Giveaway - Pac Back Hands Free Car Seat Carrier Giveaway

I just received a Pac Back hands free car seat carrier backpack from Cheeky Monkey. I'm delighted to be able to offer it to one lucky reader in our first ever giveaway!

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The Pac Back, first featured in our article on Using Car Seat Carriers to get through the Airport and your Flights is essentially a full backpack harness that attaches to your car seat. It includes a padded waist strap and lumbar support to keep you comfortable, yet it is small enough that your car seat should still slide through the x-ray machine as easily as before. The system does not include a cover, so it isn't meant to protect the car seat if you gate check it.

The Pac Back is a great way to keep your hands free (so that you can, for example, push a stroller). When the Pac Back is not in use, it packs flat in its own bag and would slide easily into a carry-on sized rolling bag.

If you'd like a chance to win a Cheeky Monkey Pac Back and Jar Pac leave us a comment below Midnight PST on Wed April 9 and tell us where you plan to go on your next family vacation. If you wish to be contacted by e-mail if you win, please include your e-mail address in your comment (email addresses are never public). Otherwise you must check back here to see if you won.

We'll choose a winner randomly and announce the results here on Thursday April 10. Many thanks to Cheeky Monkey for generously sponsoring this giveaway.

If you have family or friends who you know will love this giveaway, just click the "share this" link at the bottom of this (or any) post to email it to a friend.

Rules: Please, only one comment per person per giveaway post. Duplicate comments and Anonymous comments will be discarded. Please make sure that the email address in your comment is valid (email addresses are never public). Winners must claim their prize within three business days after the date of notification of such prize. A Sweepstakes winner's failure to respond to the prize notification within the specified three business days will be considered such Sweepstakes winner's forfeiture of the prize and an alternate winner may be selected from the pool of eligible entries. If an entrant is found to be ineligible, an alternate winner may also be selected from the pool of eligible entries. To enter, you must be a U.S. resident, age 18 or older. Employees, partners and vendors of DeliciousBaby and their immediate family members are not eligible to enter. We will disqualify any entries that we believe are generated by scripts and other automated technology. When applicable, the winner may be required to execute and return within five business days an Affidavit of Eligibility and a Liability and Publicity Release to be eligible for the prize or an alternate winner will be selected. All prizes will be awarded. No substitutions including for cash are permitted, except that DeliciousBaby reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater monetary value for any prize. Winners shall be responsible and liable for all federal, state and local taxes on the value of their prize.

120 comments | Posted on March 31, 2008 | Save to del.icio.us

Picture of the Week: Flying A Kite In Orange County, California

On our most recent visit to my in-laws, P spotted some $5 kites at the store. He brought back one for each of our two kids, and we headed to the local playground to try them out. The kids (neither of whom had ever flown a kite before) were beside themselves with joy, and the normally windy weather at Grandma's house suddenly became an asset. In this picture, E has finally worn himself out and is having a little snuggle with his dad. We'll keep the kites at Grandma's for our next visit, and we'll keep the pictures and memories of the kids running through the grass forever.

0 comments | Posted on March 27, 2008 | Save to del.icio.us

Tips for a Smooth Travel Day With Kids

Now that it is Spring Break season, it seems like almost everyone I talk with is stressed about bringing their kids on a plane ride, and trying to figure out how to encourage them to be on their best behavior. As with everything else, a little advance preparation and having a few tricks up your sleeve won’t guarantee perfect behavior, but it sure helps!

Here are my top ten11 tips for helping young children to behave well on a plane.

