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Holiday travel tips 2: Being good houseguests, baby and all
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Baby Angelina's first Christmas: Twelve Rivolis, ages 10 months to 70 years, plus three dogs, all sleeping under one roof. The neighbors joined us by day.
Sure, your new night-waking, diaper-soaking, crawling and chewing, spitting-up little feeding machine is adorable. But he’s also a stink bomb with an unpredictable fuse. And his 2 o’clock siren has been traced by seismographs a hemisphere away.
In case you’ve been too preoccupied with your holiday travel planning, the logistics of checking car seats or strollers, and the prospect of a dozen shirt-tail relatives asking to hold your baby post-eggnog that you haven’t had a chance to think through how you’ll handle the subtle nuances of guest etiquette when visiting friends or family with your baby (deep breath), here are some friendly suggestions from one who has been there.
1. Ask for a tour to the outdoor garbage.
Yes, bringing a supply of your own plastic bags ready to help dispose of stinky diapers is thoughtful, but getting them out of your hosts’ home completely will do wonders for family relations, plus you can help keep wastebaskets from overfilling too quickly with bulky diapers.
2. Give fair warning about night-waking.
If your child wakes up (loudly) for feedings once or twice a night (we’ll hope no more than that!), give your hosts a head’s up ahead of time. It may actually make it easier for them to roll over and go back to sleep knowing that nothing unusual is distressing your baby, and that their assistance is not needed. They can also take any preventative measures they’d like to (using your child’s hostess gift ear plugs, shutting their bedroom door tightly, etc.) to help get their best rest possible.
3. Dine and don’t whine them.
Put in a request ahead of time for a beach towel or vinyl “outdoor tablecloth” that can help shield your hosts’ carpet or rug from messes, and come prepared with a set of baby-friendly dinnerware to avoid breakage of their own bowls or dishes. Do a “sweep” after each of baby’s meals to catch any Pablum and puree splats on surrounding surfaces before they become cemented or set stains.
4. Get the 411 on your hosts’ washer and dryer.
Chances are you’ll generate just as much laundry at your hosts’ home as you do at your own home. Between the extra towels and wash cloths, soiled onesies and play suits, and sullied togs of your own, you’ll want to be able to quickly and quietly process your own loads without burdening your holiday hosts. Be sure to find out any special tips or tricks to using their machines, or if your hosts have any preferences for when/how loads are run, and bring along a small supply of your baby-friendly detergent from home.
Remember, nothing brings out the “closeness” of families like sharing close quarters at the holidays. And thinking ahead toward a few good practices while you’re visiting may go a long way toward the keeping the peace, love, and harmony we all hope to share at the holidays. For more tips on planning happy home-stays with your baby, toddler, or preschooler, see the section on “Safe and Sane Stays with Friends and Family” in Travels with Baby.
Related articles by Shelly:
For more tips on travel with babies and toddlers: See Shelly's award-winning guide Travels with Baby: The Ultimate Guide for Planning Trips with Babies, Toddlers, and Preschool-Age Children.
Got a baby or toddler travel dilemma? Send your questions or comments to Shelly. Email examiner (at) travelswithbaby (dot) com. Twitter: @travelswithbaby. www.travelswithbaby.com
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