As much as I hate to say it, having kids has undoubtedly cramped my style. Before I had my eldest in 2019, I was frequently flying as part of my job, I am after all a travel editor. And while she’s been on her fair share of trips — she went on her first vacation, a tour of the Pacific Northwest, when she was just five months old — the pandemic and the addition of a second visit from the stork in 2021 meant that travel had definitely slowed for me and my family.
Earlier this year, my partner and I took our two bundles of joy to New Mexico, which proved to be no holiday (potty training problems — if you know, you know). However, with enough time passed to soften the memories of screaming in Santa Fe, we were ready to try again this fall. With one very important hitch: I was going to take the girls on my own, sans husband. I know. I deserve a medal.
So, here are the lessons I learned taking my two kids, aged 3½ years and 14 months on their first international trip... all by myself.
Pick the right destination
With the onset of daylight savings and the seasonal depression that seems to follow soon after, we were looking for a last Sangria in the sun. Before this trip, the longest airplane ride my kids had been on was 2-3 hours and I was not looking to test out a longer one. The radar from our homebase in Los Angeles included tons of amazing options, but in the end we decided on Cabo. It had it all: sun, beach, pool, family-friendly activities, and a reasonable flight time. It also gave me the push I needed to finally get my kids their passports. (Which was totally worth it for the adorable photos.)
There are no rules on airplanes
I can’t take full credit for this lesson. I learned it from Big Little Feelings, whose toddler experts advocate for a more lax attitude on travel days. While on normal days, we’re busy restricting screen time, serving veggies and getting down on the floor to play imaginative games. On travel days, we throw it all out the window (from 30,000ft in the air). While I was equipped with Tonieboxes, water coloring books, real books and more for the two-hour flight, my three-year-old happily ate gummy bears (at least they were organic) and watched a movie the entire time, while my one-year-old thankfully slept. The return trip had even less logistical forethought. The Cabo airport was severely lacking in friendly snacks, which meant my one-year-old was smearing orange-crusted fingers all over the lounge chairs courtesy of some knock-off Cheetos. My three-year-old was adamant about trying her very first Pringle. I let it happen, and to be perfectly honest, we were all happier for it.
Pick your hotel carefully
Cabo has a reputation for being a raunchy destination for bachelor parties and a romantic getaway for couples — multiple people on our flight commented that they were headed to weddings. But as evidenced by the number of kids on our flights too, it’s also a surprisingly family-friendly destination. We stayed at Villa La Valencia Beach Resort & Spa; a newer property on the peninsula that opened earlier this year and a short 30-minute ride from the airport. We stayed in a one-bedroom suite, which included a kitchen with a full-size refrigerator, sink plus cabinets more stocked than any Airbnb I’ve ever been to — clutch when you’re dealing with kids — as well as a washing machine. (This was incredibly helpful since I had packed for all three of us in a single carry-on). The resort itself boasts the longest lazy river (so much fun), two huge pools for families and kid, plus a kid’s court with free babysitting and activities. My three-year-old, who is slow to warm up usually, loved being at the kid’s court and wanted to go every day. We also opted for all-inclusive, which meant just one less thing to worry about, so we got access to unexpectedly delicious poolside food and drinks, a breakfast buffet and the five restaurants on the property (though my one-year-old didn’t let us have a single sit-down meal — the result of a tooth that decided to make its appearance while in Mexico). C’est la vie.
People won't help, but they will try to touch your kids
Maybe this was just my experience — and I don't blame anyone for wanting a quiet flight and thus wishing babies weren't onboard — but only one person offered to help me, burdened with babies, luggage and carseats, on each of my travel days. One. Person. But dozens of people tried to touch my children throughout this trip. They wanted to hold the babies hand or even squeeze her arms or legs. One woman even went so far as to pat my toddler's head and try to wipe her tears when my three-year-old was tearing up after a semi-traumatic inner tube incident. Didn't we learn anything from Covid? Don't touch other people's kids.