1. Tell her (or him) all about it…
   Good behavior starts by helping your child understand exactly what is going to happen. With kids one year old and up, you can begin to talk about the trip a few days before you leave. Talk about where you’ll be going (e.g. grandma’s house) and how you’ll be getting there (on a plane). On the day of the flight, lay out exactly what is going to happen. For example: first we’ll take a taxi to the airport, then we’ll go through security, and then we’ll get on the plane and fly to grandma’s. Children can begin to help pack a small bag when they are about 2 1/2, and it is comforting for them to know that some familiar items will be coming with them. Even very young toddlers understand more than you think, and even if they don’t understand the details, they’ll understand that there is a plan and that everything is ok.
2. Pack Light
   It is a delicate balance to pack all the critical items in your carryon and still travel light . As you put each item in your bag, ask yourself whether there is a clever way that you can do without it. For example, would your child do just as well with a straw as a sippy cup? Also remember that having more than one or two bags can get overwhelming, especially at the security checkpoint. It can be better to pack a few bigger bags rather than lots of small ones. Our Packing Lists cover all the basics for family travel (and a some tips that will help even seasoned travelers).
3. Set Expectations
   At each stage of the trip (especially through security) point out what is happening, and explain to your child what you expect of them. “Look, there’s the conveyor belt, we get to put our shoes, sippy, and lovey on the conveyor belt and then we will get them on the other side.” Knowing what is expected of them (before they’re in trouble) will help keep your child from getting stressed out and loosing it. Allowing plenty of time for each stage of the trip also helps keep everyone calm. Worried about airport security? Here are our favorite tips for surviving airport security with kids
4. A Well-Fed Child is a Content Child
   Bring some hearty (not sweet) snacks and pack them where they’re easy to reach. Here are some of our favorites: Ritz crackers, freeze dried fruit, sandwiches, cheese slices, oatmeal packets. Remember that any liquids need to be packed separately, so it’s easiest to avoid bringing liquid snacks like applesauce. Our Guide to Packing a Carryon Bag with Kids has more tips on packing snacks for your flight.
5. Divide and Conquer
   Send one parent ahead to do some of the trickier tasks (checking baggage, buying snacks, pre-board & install car seats, etc) while the other waits nearby with the kids.
6. Wear them Out
   A kid who has been cooped up too much already is not going to sit well on a plane. After you’ve cleared security, give your kids some time to run. Many airports have play areas, so be sure to ask the gate agent for details. If there’s no play area, you can often find an empty gate area to play in.
7. Clear their Ears
   Takeoff and landing are hard on toddlers because they don’t know how to clear their ears. Bring a sippy or a straw so that your child can drink milk or water during takeoff (try to avoid juice as the sugar will only make the flight more difficult for everyone). Not every airline has milk on board (and some reserve it for coffee only), so buy some in the airport (preferably in a sealed container you can toss in your bag) or bring some powdered formula from home.
8. Set Your Own Expectations Right Too…
   Expect that you’ll spend the entire flight tending to your child (or children). If you start off on the right foot, the kids will be delighted with the extra attention, and you’ll feel rewarded when they do get in some independent play time or a nap (instead of bitter when they don’t).
9. An Engaged Child is a Happy Child Bring a variety of toys, books, music, and audio books (even a one year old can use adult earbuds). Be creative. Make toys out of everything around you. Barf bag puppets, scavenger hunts in the airline magazines, old fashioned seatbelt buckles. Teach yourself a few new finger rhymes (e.g. where is thumbkin) and games before you leave home. When it comes to toys, our rule of thumb is one new toy per hour that we expect our children to be awake. Introduce toys one at a time, making sure that your child has exhausted its play value before moving on to the next. There’s nothing more fun than unwrapping gifts, so try wrapping each toy before you leave home. While I’d never spoil the kids like that at home, it’s useful to have them associate long play rides with fun . Check out our Top Ten Tips for Keeping a Child Busy on a Plane and our list of Ten Great Travel Toys You Already Have At Home
10. Bring the Binky
    Don’t forget (or check) your child’s comfort object, whatever it might be. Travel is stressful. They’ll need it.
11. Sleep is Golden
    If you think that your child is sleepy, do everything you can to create a comforting, sleep inducing environment. Sing quietly or play music (with headphones) for them. Go through their sleeptime ritual, and them that it will be a long plane ride, and they’ll have more fun at grandma’s house if they get some sleep now. Here are our tips for Helping Your Baby or Child Sleep on a Plane

When all else fails, remember, it’s not whether your child is the best behaved on the plane. it’s whether anyone else’s child is worse.

Related Links:
Flying with Babies, Toddlers and Kids
Ten Tips for Keeping Your Child Busy on a Plane
Helping Your Baby or Child Sleep on a Plane

Filed Under: popular travel-tips

2 comments | Posted on March 25, 2008 | Save to del.icio.us

Persian New Years in Southern California

Last week we flew down to Orange County, California to spend Persian New Years with my husband's family. I don't usually write much about our family visits because they're mostly about letting the kids connect with Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles and Cousins and not about exploring the world, but Persian New Year is super special and I thought it would be fun to share a view into what is normally a private celebration.

Persian New Years (No Ruz) is the biggest, happiest, celebration of the year for Iranians. The holiday has its roots in Zoroastrian (not Muslim) tradition, and it falls every year at the exact moment of the vernal equinox (the first moment of spring) . This year it was at 10:48:19PM in LA. There's a countdown (just like with Jan 1) and if the holiday happens to fall in the middle of the night, everyone stays up to celebrate and then stays home from work the next day.

