Traveling with children can be challenging at best. As a result, many couples stop traveling after they have children, or they limit their travel to places near their home or visiting family. One couple decided not to let having a two-year-old keep them from traveling the world.
AJ Ratani and Natasha Sandhir spent eight-and-a-half months traveling to 31 countries with their two-year-old. Along the way, they learned a lot about traveling with children, which they are now sharing in their new blog: The 2 Idiots Travel Blog. Natasha says, “I am really excited for the launch of our blog and to share all our learnings with parents. We hope to inspire people to travel and spend time together as a family!"
I had a chance to interview them to learn more.
Why is it important to travel with kids at any age?
Any time we tell people we traveled around the world with our 2 year old, they seem to be shocked and always assume it was extremely difficult. They say they would love to travel with their kids, but when they are older – it’ll be easier, they think. But we really feel that parents are missing out by not traveling together when the kids are young. Sure, it can be challenging at times, but there are so many reasons it’s important to travel at all ages. For one, toddlers have a different perspective than, say, teens, so you’ll get to see things with a new perspective, as well. Also, younger kids get into attractions for free, eat for free, and stay in hotels for free, so take advantage while you can! Lastly, the bonds of being together for extended periods of time are precious. For us, we are so lucky we got to spend 9 months, 24/7 with our son, and vice versa. Both of us had the opportunity to build memories with our son during his early years, and were able to be part of his precious milestones that come at a young age.
What are some vital strategies for traveling with babies and toddlers?
The most important thing to remember is to be okay with the unexpected. With or without kids, travel can try our nerves with delays, cancellations, and other surprises. When you travel with an infant or toddler, having a schedule is difficult to maintain. You may want to go on that walking tour but your child may be sick and cranky and you simply need to be patience and be willing to make adjustments. Be prepared with what your kids need when you travel like a bag filled with toys, snacks, books and emergency devices, and don’t worry about disrupting people around you during tantrums; just focus on your child and his needs.
How can parents help kids manage jet lag and changing sleep environments?
Yes, changing time zones and adjusting your child’s sleep schedule can and will happen, but you’d be surprised at how adaptable your child will be. Our son learned very quickly how to sleep in his stroller and even would sleep while we were enjoying a nice dinner in a foreign city. The best way to help our son sleep before late nights, long travel or tours was to give him a chance to burn his energy before those events. For example, we’d spend mornings in a park playing and exploring and then he would nap in his stroller in the afternoon, after we had lunch. We could use that time to walk around and sightsee without boring him. And on the days when time zones affected his sleep, we would adjust our schedules for an earlier or later bedtime.
What are some things people learn about themselves when they travel?
Travel can really expand who you are as a person because oftentimes you push yourself in ways you would never do if you weren’t traveling. Natasha, for example, is very afraid of heights and flying, yet her desire to see new places and experience new things was so great that she pushed herself into taking 39 flights, riding in helicopters and taking aerial trams. You often learn to be more patient and to become more relaxed as parents; there is a peace that comes with understanding the world is a big place and you’re just in it to take it all in!
AJ Ratani and Natasha Sandhir traveled around the world with their son Aarav. Visiting 31 countries and six continents as a family, they documented their year-long travel and trips on their family travel blog. Visit their website for more tips and also follow the couple on their Instagram account.
After spending several years climbing the corporate ladder, AJ Ratani made the decision to leave his high-profile position at a fast-growing company, to embark upon a new road in his career. First, though, he wanted to take a sabbatical, to clear his head and spend some time with his wife, Natasha, and their son, Aarav. Once he got Natasha on board, the two of them decided to make this fantasy a reality. Theyspent nine months traveling to 31 countries with their son, who was two at the time.
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