I travel alone with my 4 kids all the time. Here are my 8 tried and true tips.

18.05.2024 - 11:39 / insider.com

Traveling with kids can be daunting, even under the best of circumstances. Many parents are more confident traveling with another adult as a backup to help manage logistics, temper tantrums, carrying luggage, and getting around in a new place.

However, some families don't have the luxury of always taking two adults along on trips, including my family. I knew if I wanted to travel with my kids, I would have to find a way to do it on my own. I've been traveling solo with my kids for more than 15 years and have a system that works.

When I first started traveling alone with my kids I had grand visions that they would read for hours and play games. While it is possible to keep kids off of screens, it takes a lot of effort on my part and is stressful.

For my own sanity, I significantly relax screen time rules when I travel alone with them. I'm OK with that because my children often have little to no screen time once we reach our destination. Plus, rules should be relaxed on vacation and I think vacation starts as soon as you leave home.

Before most trips, I take my kids to choose snacks for our trip. Even if we have a long day of travel, some special treats give them something to look forward to. Having an abundance of snacks also helps my kids from getting hangry on long flights or needing to stop for food on long car rides.

I also get snacks for myself since it's easy to overlook my own needs while traveling solo with kids. Plus, it's always nice to have some American or regional snacks to share with people we meet at our destination.

When I need to order food when traveling, I try to order in advance on an app. At the airport, I can order from Starbucks as we are going through the TSA line. On road trips, I pass my phone to my kids to allow them to find the closest Taco Bell or Burger King and place their order.

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Cutting down on waiting for food helps travel run more smoothly. Apps are a lifesaver without a second adult along to manage orders while keeping an eye on the kids and luggage and making bathroom trips.

I've always been committed to traveling carry-on-only and doubled down on this commitment when traveling solo with kids. Keeping track of kids is hard enough. I don't want to keep track of lots of stuff too.

I often find myself washing socks and undies in hotel sinks on longer trips, but it's worth the trade-off. To make travel even easier, I insist that my kids bring no more than they can carry themselves. I've invested in some gear, including packing cubes and wrinkle-resistant merino wool clothing to make this work. As a bonus, I have a great excuse for not buying souvenirs since we simply don't have room.

The older my kids get, the easier it is to travel even more lightly