Travelling with families

The worse thing about travelling in a family is that everyone wants to do something different

There is never a total accord in what everyone wants to do

The trick is to make everyone think they are doing what they want without fuss and bother and for it to be as harmonious as possible.

OK this is hard enough in normal every day home life and travelling is far more stressful than that.

keep it simple . How many times do we hear that but with children this is so true.

First of all they can only take a little at the one time . Its exhausting for you to spend a day sightseeing and what do you remember at the end , a jumble of information that you can put into context because of something you can reference to . Maybe a film , maybe a history lesson , maybe something your Mum and Dad told you , they have nothing , its new .

So pace yourselves and if this means not seeing everything but getting the quality of what you do see then this is the way . If you are not prepared to do this then leave them behind .

If you are on a visiting friends and relative then there is always someone who will mind them while you go to see the exhibition or museum or church .

If you are travelling to see a country and you have no family connections , then see if there is another family that is happy to travel with you . Then you can take turns about for the serious sightseeing , and more than 2 parents for the shared sightseeing . Often if there is a third person about the children behave better and may not fight or squabble as much . It also means that you get to go and eat out by yourself and share the babysitting in the evening.

This fits in with mixed age families as there may be someone who also has a toddler if you have older children who are more keen to see new things .

A portable DVD is a must for travelling by yourselves

We are all guilty of putting television on to keep children amused , but wait -- its in French , Italian and its not SBS there are no captions quel dommage!!!!!

However with the trusty DVD out comes the favourite DVDs and the day is saved.

This is good also with books and in this day and age IPODS with podcasts on them

Anything that can keep attention and a child interested on a long flight , train journey , car journey and or wait at the airport . There is only so much "are we nearly there "that a parent can bear.

What is the perfect age to Start Travel

Is there a perfect age for first time travel?

When you think about it your first adventure starts as a baby in a carriage or pram , then there is the upgrade to the car or bus or train . Then maybe if you are interstate to families there is air travel . So when to start and how to go about it



Domestic travel in Australia is usually the first flight and children fare rules are as below


Children and Infant Fares
QF Domestic child: 2-11 years of age inclusive at departure of each one-way fare component.
QF Domestic infant: less than 2 years of age at departure of each one-way fare component. Infant
passengers permitted to travel at no fare provided they do not occupy a seat. If a seat is required the child fare will apply



Virgin Domestic are more particular with their child rules

Any guests travelling with an infant may be required to show proof of the infant's age at check in, at which time this must be presented on request (e.g Birth Certificate).
All infants must travel with a passenger 15 years of age and over OR the parent/legal guardian who is 13 years of age and over. An infant will travel free of charge as they will not occupy a seat.
If infant turns 2 years of age after the forward journey but before the return journey, the flights need to be booked as two one way trips indicating the correct age at the time of actual travel. In this case forward journey would be booked as an infant and return as a child.
Infants under 72 hours of age are not able to be accepted for travel. Parents of very young infants (over 72 hours old) should consult a medical practitioner for advice on flying.



Jetstar are even more clear with their rules

http://www.jetstar.com/au/en/travel-info/family-travel/flying-with-jetstar/booking-your-tickets.aspx#under2

and have a child friendly page where all sorts of information is given out to first time parents travelling . However the ages are the same as the other airlines.



Although strollers are not allowed as cabin luggage parents can always think of Child Restraint Devices
The safest way for an infant to travel on an aircraft is in a Child Restraint Device (car seat). Carriage of a lap held infant is allowed however research has demonstrated it does not provide the protection of a child seat.

If travel on Qantas Aircraft then the following applies
To purchase a seat for your infant and obtain pre-approval for the use of a child seat contact your local Qantas Office (pre-approval must be obtained a minimum of 24 hours prior to departure).
Note: Approval cannot be obtained on departure at the airport



Virgin again are different with their seating arrangements

They point out that Bassinets, and baby car seats cannot be taken on board Virgin Blue flights. Infant restraint belts are available on all aircraft and must be worn by infants on take-off, landing, during turbulence and whenever the seat belt sign is illuminated.

http://www.virginblue.com.au/Personal/Flightinfo/BeforeYouFly/Travelwithinfants/index.htm



Jetstar provide the most information about all family travel

http://www.jetstar.com/au/en/travel-info/family-travel/flying-with-jetstar/get-on-board.aspx#seatbelts

Seat belts and car seats
The safety and comfort of your family are paramount to us. At Jetstar we offer a range of options for parents to restrain their children on-board.
Whichever car seat, harness or restraint you use your child must be restrained whenever the ‘Fasten Seat belts’ sign is on. We recommend that you and your children leave your seat belts on whenever you are sitting in your seat. It means we won't need to wake you in case of unexpected turbulence.
Infant slings / papooses
Baby carriers and slings are terrific in the terminal to free up your hands and settle our baby but they are unsafe to use on-board the aircraft. They are not designed as a restraint.
For safety reasons you are not permitted to use an infant sling while you are on- board any flight. We do, however, have a range of other alternatives that comply with safety standards.
Infant seat belts
If you are nursing an infant we provide Infant Seat belts that connect to your own. These are to restrain kids whenever the 'Fasten Seat belt' sign is on. As you board let our crew know that you’re travelling with an infant on your lap and they will explain how the Infant Seat belt works.
Infant car seats
We are more than happy for you to bring an infant car seat for your child to travel in, so long as it meets with regulatory requirements. We have Customer Service Officers and Passenger Service Managers who are responsible for inspecting the seats and approving them. You will need to advise Jetstar that you are bringing an infant car seat at the time of booking as there is a limited number of anchor straps available on each flight.
You can bring an approved infant car seat on board in addition to your carry-on luggage allowance. If your car seat is not approved it needs to be checked in with your other luggage, but does not attract extra baggage charges.
Different car seats attach in different ways so we have separate procedures for each type.
Australian-designed car seats
If your infant car seat is Australian designed you need to book by calling the Jetstar Telephone Reservation Team, on 131 538. The seats require a top attachment and there are only limited numbers available on each flight. They also need to be located on a window seat and not in an emergency exit row.
To be approved by Jetstar the car seat needs to:
Have an Australian Standard Sticker AS1754 attached
Fit on an airline seat
Allow the seat in front to recline
Be in good condition, showing no signs of damage
If the child weighs more than 18kg they cannot fly in an Australian designed car seat. You need to book them a normal fare
US-designed car seats
If you have a car seat designed in the US it needs to:
Comply with the US Standard FMVSS213
Have a FAA (Federal Aviation Association) sticker that reads, ‘Certified for motor vehicles and aircraft.’
Be in good condition, showing no signs of damage
Be positioned on a window seat, not in an emergency exit row



Aircraft are full of people with potential germs and diseases , vaccination programmes start from 3 months so parents should be aware of the dangers to infants before this time .

So I guess the answer to the perfect age to start to travel is 3 months after inoculations and in fact the inoculation card is an ideal way to identify the infant .

This would also apply to bus and train , car of course requires traffic authorities authorised car seat restraints as per whatever state you live in