Families prepare for weeks for No Ruz, cleaning house, baking pastries, and preparing a special table with symbolic items called a Haft Sin Table (meaning a table with seven dishes each beginning with the Persian letter Sin). Each family's table is unique, and people go to great lengths to make it beautiful. This year was the first year that E was old enough to help prepare the table. His Grandmother had started growing the sprouts weeks ago, but he decorated eggs and helped by feeding the goldfish that took center stage on the table. He was impressed with the mounds of cookies and all the sweet smelling flowers that also decorated the table.

This year, my mother in-law hosted the family gathering for No Ruz. She spent days grocery shopping and preparing food for the 50 family members and close friends who would join us to ring in the New Year. She served traditional dishes like sweet rice with oranges and nuts, pomegranate and walnut stew, and whitefish. As always, everything was delicious and the amount of food was mind boggling. With a huge extended family living within 10 miles of her, my mother-in-law has three refrigerators just so that she can throw parties like this.

We got the kids changed moments before guests arrived and took family pictures around the Haft Sin table. Everyone wore new clothes as is traditional, and we had talked up E's new outfit for so long that he was thrilled to get changed and show his uncle and grandmother what he was wearing.

Every aunt and uncle brought gifts for my kids (older kids get gold coins or cash, ours were the only kids young enough for presents this year) and E and D were simply overwhelmed with joy. They've never had so many gifts all at one time before. We let them stay up until they seemed ready to drop and then got them into bed while the rest of the family stayed up to count down to the New Year. I ran around for the rest of the evening with a baby monitor clipped to my belt like a pager, and though I worried about the noise once or twice, both kids slept soundly until the party broke up.

Related Links:
Farsi Net: NowRuz, NoRuz, NoRooz (Persian New Year)

2 comments | Posted on March 24, 2008 | Save to del.icio.us

What To Do When There's Nothing To Do

Several times a year we visit my in-laws in Anaheim Hills, CA. They live about 20 minutes from Disneyland, which means that when my kids get a little older, the area will be a wonderland, but at the moment, they'd be exhausted before we made it through the first line for the first ride. Orange County beaches too are wonderful, but the drive, especially in Orange County traffic sometimes leaves us all in tears. All of which means, that for now, we're stuck in inland Orange County where big-box stores rule and zoos, beaches, and other child friendly activities do not.

We can spend a couple of days indoor at Grandma's house, but everyone's behavior improves when we add a few outside activities to the mix.

I prepare for each visit with a list of nearby activities that we can squeeze in between everyone's nap time. Here are some of my favorite ideas when we're visiting a destination that doesn't have a lot of built-in attractions for kids.

• Use a AAA guide or google to find out about local Factory Tours
• A visit to the Pet Store is always great (and I don't run the risk of coming home with anything)
• Playgrounds are never boring (or in areas where there aren't many public parks, McDonalds often has a play area)
• Children's Museums always have a nice variety of activities and are great on a rainy day (Click Here for a List of Children's Museums Worldwide)
• Public Libraries and bookstores are a great place to hang out and read some new books. Many even have a small play area.
• With toddlers and preschoolers, a ride on a bus, trolly, subway or train is exciting even without a true destination.
• Search for birthday party venues or other kids activities like Little Gym and Gymboree. Though they're set up for locals, many have drop in hours or allow visitors to drop in on classes.
• Train tracks or local airports can be a fun place to park or picnic and watch the activity (especially with toddlers). It's easy to find these with a local map.
• Construction sites are fun to watch too, but you have to drive around town a little to find them
• Model Train Stores often have model train setups and Thomas Train play areas
• In rural areas, farms and nature reserves can be a great place to watch animals and birds.
• Local Museums can be made interesting for kids, as long as you aren't too hung up on seeing every exhibit in detail.
• Buy a craft kit or some new markers at a local Craft Store (and then complete the craft at home)

Other Resources:
For major cities, GoCityKids has listings of kids activities.

What are your favorite things to do when you can't find an organized kids activity? Let me know in comments.

1 comment | Posted on March 22, 2008 | Save to del.icio.us

Baby's First Gelato... In Rome

When E was one year old, we spent several weeks in Rome. While he devoured pasta, pizza, and cheese he was very skeptical of his first cold food... gelato. He made faces after each of his first few bites before finally devouring spoonful after spoonful (and then running himself around in circles in a nearby piazza)

0 comments | Posted on March 19, 2008 | Save to del.icio.us

Breeze Through Airport Security With Kids

With four people, eight shoes, two laptops, a stroller, a sling, a slew of small electronics, and a bag of cosmetics we have to be super organized to get through airport security quickly and without a lot of drama. The process always feels like a bit of a workout, but we have streamlined the process over time. Here are our best tips for getting through airport security like a pro with your kids.

