Where to go in Europe with 2 kids: ages 8 & 1yr.
I am trying to plan a trip to Europe for myself and my two children, ages 8 years and 1 year at time of travel. We will be going in April preferably for 2 weeks. My husband is not able to come due to work commitments, so it will just be me travelling with the kids and possibly my mother is she is able to come.
I need advice on where to go. My first top choices are France and England. It will be my first trip to Europe. I'm not sure how realistic it is to do both countries with two children, but life is too short to wait until they are older!
I would appreciate any advice on where to go and possible itineraries or suggestions for a great trip. I love history, art, culture, great food, wine, shopping, antiques, literature and staying in good quality hotels (to be comfortable with the kids, feel relaxed). I love the city and the country.
Thanks so much for any tips!
Christina
Christina
Toronto 1/1/13
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No, Sasha, I didn't.
The couple beside me split up and one stood guard at each end. Otherwise I would have tucked one under each arm and staggered.
You need to quit second-guessing about what might have happened where you weren't.
Essentially, how I take care of kids is no more your business than how the OP takes care of kids.
The various styles of toddler backpacks are quite clever and handy in some situations. But you will also need lots of other stuff with you in another bag and that's a lot of cumbersome weight hanging off your body. The beauty of a good stroller is that you can put lots of other stuff in them besides the child. It's a tough call. Maybe the 8-year old can carry a small pack with the picnic lunch in it and some diapers, freeing you up to manage the pack for the toddler?
So you weren't alone with the children, OK. Then the situation is not comparable to what a mom traveling ALONE with 2 small children will face.
Or are you going to say that this nice couple were complete strangers? Is it really OK to entrust a 3-year-old to someone in a situation like that?
Also, how someone else takes care of their kids is everyone's business when it involves child endangerment. Not saying that is what happened in your situation, but your initial description of the event made it sound like a 3-year-old child was left alone in a potentially dangerous sitation. I know you have fun describing your adventures and sounding like the tough guy, and we all enjoy that, but in this case you came across as negligent, until you explained further.
Unless that "couple" was not with Ed but just friendly strangers.. there are some but it would be hard for me personally to leave my kids with any.. ( yes, as a mom , I do think of the "what ifs",, I have always said, "it may be one in a million ( some bad happening) but it won't be my "one").
Ed, I have travelled with kids too, solo and as a family, it does involve more thought and logistics, and it IS harder on your own with mulitiples, especially when they are very young, ( as in a 1 yr old). By the time a child is 10 or 11 it is much easier, my 11 yr old was "let loose" in Paris when I was alone with her and too sick to get out of bed, I gave her money for lunch and sent her down the street from the hotel to a sandwich shop( Pauls ) as she had been stuck with me all day and hadn't been able to eat.. but she was responsible enough at 11 to do a simple task,, I don't know if I would have even considered that with an 8 yr old though.. actually, I know I wouldn't have, I was nervous enough about an 11 yr old.
Doesn't mean it shouldn't be done, just means it requires some extra thought and that is exactly what I suggested.. work out the logisitics carefully. If one has a plan it is easier.
When our kids were young, we rented beach houses or condos in the New Hampshire mountains. We didn't even take them to Disneyworld until they were 10 and 12 years old.
I agree with the suggestion to minimize transitions and go to London, take the train (Eurostar) to Paris and fly from Paris back to Toronto. Both cities will offer you good quality hotels (with English speaking Front Desk staff in Paris). If you have the budget for taxis, or private shuttle service, you can avoid some of the up and down stairs with all your stuff issues. It won't get you the country, but I think for a first trip, and on your own with two kids, it is your best option.
Traveling alone with kids is more tiring that you can imagine. Although I didn't take mine to Europe when they were little, I did travel alone with them in the US. Plan what you want to do, get excited about it, and get the 8yo excited about it, too. (Then prioritize and realize you might not get to 1/2 of it.) I wouldn't bother with planning long day trips, or doing much wine tasting (although you could ask for recommendations at a wine shop and take bottles back to your hotel room to try in the evenings.) You may need to plan to do laundry at some point, too.
The biggest logistical question I see is whether or not to take a stroller. In theory, you could pull/carry two suitcases, while the 8yo pushes the 1yo in a stroller. Or, you could put the 1yo in a carrier/sling/backpack and carry one suitcase while the 8yo carries their own. Keep the 8yos suitcase small and lightweight and you can go up and down stairs without problem. We did a 3 city tour in Italy earlier this year and my then 8yo packed and unpacked and carried her own suitcase anytime we changed cities. That included carrying it up and down a lot of stairs and bridges in Venice due to arriving during a transportation strike. Kids that age can be responsible and more independent than I think most people on this board would give them credit for.
Bon Courage!
@Bob...not meaning to criticize...but Disney would go out of business if everyone thought like you. Nothing wrong with it, but neither is seeing your 3 year old granddaughter parade around Disney in her princess costume and run to the arms of her beloved Minnie Mouse or ask me when I am taking her to the 'real' Eiffel Tower.
I agree with posters that suggest waiting until your husband came come as well, leaving the kids home with daddy and/or grandma, or wait until the kids are at least a few years older. I have been to Europe twice only because I left the kiddos at home with their dad. Next time I plan to drag hubby along and leave the kids with my mom now that the youngest is nearly 6.
It's partly a money issue. Why spend so much money to drag your kids someplace they probably won't even enjoy? Meanwhile you can't really do the things you want to do because you brought them along!
And if one or both kids get sick, it can become a nightmare. I remember what a hassle it was when my then 4 year old middle daughter got an earache at Disneyland. I also remember when the stroller was broken at an airport in India when my youngest was 8 months old, nor were we given a seat for her on the 2nd leg home so we had to hold a wiggly baby who kept tossing her pacifier on the floor for the entire 10 hours it took to get from Frankfort to Oregon. Try eating your dinner from those tiny trays while the little angel tries to grab everything or knock it off. Not easy. And all those times I had my husband there to help.
Sometimes it is unavoidable to travel with the little darlings, so you do what you must. Other times, think long and hard about your expectations for the trip and whether it's really worth it.
Please - waiting for Disney until 10 and 12? We outgrew Disney at 6.
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