holiday traveling with children

[miksha]

we plan to travel kaso may mga iniisip kami ni hubby. i hope mga sisses here can help us out:
1. we have 2kids, a toddler and a 7year old. From experience i know na mas ok magtravel kapag isa lang anak or medyo big kid na pero kapag dalawa at yung isa is below 3 hindi kaya kami mahirapan? Noon minsan na nagovernight kami sa ILs ko ayaw ni toddler matulog as in iyak lang nang iyak, like namamahay/naninibago ba
2. Since toddler pa meaning hindi pa toilet trained and dumedede pa, so aside from the usual mga dalahin mag dagdag ka pa na diapers and milk, so how can we make it comfortable na iikot kami to see the sights for a whole day? we are blessed to have a vehicle so its easier kapag andito and kapag commute naman kami hindi kami whole day sa labas
3. Ma-enjoy na kaya nang isang toddler ang holiday traveling? my big kid kase enjoy niya kahit museum
4. Expenses siyempre. Is it more expensive to travel with a toddler? Syempre hindi naman kami kukuha nang super 5star hotel pero siyempre gusto naman namin is malinis, maayos at family friendly.
5. Although i like to experiment minsan sa food si hubby not much like gusto pa din niya kanin at ulam (filipino as much as possible) and kids tend to be picky eaters when traveling. they want to eat something that is familiar to them (like chicken, hotdog, burgers, fries).
6. Lately my big kid seems to wander off by himself especially when he sees something he is interested in or gets bored with what we are doing (he got lost in a store a couple of times, thankfully its a small store and we have a friend there whom he went to when he couldn't see us anymore and that friend called us)

We plan to holiday for 5days somewhere in Europe (hindi pa kami decided kung saan).

Thanks for all the help!

[bluegintonic]

malaki na pala panganay mo sis so hindi ka na gaano hirap.Kung 2 parents kayo mas madali din kaysa alone ka at 2 kids dala mo

Some of my travel tips with a toddler,baka makatulong: (mine's a 20 month old girl and naka-ilang long haul flights na since she was 8 months)

1-if possible,coincide the longest leg of the trip with the sleeping hours of your toddler.
2-kung toddler,majority of airlines require you bring a car seat and this gadget can help you:
http://www.amazon.com/Brica-Roll-Car-Seat-Transporter/dp/B0074JKQ0Y/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1354847127&sr=8-2&keywords=car+seat+travel+cart para makatulong to push or pull a car seat through the airport and plane itself.
3- any kid above 24 months get a seat to themselves na so essentially halos 4 adults and binabayaran niyo.mahal pag last minute bookings and possible pa hindi kayo magkakatabi.I suggest BOOK AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE.
4-consider the destination you're travelling to and how long you're going there for. tickets, hotels, meals, shopping and sight seeing all add up. If for the holidays lang naman (assuming this Xmas na lakad niyo), why not consider South Korea or Japan? mag eenjoy naman din sila dun kung snow ang habol niyo. Food-wise may kanin at ulam din naman dun para hindi kayo mahirapan sa food yung youngest mo.Postpone na lang muna Europe for when your toddler's a bit older and easier to manage.
5- You best toilet train your kid before considering Europe trip.Super dami ng bitbit niyo if dala niyo bote,formula,water,diapers...etc...na curious lang ako bakit bote pa at 3? hindi ba dapat sippy cup na or glass? makaka-lessen kasi ng bitbitin pag ganun.
6-bring a busy bag for both kids-some new toys n books mixed with some of their fave comfort toys  or activities  to occupy themselves while they are awake.there's nothing worse than a toddler tantrum in a plane's confined spaces!

End point-hindi kayo mag-e-enjoy as a family kung ica-cater niyo lahat ng quirks ng toddler mo.Dapat lahat naka-tailor sa kanya for now and maybe it's more realistic to consider a shorter trip to somewhere closer  to Pinas muna.

[pinkpotato]

miksha, 5 days in EU? wow. ambilis nun mga pang around asia lang ang 5 days. hee hee.

when the kid is less than 3, i would recommend to bring a yaya kasi imbis na bakasyon mag babantay bata 163 kayo the whole time. that is based on my experience and friends'. mahirap talaga mag byahe may bata.

[aquacharly]

This winter: 5 days in Europe -- IF I were you -- no. (But that's just me).  Best is May.  (You bring less clothes, no winter wear)
Do not do Jul-August, susko, humid (they are all on bakasyon, a lot of them travel, and do not ahhum or change their clothes daily, ugh -- the body odor.).
5days (only)  is too hectic. 

Train your son not to wander off, this is no joke.  More so, train him to  not go off  with "friendly" strangers - disaster.
Yes,you must pack a lot when traveling with a toddler.  Always have biscuits/cookies/cereal in your bag (with water/juice/milk) --  in case they don't like the food, they won't go hungry.

Actually, before going off somewhere far-- break-in  mo muna your toddler. Travel to (for ex.) Hongkong or Singapore muna.   

[stormy]

Nakabase sa middle east si miksha, nabasa ko na namention nya ito sa isang thread, kaya malapit na EU sa kanya.

Ang hirap magtravel with kids tapos xmas time pa mas busy ang airport baka pagod lang abutin sa 5 days instead na makapag-relax.

[Janet31]

why don't you ask someone to come with you na magbabantay sa mga kids para hindi kayo mahirapan.

[miksha]

yes po mas malapit kami sa EU, mas sobra tagal pa biyahe kapag umuuwi kami pinas. ok naman sila sa plane, sa galaan ang pinoproblema ko hehe...  maganda nga sana kapag may pero hindi ba that is the time na mataas ang rate nang tickets to EU? If ever matuloy ito mga june-aug ang puwede pagpilian