The 2024 presidential election motivated me to have a birthday do-over

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At the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater Pointe in Time Emerald Gala Today marks a week since my birthday.  Its occurrence is a tremendous blessing. Because all around us are reminders about the fragility of life. To that end, my brother, who always makes a point to celebrate me, took me to the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater's Pointe in Time Emerald Gala on November 2d. That was the beginning of my birthday celebrations. And then, on my birthday itself, I got a bit of a surprise... My actual birthday was tough. It was Election Day. And, I spent the day working polls as a part of an election protection effort. My efforts were designed to protect all voters. However, deep in my heart I love my AKA sister, Kamala Harris and I hoped for her historic victory. Then, much to my chagrin and despite my efforts—and those of thousands more—she lost. In my estimation, that loss was one of the greatest setbacks in human dignity in my lifetime.  The country elected a felon and self-proclaimed, racist, ableis
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Six Secrets to Traveling With Young Children

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#FamilyVacation
You are probably thinking about taking a family vacation before the end of the year. If that's true, I have the answers to your travel questions!

Not to brag or anything, but last July, I traveled to Atlanta, Georgia solo with my three young children. I know that there are other mamas out there feeding the hungry, running marathons and working to cure cancer, but still I think the fact that we all made it there and back safely without any melt downs or major disruptions to our fellow travelers was a feat!

How did I do it? I planned the hell out that trip. Why did I do it? Daddy went to Vegas. (That's a topic of another blog post!!!)

If you want the secrets to traveling with young children, read below.

Traveling With Kids Strategy:

1. Packing for your trip: It is important to plan properly and to give yourself adequate time to pack. Blah, blah, blah! Of course it is. It's also important to floss every day. If you're like the rest of us and wait to long to get it together, I have the answer to your prayers. Write down everything you need to bring before you begin the packing process. Fortunately for you, there are others who have prepared checklists to help you pack like a pro! Here are some links.

Now that you're packed, you have to travel to your location. Here are some tips for airport travel.
2. Airport Travel With Two or More Young Children: Take your double stroller. I don't know how to navigate the airport (or life) without it. I had some passes to the Admiral's Club. (Came with my credit card.) It was GREAT. It was a haven from the travel storm that's the airport. You could relax a little. The little one likes to run around and chasing him around the airport would have been no fun. The bathrooms are cleaner and you can get a cocktail and snacks. They had hot soup,  quesadillas and sandwiches. It was a blessing to not have to worry about food.  One less thing, you know? If you have a layover, it's worth it to pay for a day pass if you don't otherwise have access.

3. Entertaining Young Children: Traveling with an iPad and head phones is a needed perk for us. Traveling without entertainment is PURE torture. Then again, my kids might just be spoiled... Also, pack your own snacks. Do not rely on the airlines to provide things that your kids want to eat. C'mon. You're not an amateur. You know your kids are picky!!!


                                                                        33 Best Tips for Amazing Family Travel With Kids  

4. Sleeping in hotels: You're an experienced mom. So, you know to remember their lovies and favorite books. The baby isn't as particular. When she was really little, our daughter couldn't sleep without her pacifier or favorite toys. Once, I forgot her lovie. After that, I bought duplicates and kept them in the suitcase at all times. Also, if you have the means, book a suite. You want the option to put the kids down without having to go to bed yourselves.  


5. Pool fun: Don't forget to bring personal flotation devices for the kids. This will make your trip much more fun. Your kids will  want to get in the water, but it will be a hassle if you have to hold one or both of them. Also, you'll need both parents at all times, which might be hard to coordinate.  So, purchase and bring flotation devices. I have always managed to do this and have been grateful. Once, the day we were leaving vacation, a family had a young child and had nothing. (NOTE: These floatation devices are hard to acquire after you're on vacation.) I was privileged to give out device to that family, but you may not be that lucky. So, bring your own!!!

6. Pack Early: This should go without saying, but I will share anyway. Two weeks before your trip. buy extra underwear and clothes for everyone and start freaking packing. The key to not being overwhelmed is to plan well and execute early. You got this. It's just like preparing a good term paper!

Bonus: Get help. 1) Solicit help from friends and/or family. One thing most working moms complain about is that vacation is often more work than being at home, you just get to do that work in a beautiful setting. That is because parents don't get to "vacate". I try to avoid vacations with just my immediate family. I am the queen of trying to recruit help like my sister, my mom, other families. You get the picture. I recommend that for you too. If you and your spouse want a break. You need at least one other adult to care for the kids. Indeed, my best vacation was when my former nanny accompanied me and my sister on a trip with the kids. She was grateful to be there and knew that she was there to watch the kids. So, there wasn't constant negotiation. 2) Kids Clubs. If you can't solicit help from friends or family, book your trip at a location that has a kids club. Once when we went on a Disney cruise, we had to take our two older kids by ourselves. Fortunately, there was a kids' club. Our daughter preferred that club to being with us because it was freakin' fantastic! Our older son was less amused by the kids' club because he was too young to be with his sister and was in another room. Still, one night, they were both at the club for two hours and we got to enjoy the evening.

For your convenience, here is a link to some US hotels that have kids clubs included in the hotel rate. For the list, click here.
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