Strollerderby : family travel

First Class or No Class? Who Gets the Upgrade on Your Trip?

Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 12:02:00 GMT

Whenever the idea of a family trip comes up, I immediately imagine myself in first class, being pampered and doted on. There are international carriers now with entire suites in first class -- not just chairs that fold into beds and have really snazzy TVs. But actual suites -- as in close the door and enjoy the quiet bliss of being fabulously wealthy.

In these imaginings, my wife and 2-year-old daughter are somewhere in the nether-regions of coach -- or "back there somewhere," as I imagine telling a friendly steward while using the appropriate hand motions that convey both direction and disinterest. And so you can probably see why I'm always a little annoyed when my wife awakens me from the daydream and I settle back into the reality of traveling somewhere very far away, on a very long flight, while the three of us battle for elbow room and sanity somewhere back there in the nether-regions of middle class.

But what if, I always wonder. What if we get to the gate and the flight attendant says there's just one seat available in first class? Who would get it? Me? My wife? Surely not our daughter -- she's not old enough to truly enjoy the wonder of the cheese course. Eventually reality sets in and I come to understand that my wife would be working on her second glass of complimentary champagne at the precise moment I finally manage to strap in our daughter.

So it thrilled me to read this story from writer Beth Spotswood, who recently spotted a mother wrangling her luggage and children on the way through security. All alone, the woman managed to board with a million bags and just as many children. Later, on the flight, it was discovered that the woman wasn't traveling alone. Her husband was with her. In first class.

Sure, not helping out before settling himself into first class was truly the move of a top-notch ass -- and is also grounds for immediate divorce -- but still, clearly he was living the dream.

I can't be the only one who day dreams about a family trip filled with endless movies instead of moping, caviar instead of carrying-on. If you there was only one seat available in first class, who would get it in your family? Or would you do something really silly like pass it up out of solidarity?

The Bible for Bitching: How to Complain and Win

Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:01:00 GMT

When it comes to family vacations, it's like we're jinxed: Something always goes wrong. Luggage gets lost (one time, it was a carry-on -- how is that possible?). Flights are long gone, despite showing up two hours early. Hotels promise a room with a king and end up giving us a map, pointing us out the door toward places with actual vacancies.

"You know what -- this time, I'm going to write a letter."

I'm pretty sure I've said that after every vacation, and it never gets done. I'm never sure how much charm or how much vitriol to use and really, when it comes down to it, there are bigger things to worry about than lost bags or messed up rooms. (We've got mammoth problems, I know, earth-changing ones.) Still, I was pretty excited when someone sent the SD a copy of "How to Complain for Fun and Profit" by Bruce Silverman, a former ad guy who used extensive traveling mishaps to bulk up on his letter writing skills.

This is like the Bible for bitching -- and getting something out of it. Written in a charming, helpful tone, the book is more how-to than narrative. There are many examples of letters that have worked, but my favorite definitely comes in the chapter -- "How to complain when you're so angry you never intend to deal with those bastards again."

If you've ever thought about writing a letter but seemingly never get around to it, this one is for you. I'm definitely keeping it and just waiting to see what United does to our bags next year. And just try me, hotel. Bring it.

Family Trips and Kids: What Moments Leave an Impression?

Karen Murphy — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 14:56:00 GMT

It's a sure bet that whatever memories you try to provide for your kids when you travel or go sightseeing, inevitably something entirely different will end up being locked in their memories forever. And maybe it's not what you intended at all. For instance we once took a midwinter trip into the Arctic Circle in Finland, and the outstanding impression left on both kids who were there was about the sledding. Serena remembers how when riding down the hill with me, my anal-retentive let's-not-go-too-fast-braking-boots kicked up snow in her face. And Nathaniel remembers how a certain tree looked on the hill. How either of them remember much beyond how so frickin' dark it was all day long is beyond me, but what about the reindeer sleigh ride? The candles in the snow? Eating melted cheese in front of a roaring fireplace? Dripping melted lead into a bucket of water on New Year's Eve to tell your fortune for the coming year? And from Ireland, all Serena remembers from our hike through the wild, rocky pony-studded lands of Connemara was the sound of some man, coughing. Which was repeated by both children amid peals of raucous laughter for the next five days.

My kids are not alone in this. I guess maybe they just need to ratchet the experience down to size, and remembering the Paris department store where stuffed animals "Mole" and "White Bear" were purchased and there was a huge Winnie-the-Pooh is likely going to make a bigger impression than seeing some huge metal tower, you know?

The important thing is, you're creating memories of some sort. Tips from this article to create wonderful travel memories for your children include:

1. Plan unstructured time.

2. Involve the kids in planning.

3. Ice cream.

So what if they just remember the time you sat in a cafe and watched the birds eating your crumbs, or that the littlest one learned to walk on the hotel steps during the trip. I think just about all experiences that kids retain from family travel is important, a part of them and your family lexicon forever. What travel memories do your kids have?