1. Choose your carryon carefully
   A ziptop tote with a few pockets to help keep things organized works well, backpacks work great too. If you don't need to carry a laptop, the Baby Sherpa Diaper Backpack or the Okkatots Travel Baby Depot Backpack works well, and we love all the pockets and the insulated area perfect for carrying perishable food or milk.
2. Make Your Carryon Easy to Re-Pack
   
   • Liquids need to be removed and inspected at the security checkpoint. You'll save time and drama if you pack liquids in an exterior pocket or at the top of your bag. When possible empty sippy cups and bottles before the security checkpoint.
   • Remember that snacks need to conform to the liquid rules too. Babyfood is allowed in "reasonable amounts," but remember that it is up to the TSA officer to determine how much baby food is reasonable.
   • Your laptop should be easy to remove and replace. Ideally your carryon bag has a separate laptop pocket or is "checkpoint friendly."
   • Be sure that your stroller folds easily, and that there is nothing in the basket or on the handles that makes it difficult to fold.
   • Inspect your child's carryon if they've packed themselves. They should not have any liquids or toy weapons.
   • Have as few loose items as possible. Each loose item is something extra to deal with & risks getting lost or left behind
   • Put one person in charge of air tickets and IDs (no, the kids don't need identification). Documentation and IDs should be in an easy-to-get-to pocket
3. Dress yourself & kids for success
   
   • Adults should wear socks and slide on shoes
   • Remove your jackets before security
   • Nobody should wear a belt. Avoid hair accessories that have a lot of metal in them.
   • Empty your pockets and your kids pockets before security and keep everything in your carryon if possible
4. Get in the Family Line
   Family Lanes often allow parents and young kids to bypass the longest part of the security line (before the ID check). After your bags have gone through the X-Ray there are sometimes extra staff members to help you gather your belongings. At an airport with multiple security checkpoints, it's worthwhile to ask which one has a family lane.
5. No Family Lane? Ask Whether You Can Use the Express Lane
   Express lines are usually reserved for frequent travelers, but if the line is clear, ask whether you can go through with your kids. Often a kind agent will let you go through. If not, watch to see which line is moving most quickly.
6. Wait in Line Without Meltdowns
   
   • One parent should wait in line while the other takes the kids to the front and shows them exactly what is happening. Explain that everything is going through the x-ray and that the kids will get everything back. With older kids, this is the time to make sure they know it's not ok to joke about bombs or guns. The parent waiting in line can scope out which security checkpoint is running fastest.
   • Once you're back together, remove jackets before reaching the security checkpoint
7. Give Your Kids a Job
   Got older kids? Put them in charge of grabbing bins (and stowing them after you've gone through the checkpoint and gathered your belongings) Have them put their own carryon bags up on the conveyor belt first, and keep those bins moving along until they reach the x-ray. Grab Your Bins
   Grab a stack of bins and start loading everything up. Don't be afraid to grab extra, it's easier to pass back extra bins than it is to get more. Shoes, Jackets, and anything else you'll need first goes in the first bin. Keep valuables close until you are ready to pass through security.
8. Set Your Child Free Last
   If you're using a stroller, keep your child in it as long as possible & collapse the stroller last.
9. Remove Baby From The Sling
   Technically you are allowed to keep your baby in a sling as you pass through the metal detector, but if you do, you'll be required to undergo a pat-down. It's probably easier to remove baby from the sling. Note that TSA agents are not allowed to hold baby as you gather your sling and belongings, but there's no reason that you cannot ask another passenger for help.
10. Ask for Help
    
    • Anything too big to fit easily through the x-ray (e.g. a car seat) can be hand inspected. There's no need to try to disassemble things.
    • Don't be afraid to ask for help gathering your items or lifting heavy items. There are often extra agents available to assist those who need it.
11. Step Aside and Regroup
    At many airports, families can use the "additional screening" area or nearby benches to repack their belongings. When that's not available, get your kids in the stroller or sling first so that you can focus on re-packing.
12. It is ok to bribe (your kids)
    This is something you'll do rarely, a sticker or treat on the other side of security can go a long way towards making this and future trips smoother. At some airports, TSA even provides the stickers.

Filed Under: flying-with-kids travel-tips

7 comments | Posted on March 16, 2008 | Save to del.icio.us

Reader Questions: Vancouver Island and Victoria BC with Kids

A few weeks ago, we began answering a reader question from Lumi in Germany who will be visiting the Pacific Northwest with her husband and kids in May. After a few more email exchanges, we've narrowed down her itinerary. Lumi has decided to head from Seattle up to Vancouver Island and then Vancouver. She can either fly home from Vancouver, or return to Seattle to complete her trip. This post is about the time she'll spend on Vancouver Island with kids.

