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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Travelling alone with young children

62 replies

Home77 · 18/04/2019 08:37

Friends have moved abroad (not far maybe an hour flight). They have two DC, ages 2 and 5. The mum would like to come back and visit relatives but worries about travelling with both.

I happened to mention when mine were both little sometimes would visit relatives and friends just taking one for the weekend and leaving the other with DH. Thought this might be helpful idea, but then wonder if have out them off the idea they could do it alone with 2.

Think main concerns are the travelling and dealing with both together, maybe hiring a car and car seats etc, not sure exactly but at young ages can be a bot of work together and in a new place. a dog also.

AIBU in my suggestion? would you go for it alone with 2 of that age (and a dog?)

OP posts:
Original poster
Home77 · 18/04/2019 08:37

She is Ok with the DH but he works a lot so that is the issue, doing it alone.

OP posts:
Namechangedcositstime · 18/04/2019 08:39

I think it's a bit weird to only take one. Travelling with young children is hard but you just have to get in with it, the holiday or visit to relatives should be worth it.

Thehop · 18/04/2019 08:39

I travelled with my 3 boys when they were very little and loved it! I was single so no choice and honestly it was fine!

Whodafeck · 18/04/2019 08:39

I did it. It’s fine. Not great, but fine.

Mine had a 2 year gap and of o hadn’t done it I wouldn’t have seen my family.

And it was in the days before tablets I got a portable DVD player. And dvds. And colouring books. And travelled as much as poss at night. If they slept, I kept driving.

Whodafeck · 18/04/2019 08:40

I took both. I wouldn’t have left one behind.

Original poster
Home77 · 18/04/2019 08:42

I think the children fight (sibling rivalry) which is why i suggested one...found it good to spend 1:1 with mine at times at those ages...maybe was a strange suggestion though. Oh, not sure.

I also travelled with two as well and remember the main problems being the buggy, bags and the children on my own at the airport. But they let you take the buggy up to the place. Blessed easy jet forgot the family fist boarding thing and a crowd engulfed one of the DC, and lost one for a few minutes which was stressful. But that was maybe a one off.

OP posts:
CielBleuEtNuages · 18/04/2019 08:44

I have and do regularly travel alone with 2 young DC.

Car seats - either the relatives have some that we use, or I took the car seat for the youngest and hired for the eldest when I got the hire car (purely for saving money. For ease i would recommend hiring both seats).

At 5 they are surprisingly independant when travelling. My DSes had their own rucksacks with a change of clothes (in case of accidents), some snacks and some toys.

I took as few clothes as possible, with the intention of washing at my relatives' place.

Basic set up was:
DS1 with his rucksack as above, as cabin luggage
One medium sized suitcase with all clothes for the 3 of us
One cabin suitcase with bits for the journey
One rucksack for me with bits for the journey (but counted as cabin luggage for DS2)

The eldest loved helping with the cabin suitcase. and I would pull the main suitcase, have the rucksack on my back and DS2 would walk.

Original poster
Home77 · 18/04/2019 08:45

I hope I have not put them off by suggesting the one child thing. Just said that's what I did once. Oh dear. But they have a dog too. Can you even take dogs on planes?

OP posts:
BarrenFieldofFucks · 18/04/2019 08:45

I'm not sure I'm seeing the issue tbh...surely you just get on with it?

CielBleuEtNuages · 18/04/2019 08:45

For a 2 year old I wouldn't bother with a pushchair. Maybe a sling if absolutely necessary

CielBleuEtNuages · 18/04/2019 08:46

Re the dog - how long is she visiting for? I think they need passports and everything. Why can't the dog be left with the DH?

BarrenFieldofFucks · 18/04/2019 08:47

I would take a pushchair and a sling. 2 yr old on back, bags in pushchair, 5 yr old holding pushchair. Book row of three, mum in middle

Original poster
Home77 · 18/04/2019 08:47

They could leave the dog with the DH and come for the weekend...perhaps.

OP posts:
BarrenFieldofFucks · 18/04/2019 08:47

And I wouldn't take the dog.

