic trip, I recounted my experience to my community and was taken aback by the flood of empathy from my fellow parent travelers. It was clear that my ordeal struck a chord. There seems to be a widespread issue with air travel today, especially for families. Why is the United States, in particular, so unfriendly to families at airports? In many other countries, parents with young children benefit from priority lines and child-friendly amenities—it makes one wonder why the U.S. falls short in this aspect.
Upon returning home, I felt as if I had emerged from a battlefield. The night before our flight, my mother humorously suggested I consider wearing a bathing suit for our travels. In hindsight, perhaps she was onto something.
I flew alone with my two children from Paris to Chicago, with a layover in Philadelphia. I know I shouldn’t have agreed to a stopover, but budget constraints dictated my choices. The eight-hour flight from Paris was exhausting in itself. My youngest was restless, demanding my attention while I scrambled to entertain her with toys and snacks. My older son, although nearly four, still required assistance with everything from finding cartoons to bathroom breaks.
My daughter managed to catch just 90 minutes of sleep, divided into two short naps, interrupted by her brother’s antics. As we began our descent into Philadelphia, my son had a meltdown over buckling his seat belt, resulting in a chaotic scene where I was trying to calm both him and my daughter. It was a struggle that lasted a solid twenty minutes before we could finally breathe again.
Once we landed, I faced the daunting task of navigating the Philadelphia airport. I had to get through Customs, retrieve our bags, drop them off, and re-clear security—all while managing my children and carry-ons. My ordeal was only just beginning.
At Customs, I attempted to use the Global Entry line, believing it would expedite our process. However, unlike my previous experience at JFK, I was told I couldn’t use that line without my kids having Global Entry. I was sent to the back of the line, and it felt as though my energy was draining by the second. Tears streamed down my face as I worried about missing our connecting flight. Thankfully, some compassionate passengers recognized my struggle and helped me navigate the line. However, I still faced blank stares from airport employees who seemed indifferent to my plight.
At baggage claim, the same kind passengers assisted me in getting our luggage to the drop-off. There was no way I could have managed this alone. We then had to go back through security, which involved taking my baby out of her stroller, folding it, and repacking our belongings. It was a nightmare. I dashed to the gate with my daughter in her stroller while my son sprinted ahead.
Once at the gate, I took a moment to grab water, both for my son and myself, while my daughter sipped on her milk. People stared, but I was beyond caring about appearances. My son noticed my distress and asked why I was crying, revealing his concern for me. Many passengers had shown kindness during this trip, including a gentleman who lent us his iPad filled with games and checked in on us several times.
While I tried to collect myself, a fellow traveler offered to help with my things, but chaos struck again when my daughter’s passport went missing. Panic set in until I discovered it had merely slipped under my backpack. But during those few moments, I feared we might miss our flight home.
Not all interactions were supportive. I encountered a woman who claimed to be a pediatric nurse and expressed concern over my daughter’s “distress.” Yes, my baby was crying; it was a long day for her. I needed a moment to pay for food, but my emotional state erupted into tears. The airport staff quickly came to my aid, asking what they could do. Feeling vulnerable, I admitted I was not okay. The judgment from the woman only intensified my stress. Thankfully, the staff defended me, and after a brief confrontation, she left.
Despite the chaos, I received unexpected kindness from the store manager, who handed me a goodie bag filled with snacks and water. With help from various people, I finally boarded the flight to Chicago, where my husband was waiting to take over.
As I gazed out the window and watched the sun set over the Chicago skyline, I reflected on how social media often portrays travel with children as effortless. While I wholeheartedly support family travel and even promote it through my community, this experience taught me two crucial lessons: (1) traveling with young children in America can be overwhelmingly stressful, and changes must be made; and (2) we are all imperfect parents. Social media pressures us to present a flawless image of parenting, but let’s embrace our imperfections instead. We are doing our best, and that should be enough.
For those interested in family planning and support, check out this helpful resource on infertility and home insemination. And if you’re looking for parenting insights, this article on parenting challenges is a great read.
Summary
Traveling with young children can be a daunting experience, as highlighted by one mother’s challenging transatlantic journey. She faced numerous obstacles, from airport inefficiencies to judgmental strangers, all while managing her kids. This experience emphasized the need for better family-friendly travel accommodations in the U.S. and the importance of embracing the imperfections of parenting in an age dominated by social media portrayals of perfection.