Traveling Seattle to Victoria
Not every rental car agency allows their cars to be taken into Canada, and in some cases you'll be on your own if your rental breaks down while you're out of the US. Since Victoria is best explored by foot, it makes sense to travel into Canada by water or air and rent a car just for the portion of the trip when you'll need it.

Without a car, there are two options for getting from Seattle to Victoria. The Victoria Clipper Passenger Ferry leaves from the Seattle Waterfront and takes just under three hours. The cost is $60 per person, and during the summer months there are special rates for families traveling together. A seaplane ride is a faster, and would be fun for the kids. Kenmore Air flies from Seattle to Victoria in one hour and costs $142 per adult and $109 per child. Internet fares are sometimes available. Note that baggage limits are lower than for commercial international flights.

Family Friendly Hotels in Victoria
The Royal Scot Suite Hotel is within walking distance of Victoria's downtown and has family friendly features like an indoor swimming pool. Suites have separate bedrooms and kitchenettes.

The Magnolia Hotel and Spa is a great place to stay if you want to be pampered for a few days before heading north along the coast. The hotel also is well located.

The Swans Suites Hotel is a suites hotel with loft style rooms complete with separate bedrooms (from studio to two bedroom) and kitchens.

Exploring Vancouver Island with Kids
To explore more of the island, you'll probably want to rent a car once you arrive in Victoria. Hertz, Avis, Enterprise and Dollar all rent cars in Victoria, and you can arrange to drop the car off in Vancouver when you are done with it.

Butchart Gardens makes a great day trip from Victoria. The drive takes about 30 minutes by car, and it is easy to arrange a bus tour from Victoria to the gardens (or to take public bus #75 from Victoria). You can avoid lines by buying advance tickets online. While there aren’t any kid specific activities at the gardens, they are kid friendly, and most kids enjoy the chance to run outside.

The Butterfly Gardens are on the way to Butchart Gardens, and kids will love the enclosed tropical environment with its butterflies, birds, and orchids.

Vancouver Island's Beaches and are beautiful, and there are many nice spots close to Victoria. We particularly like China Beach. The terrain gets more rugged, and less developed as you head North. Pack a picnic lunch, and hop in the car. It's virtually impossible to get lost and it's fun to follow the map and stop when you feel like exploring.

Fairburn Farms Culinary Retreat and Guesthouse is about 45 minutes north of Victoria, and makes a great base to explore this beautiful area. The private cottage, complete with two bedrooms and a kitchen, will give you plenty of space and privacy as well as place to cook up what you buy at local farms. The owners of this guesthouse host cooking classes for adults (and are leaders in the Slow Food movement in Canada). They are happy to have kids help with some of the day-to-day activities on the farm (for example gathering eggs) so that they can learn where food comes from. Breakfast is served daily and dinner is served three times per week.

Traveling from Victoria to Vancouver
There are frequent Ferries from Vancouver Island to Vancouver, and you are able to take a bus from the city centers to the ferry or to bring your rental car on the ferry.

Harbour Air Seaplanes has many flights each day from Victoria to Vancouver, and the flight takes just over 30 minutes. The flight costs $130 CAD per adult and $65 per child 11 and under. Note that baggage limits are lower than for international carriers.

2 comments | Posted on March 14, 2008 | Save to del.icio.us

Picture of the Week: British Airways Britax Infant Seat

When I first read that BA supplied infant seats (for lap infants under age 2) made by Britax, I imagined something similar to our car seat. In reality, the seat, which attaches to a shelf in the bulkhead is a bit simpler but works great. This picture shows D (at 1 year old) sleeping comfortably on our flight from Madrid to Seattle. E slept comforably in a similar seat when he was about 16 months old.

12 comments | Posted on March 13, 2008 | Save to del.icio.us

Headed To Orange County, CA

We leave in a week to spend a few days in Orange County at Grandma's house, and we're already busy getting ready. I've set aside clothes for the kids so that I won't be stuck doing laundry at the last minute to get the "perfect outfit" and I've started talking to the kids about the trip (E wants to leave today!). In a few days, I'll print out my Packing Checklist and begin packing in earnest.

We'll be celebrating Persian New Years while we're there and catching up with a few old friends. It should be a nice (if short) trip, and we're looking forward to warmer weather.

0 comments | Posted on March 10, 2008 | Save to del.icio.us