But hang on a minute; its a bit of a strategic mission to spend the day with your family.  How on earth will I cope with a holiday for a week or two? you ask.

Let’s just take it one step at a time.

1. Consider a destination closer to home.

Unless you’re travelling for a specific purpose try choosing a destination closer to home.  Preferably decide on a plane or car trip that is no longer than a couple of hours.  Each child is different and you really won’t know how yours will react to long distance travel.

Most parents are concerned about how their baby’s behaviour is affecting those around them, so a shorter trip gives you less time to worry about your baby’s reaction to the journey.

The first holiday is really about getting your feet wet for future trips.

2. Do some research?

What attractions and activities do you want to see and do?  Will it be easy to push baby around in a pram or would a baby carrier be easier?  Do these attractions require baby to stay quiet?  Can you stop, feed and change when it suits – will there be baby change facilities nearby?

Look at your accommodation; do they have cribs and high chairs available?  Maybe you might like a babysitter for a night out on your own – do they offer this service?  Has your baby started on solids; then you will probably like to have at least a kitchenette available.

How are you going to get about? Public transport can be fairly easy to navigate with a pram.  Perhaps you might like to hire a car; you will need a car seat.  You could bring one from home or hire one from a baby hire company.

3. What should you pack?

Now this list can get pretty long, look what you take to visit the family for the day.

To start with you need: nappies, nappy rash cream, change mat, wipes, nappy disposal bags, and possibly a dummy.

You may need a few medical items like: teething relief, baby paracetamol, baby sunscreen, and baby insect repellent.

Then consider your baby’s age and eating habits.  If they are still on breast or bottle then you only need bottles and possibly formula – take a bottle brush and some detergent.  If you are travelling somewhere between 4-6 months maybe take some rice cereal if they decide they want to start solids.  If your baby has started solids take a selection of foods that your baby likes.  Some babies will eat whatever is put in front of them, others are fussy.  You know your baby best so make a judgement call.

Of course don’t forget the clothes.

Going on you first family holiday doesn’t need to be scary it just take a little planning and research.  Finally how your baby acts at home is highly likely how they will react when travelling.  So remember you baby’s schedule and remain flexible.  And have a great time!

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Hi my name is Sally-Ann Brown I write a “Toddlers on Tour”.  I am a wife and mother who has always had a passion for travel.

When I had my son in 2008 and joined a Mother’s Group I realised many mum’s needed tips and advice on travel with kids. “Toddlers on Tour” was formed.

My advice is based on my 20 years’ experience in the Hospitality and Tourism Industry, a Bachelor in Tourism and Marketing, plus researching many travel books, websites and blogs.

I hope that my advice helps you to have an enjoyable journey.

Sally-Ann @ http://www.toddlersontour.com.au

It feels like years have past by in the blink of an eye. Nappies have changed into pull-ups, eating solid foods and before you know it, it’s time for your cherished toddler to begin school. But how can you make sure that they’re properly prepared for the transition?

Is your toddler school ready?

Starting school is an important step in your toddler’s life. It’s also a new and exciting time for the whole family. But, let’s be honest, it’s also a little terrifying. After all, there are many different things to consider … all of which leave you wondering: is my toddler ready for school? 

Here are some basic questions you can ask to determine whether your toddler is ready for school:

• Does my toddler listen well?
• Can my toddler follow instructions?
• Is my toddler curious?
• Can they use the toilet by themselves?
• How does my toddler compare to others their own age?
• Can they dress themselves?
• Are they comfortable around their peers?
• Can they share?
• Does my toddler like books?

These questions will help you gauge whether or not you believe your toddler is ready for school. And while their early education will predominantly focus on using play as a means of learning, it is still worthwhile making sure that they will comfortable and confident in the classroom.

Although early education focuses on learning through play, still ensure your child has the skills to feel confident in the classroom.

Easy guide to making the shift to school

Once you’re assured that your child is ready for school, you can begin to prepare them for the transition. This might mean focusing on the areas they’re not doing as well in, or the questions that you couldn’t answer with positively. Or it might even involve preparing them mentally for spending the day with adults and other children. 

Every child is unique and will need their own tailored preparation, but to help you get started here are some of our easy tips:

• Start their education before they hit the classroom. There are plenty of opportunities in day-to-day life to turn fun and playtime into a learning experience too. You can explain how water freezes into ice when you add ice cubes to their drink, or you can give them an arts and crafts lesson with feathers, paint and pencils. Get them into the mindset of learning wherever they are, no matter what they’re doing.
• Introduce them to books. Reading and writing will form the foundation of their learning throughout their education so it’s worthwhile getting them interested and involved in reading as early on as possible. Initially, you can use textile books that your toddler can touch, poke and prod. Then you can move up to more ‘grown up’ books when your little one is ready.
• Get them into a routine. One of the hardest parts of transitioning to school is adjusting to a new routine and new habits. To make this transition as smooth as possible, begin introducing a new routine, piece by piece, well before they start school. You can begin having set times to wake up and nap, and set times for eating. This way, by the time your toddler starts school, it will feel less unusual or strange for them.
• Start asking them to fulfill simple instructions. This will help them become familiar with requests and learning situations for when they are in school.
• Socialise your child. A crucial component of a successful school transition is making sure that your toddler is well socialised. This will help immensely in the daily interactions your toddler has with their peers, as they will know how to communicate, share, listen and play.

