Airplane travel with four kids can be tricky to pack and prepare for. Especially since we travel standby, I have to fit everything into carry-ons. We usually can’t check bags, since we may not make it on the flight!
“Fly By the Seat of our Pants” Mom Problems
These are all excuses. Really, I am just not a detail-oriented person and frequently find that often I am under prepared for travel. Honestly, I am impressed that I usually have most of what we need. I haven’t forgotten as many items as I think I would, so I’m just going to praise my successes. However, there are a few awkward instances of needing something we just don’t have.
In June, we followed dad on a work trip to sunny Arizona. The sun is BLAZING there. No cloud cover. Our plan was to spend most of our day at the resort pool. I bought baby-friendly sunscreen, divided into travel-friendly portions so we can get through security. I packed all the kids floaties, suits, cover-ups, goggles. You’ve been there, you know how much stuff comes to the pool with moms!
I dragged all the gear up to the pool. Carrying a stroller of stuff, plus a baby, up several flights of stairs, was exhausting. This was not a stroller friendly resort. I guess the fact that it was built into a Butte should’ve been an indicator, but… you know, sometimes I miss things.
I sunscreened everyone. Finally, we are ready to jump in the pool.
But as I head to the pool, babe in arms, I notice her bald scalp, thinly-veiled with fine baby hair.
I forgot to pack her swim hat. Or any hat for that matter. Trying to rub some sunscreen on her hair resulted in a matted and sticky mess. How can I keep the sun off her sweet head? I searched through my diaper bag for a solution. After trying on some clothing that she pulled off immediately, I finally found the best solution ever.
The solution
The diaper! Always present, always clean (well, at least at first), light-weight and can be strapped right to the head! No matter the size of the baby, they never grow out of the hat. It covers the entire head with a slight cover for the eyes.
Once she was fully protected, we swam for several hours. She never pulled the diaper off and was fully protected!
While hiking the next week I still didn’t have a hat, so I employed this same genius trick. She looked adorable and everyone got a kick out of seeing her, both at the pool and the hike.
Still, I like her swim hat better! Adorable, right?
What have you had to use in a pinch with kids?
If you are a mom like me, that wants to know that other moms make mistakes too, you might like this embarrassing story.
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