Original poster
Home77 · 18/04/2019 08:48

You could check in the large bag with a friend / partner, and then just have the buggy and small backpack tot he plane couldn't you. That would work. and a hire car.

OP posts:
Whodafeck · 18/04/2019 08:51

Put the dog in kennels.

Can they drive if only an hour flight? (Depends on cost v benefit of packing stuff in car)

If you’re only going for a week then 2 wheels cases, two cabin rucksacks and get relative to borrow a pushchair if they’ll need one when here. Or take a real cheap one you don’t mind getting wrecked on the plane.

BarrenFieldofFucks · 18/04/2019 08:51

Each child has a hand luggage allowance so give them a small backpack with bits on for the trip and use main hand luggage for clothes. If a weekend trip I'd avoid checking luggage

archivearmadillo · 18/04/2019 08:51

I travelled alone with mine at 1 and 3, and 2 and 4, then 5, 3 and under 1 and so on as they got older on similar journeys, although I do have fairly well behaved children. It was always very manageable and the children rose to the occasion by being extra good and helpful.

It's made me rather eye rolly when couples get on a plane with one baby or small toddler between two of them them, half of Mothercare as handluggage, and make a huge song and dance as though they're coping with some superhuman challenge, expecting vast amounts of help from airline staff and sometimes other passengers...

The key is very organised packing and briefing the children before hand. No buggy - I used a sarong as a hip sling for over 18 month old's, proper wrap carrier when under 18 months. Kids carry their own in flight entertainment (toys and drawing material, sticker books, snacks) in their own little rucksacks. You need hands free. Also change of top for self in hand luggage..

archivearmadillo · 18/04/2019 08:53

God don't take the dog. Put it in kennels or just leave it at home given the DH isn't travelling. Taking the dog would be insane.

sickmumma · 18/04/2019 08:55

I travel quite often from London to Scotland on an hours flight to visit family. I've been with one child, a 2 year old and newborn (that was probably the hardest as I had to carry the baby quite far the other end and we had hand luggage and had to get the buggy from the conveyer - if I did this again I will take a baby carrier but we were helped by another passenger - he took my case and grabbed the buggy for me) and then last summer went up with all three children which was fine. An hours flight isn't bad at all by the time you go up your coming back down again and I took iPads with a film and book/ colouring and they didn't even need it all.

Original poster
Home77 · 18/04/2019 08:56

They can't drive as is across the sea, other option would be the ferry. Which could also be a plan I suppose. They live very close to the airport also, and this end would only be maybe an hour.

OP posts:
KipperTheFrog · 18/04/2019 08:57

I've not flown on my own with 2 littles, but I have travelled the length of the UK on trains with 2! Ages 2 and 4.
Large back pack with all our stuff, littlest in a pushchair with changing bag over the handlebars. Biggest walking holding pushchair.
I actually think it'd be easier on a plane as the suitcase gets checked in pretty early! Then hire a car when you get the the other end, can hire car seats too. Or family have car seats and give lifts.

PlainSpeakingStraightTalking · 18/04/2019 08:57

Sometimes, I seriously wonder how people manage to decided which foot to get out of bed in the mornings.

Is the inability to cope a new thing? I dont remember anyone of my mothers or grandparents generation, often with 4, 5, or even 10 children, getting in such a state about going out.

Can you even take dogs on planes? christ! What do you seriously think?

Original poster
Home77 · 18/04/2019 08:57

I did the train to also across the UK one time and found they do a service with the trains to help if you are disabled or traveling with young children btw. Meet you from the train and help you unload etc.

OP posts:
CherryPavlova · 18/04/2019 08:57

I’m amazed that there are adults who find the idea of a short journey with a couple of children such a challenge, to be honest. I’m even questioning if this is serious because of the dog question.
Assuming it is...
Bag in hold, two-year-old in folding buggy. Five year old walking with small rucksack of own items. Rucksack with other essentials for airport and plane. Plenty of time so no rushing.

Or if only an hour’s flight and mainland Europe she could drive.

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