And lastly, have faith that your toddler will be okay in their new environment. Often it’s just as hard (if not harder!) for the parents to adjust to the new daily routine. Having your little one around less can be heartbreaking for many Mums. But as long as you have faith in your toddler, trust your instincts and understand that it’s okay to feel emotional at the transition, everything will work out fine. For more parenting advice and tips make sure you check our blog regularly. And if you have any questions you want answered, make sure you send us over an email. We’d love to hear from you. 

Generally straightening my hair is never a priority of my morning, but on this day it would have been illegal to try and leave the house in the state I was in. So very quickly, I turned it on and allowed it to warm up, which through the wonder of technology only took about 3 seconds! In which time I tried my hardest to get dressed, put on some form of jewellery, organise my bag while randomly calling out to my children to ensure that they know I can still see and hear everything they’re doing!

However, in this particular ‘three seconds’ I was unaware that my 4 year old son had wandered into the room where I had the straightener on, and to this day I can still hear the shrieking cry that accompanied my son yelling, “it attacked me Mummy”.  In horror, I ran into the room, looked at his hand where instantly a blister had covered his whole thumb.  I rushed to the sink, turned on the tap, somehow grabbed a chair and together we stood crying for the next 20 minutes”.

Perhaps not quite the end of the world, but I knew how much that would hurt and kicked myself for not thinking about how hot and dangerous a hair straightener can actually be.

Burns, no matter what size are one of the most painful and potentially damaging injuries you can ever encounter.  If your child is ever burnt;

• INSTANTLY cool the burn with gently flowing WATER! WATER! WATER! For up to 20 minutes
• If in doubt call an AMBULANCE ‘000’ – especially if the burn affects airways, genitals, face, hands or feet or is bigger than a 20c piece
• For larger burns place you and your child in a gentle flowing cool shower
• Remove clothing (including nappy) and jewellery (do this once submerged in water) – but NEVER remove items if stuck to the skin
• NEVER EVER put lotions, creams, powders, butter, ice, garlic, tomatoes, toothpaste, hummus or ice cream on any burns!!! (you would be surprised what I have been told)

Prevention is obviously key, but in the event of such emergency ‘water’ is your best friend and never hesitate to contact medical aid.

Now, needless to say, several hours later my little man was still sobbing and his thumb had become permanently attached to a bowl of water.  The blister of course healed and the only other major drama I had was explaining to my husband why his ‘son’ was playing with a hair straightener! My response was simply, ‘not that there is anything wrong with that!’

Mary Dawes – Owner and Creator of FIRST AID FOR YOU. www.firstaidforyou.com.au. Specialising in baby and child first aid. Mary has over ten years experience in First Aid training along with first hand knowledge the ‘real life’ dramas that can pop up when you have two very active little boys!

If only there was a button you could press that automatically, and quickly, connected to your toddler’s brain, forcing them to listen to you. It would be part of a simple remote control that had the power to connect with your toddler when your words couldn’t. Because, let’s face it – in the fast-paced world of toddlerhood, listening skills are a much desired, but rarely accessible, skill set.

Read more →

If you’re not quite sure what exactly you should be putting into your nappy bag (everything but the kitchen sink?), then don’t stress. Read on for our easy guide to the must-have components of any good nappy bag. Read more →

The addition of a new baby to the family is both an exciting and exhilerating experience. After months of preparation, the latest member of your family is ready to bring home.

But potentially not every member of the family will be thrilled at this new development. Introducing a new baby to your toddler can be a confronting and difficult situation if not managed correctly.

Luckily, there are some strategies you can utilise, both before your baby’s arrival and after, to ensure happy baby and toddler relations. Read more →

While your baby is sleeping, they could easily be mistaken for a picturesque cherub, sent from the heavens above specifically to tug at your heartstrings. But getting them to fall asleep … well, that’s another story.

It’s quite common to encounter difficulties when you’re trying to get your baby to sleep through the night. After all, your little one is led by her hunger urge and doesn’t know the difference between daytime and nighttime. When she’s hungry – she’s hungry. Now. Read more →

I remember sitting so frustrated that we have had yet another accident on the carpet and this whole toilet training thing was just not going to work with Addison and I! She was 2 years old and she was the one who kept asking to go to the toilet, so I went with it. But the novelty must have worn off quickly because we weren’t having any successes, only frustration from us both. So we put the nappies back on and tried again at 2.5 years old. We had success and almost no accidents, crazy what 6 months can do!! It can be done and like anything, ask yourself if Bubs is ready for this or are you wanting them to be? Read more →

Do you think it’s time that your two year-old learnt that contrary to (their) popular belief, the world does not actually belong to them?

Teaching your two-year-old how to share is one of the more, er, challenging parts of toddlerdom but handled correctly it can also be one of the most rewarding.

To discover ways you can transform your toddler into a sharer, just read on. Read more →

As a Mum with young babies and/or toddlers, your quality downtime is both rare and highly prized. But how can you guarantee peace and quiet when your baby or toddler‘s whims control most of the day?

Simple. Take back control with these easy, fun and no-fuss ways and keep your little ones entertained. Read more →