Why I Blog: The Goals & Purposes of Trips With Tykes

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As I near the 2 year anniversary of Trips With Tykes later this month, I’ve been reflecting a bit on the reasons for this blog.  A tad sentimental – I know.  But since this isn’t a money-making endeavor at the moment, there has to be something else driving me to spend hours of my (very limited) free time writing it.

If I had to summarize the purpose of this blog in one word it would be the following: Logistics.  That seems like a strange word to pick as one’s primary mission statement, but hear me out.  A lot of family travel bloggers write about trips they take with their kids.  But when I was starting to travel with my now 5 year old daughter, trip reports and lists of kid-friendly sights at various destinations didn’t help me.  I needed to know how to get through a TSA line with a stroller and car seat.  I needed to  how to deal with a flight cancellation without triggering an epic toddler meltdown.  Lots of families “survive” air travel.  I wanted to thrive.

Very few family travel bloggers write about the true nitty gritty of air travel with little ones.  I suppose many complain about it, but fewer offer helpful solutions!  Air travel is harder than ever these days for everyone, but it is even harder with kids.  There are about a dozen US domestic airlines and each one has a multitude of different rules and policies about traveling with kids.  There are hundreds of US airports that families pass through every day.  Each one is laid out differently and presents different challenges for those of us lugging car seats, strollers, and Pack N Plays.

Here’s where Trips with Tykes (hopefully) comes in.  I’m a planner.  I inherited a love of list-making and organization from my mother, and I think I’m pretty good at it.  These skills certainly can help in parenting generally, but they help even so much more when it comes to travel with little kids.  Traveling successfully with little ones requires preparation.  And lots of research.

I know not everyone has the same interest or personal success when it comes to travel planning and research.  My hope is that this blog shortcuts a lot of the planning steps for those of you without the time, interest, or proclivity to manage logistics.  It is so gratifying to me when I hear from a reader with a specific concern or problem, and I can help the parent walk step-by-step through possible solutions to make the trip a success.  So, keep those questions coming.  I need something to blog about, after all.

Like many other family travel bloggers, I’ll still be sharing my trip reports and kid-friendly destination recommendations.  But expect to see a steady stream — as you always have — of highly researched posts delving into the less glamorous aspects of the logistics of travel with kids.

I’ll do the work so you won’t have to.

If you are new to the site, here are some of my favorite “logistics-style” posts to get you started:

• Those Bags Are Going to Cost You: A Summary of Airline Checked Bag Fees
• Pre-Boarding Kids: Which Airlines Still Offer It?
• Before You Book, Check Those Airline Change Fees
• The Lap Child Debate: Should You Buy an Airline Seat for Your Infant or Toddler?
• The Complete Guide to Flying Southwest With Kids
• How Alternate Airports Can Help Traveling Families
• Non-Stop vs. Connecting Flights With Kids
• Flying Solo With Baby: A Step-By-Step Guide
• Unaccompanied Minors: Your Complete Guide to Each Airline’s Policies, Fees, & Rules

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