We went to Japan when our eldest was 4 months old. I remember feeling super nervous in the weeks leading up to the trip. There were enough naysayers around me to feel like this is an impossibility and if anything were to happen to her, I would be a terrible mother! My lovely sister in law went with us in that trip, so we had three adults to look after one child.
Spoiler alert: Maryam came out the other end, alive and healthy, alhamdulillah.
We continued to travel every few months. The first time we travelled with Asiyah was also when she was about 4 months, and that time we did a huge six week trip ranging from the Galapagos Islands, Cuba, St Lucia to Mexico. There were several moments when I panicked, but, again, we came out the other end alive and well, alhamdulillah.
So, we were lucky enough to experience travel with our kids as they ranged from a few months to now 7 years of age. Here is my take on what it’s like to travel with kids!
With a breastfed baby – the best time to travel is between 4 months to 2 years. Breastfeeding has allowed us to travel to remote places without worrying about water contamination. All of my daughters have been fed on demand, which means, some days they fed a lot (if they were falling sick or felt extra tired/hungry/thirsty) and some days not so much. Plane journeys have been bearable as they fed during take-off and landing, which helped with ear pain.
A travel pram that fits on the overhead compartment is a life saver! There are several options in the market. We got one over seven years ago and it’s still going strong after three kids. We use it as our main pram when we are in Sydney as well. A light carrier is also essential for places where prams can’t go, such as hikes with steps/beaches.
Naturally, the way our kids have stayed busy during travels have evolved as they grew. When Maryam was an only child, I found it quite easy to have a bag full of activities that kept her busy throughout our first two long haul flight (14 hour flight to the USA at 5 months; 13 hour flight to South Africa at 1.5 years). I got some wooden travel puzzles from Kmart, stickers and a simple, small exercise book. As the kids grew, we loosened our restrictions on screen time, especially on flights. I still try to ensure I have sticker activities and a colouring book with me though, especially during long haul flights.
We find it beneficial to have a clear division of roles. Yes we play tag team in parenting but when each of us know what we are responsible for during our travels, it makes the process much smoother. Having a background in teaching has definitely helped me in homeschooling on the road and making sure that there is some sort of learning happening at a regular basis. This is quite important for us to maintain as we have been on the road for months at a time for the past few years.
It helps to keep expectations low and hopes high. Yes, I carry a colouring book with colour pencils. Does that mean its used when there is a screen available on a flight? Nope! We hoped to work on Maryam’s times tables in the two months we were away in Africa – we probably got through about 40% of what we expected to do. We have an aim with our Quran learning and practice for each trip. We don’t get through it all, but at least some of it is done because we have an aim and a rough plan. Things fall through. In the last seven years, we have had nappy blowouts on the plane, vomiting without changes of clothes (for me), sleepless nights and many more. Just like the highs and lows of life at home, life on the road will also have its ups and downs.
Dua is my biggest tool on the road. Kids sick? Dua. Kids acting up? Dua. Kids not eating properly? Dua.The benefit of making dua is that it is also an act of worship, so we are rewarded even if we make dua for mundane things. I love and live by the following two hadith:
Anas ibn Malik reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “The supplications of three are not turned back: the supplication of a parent, the supplication of a fasting person, and the supplication of a traveler.” Source: al-Sunan al-Kubrá lil-Bayhaqī 6392; Grade: Hasan (fair) according to Al-Albani
Anas ibn Malik reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Let one of you ask his Lord for his needs, all of them, even for a shoestring when his breaks.” Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 3973; Grade: Sahih according to Al-Suyuti