Traveling Chic: Adios Baby!

In a few months, the fam and I will set off on our first official family vacay to Playa del Carmen, Mexico. I’m both excited and nervous about traveling with my little ones. Traveling with kids can be tough. Shoot, planning to travel with kids is giving me anxiety. Lucky for other jet settin'  mamas, some of the things I've learned in this process can help you be calm, chic and ready to fly!

Get ready for take off…

Things to think about when traveling with little ones:

• Travel times vs. cheap tickets: By now you know that I’m a deal hunter, in my search for travel deals, I found that the “best value” tickets were those with the shortest flight time and were not necessarily the least expensive. You'll have to decide whether saving money or saving time is more beneficial for your family. For us, short flight times (including shorter layovers) mean less stress for mama and when mama is happy, everybody is happy. 

• Departure time and arrival at your destination:  While we're on the subject of travel time, you probably don’t want to start your vacation off with cranky kiddos. Try to plan to arrive at your destination early so the little ones can nap shortly after check-in and you still have a good bit of day to enjoy.

• Keeping the kiddos busy: Aside from the standard DVD player and handheld games, Hubs and I plan to keep our little ones entertained by giving them age appropriate scavenger hunts to complete. First up: Things you might find in an airport. This way, they are engaged AND learning (and not driving us crazy).

• Little noses and little tummies:  All the mamas out there know that ya gotta keep a veritable arsenal of cootie catching, mess cleaning, tummy soothing items on hand at all times. When you're traveling it's even more important to be prepared. You definitely want to keep an assortment of first aid items in your (Fab) purse while jet setting. Save money and purchase these items before you hit the road.

• Change of clothes… for everybody! Extra clothes for the kids are a given, but don’t forget clothes for you too. You don’t want to smell like sour milk all day when they spill on you instead of themselves.

Now for the fun part.

When you’re getting dressed to travel with the kiddos, consider two things, you want to be comfortable enough to run after wayward toddlers and chic enough for people to wonder “how does she do it”. Many people consider leggings acceptable travel bottoms, and while there is no disputing the comfort level, let’s face it, they don’t look good on everyone. While my go to travel ‘fit consists of skinny jeans, a tee and blazer, I probably wouldn’t rock that when traveling with the little ones. Instead, I’d suggest opting for looser fitting but still stylish boyfriend jeans. Pair with an oversized top (think flowy, not sloppy) and layer a tank underneath (especially if you’re traveling from a cooler climate to a warmer one). Kick your ensemble into high gear with super cute flats (leopard loafers? Uh, yeah!) and opt for a roomy and fashionable tote to carry all of your essentials. Darker colors will serve you in two ways: you’ll look chic and the inevitable stains from little hands won’t be so apparent.

That’s it hot mamas! Traveling Chic with the kiddos doesn’t have to stress you out!

So what say you? What are your best tips for making traveling with the kiddos less stressful? Let me know in the comments or chat with me on twitter! 

This post is part of the Traveling Chic series on Passenger156, check it out for more chic travel tips