The AppleTree's
Top Ten

T

Ten tips for
trouble free
traveling
with tots.

ELIZABETH THOMAS

THE AP PL ETR EE

SPECIAL TO THE APPLETREE

10

he impeccably
dressed businessman
turned to glare at me
and my children.
"What did we do this time?"
I wondered. My daughter had-
n't kicked the back of his seat
for hours. People see you get
on a plane with children and
they assume the family will be
nothing but noise and trouble.
I glared at the back of his
head. "If you're so successful," I
thought, "why aren't you sit-
ting in Business Class where
no family can disturb you?"
Traveling with children is
not for the faint-hearted. Even
if your boys and girls are angel-
ic, passengers on a plane run
when they see you coming
with little ones in tow. And on
the road, keeping children
amused and in their seats can
be a nightmare. I wish I'd
known earlier what I know
now, two children and thou-
sands of miles later.
In case you're new to the
joys of taking to the road or air
with a couple of children, let
me offer some tips that I
learned the hard way:

Exercise your chil-
dren at every oppor-
tunity. I've lost
count of the number of times

I've seen people at rest stops or
at the gate in the airport, their
children firmly strapped in
chairs or buggies. Don't they
know these kids are going to
be wild to move around later?
The key is to work them be-

Don't be so budget-
minded that you
turn your trip into a
nightmare. For example, don't
start out on a long drive later in
the afternoon or evening just
so you don't miss any work or

fore they get into the car or
take the cheapest route on an
plane. I tell my children to run
airplane trip. You'll pay in the
up and down the yard
end with tired and ir-
A st ress-free,
before we get in the car.
ritable
children. The
well -organized
I say, "I bet you can't run
Eliza beth with
cheapest route on a
Mike y and Kate.
back and forth 10
plane usually is the
times," and then smile as
longest and most in-
they wear themselves out try-
convenient. You'll wish you
ing to prove me wrong.
spent more for an easier trip.

Try to balance the cost of the
vacation with the amount of
time you have to spend in tran-
sit. Think.of your time as mon-
ey, too.

Dress your children
in layers, so you're
flexible when the
temperature or weather
changes. If you go on an air-
plane, the cabin is invariably
stuffy and the children become
uncomfortable. Dressing them
in layers means you can take
action quickly to remedy any
distress they feel.

Have a bag of sup-
plies close at hand.
Don't leave medi-
cine, diapers or drinks in the
bottom of some bag that you
can't find immediately or have
to hunt through during your
trip. If your children have colds
all the time like mine do, take

,

Elizabeth Thomas is a native of Mississippi who now lives in Reading, England, with her husband, Mel, her 5-year-old daughter; Kate,
and her 3-year-old son, Michael. She and her family make frequent trips between Britain and the States, and each one is an absolute
pleasure.