Flying with Young Twins: The Mistakes I Made

From the moment my husband and I started our lives together, traveling the world was our shared passion. When I was making strides in my career as a travel writer, our twins arrived in 2014, adding a new dimension to our lives. But raising two babies simultaneously left us feeling out of our depth.

As shell-shocked parents without much experience, even simple outings like a trip to the local farmer's market felt daunting. Because of this overwhelming feeling, we left air travel off our to-do list while the twins were under two, forfeiting the chance to fly for free when extra seats for them weren’t needed.

Learning Through the Early Years

During their infancy, we avoided air travel altogether. Back then, parenting itself demanded all our energy. Reflecting now, those early days when they couldn't yet crawl would have been ideal for airplane journeys, given how much smoother and contained they were.

Yet at the time, even sustaining ourselves felt like an achievement. Envisioning a flight across the country or abroad seemed aspirational and exhaustingly beyond our reach. The mere thought of managing baby gear was draining.

To stir excitement for future adventures, we often took them to a park by LAX to awe at the formidable landings of aircraft. These were cherished family times, though they paled in comparison to experiencing diverse cultures first-hand.

Wishing for an Earlier Start

Fast forward a decade—now our ten-year-old twins handle travel effortlessly, having mastered the nuisances of international flights and local transit systems around the world. The adventurous family life we dreamed of has become a vibrant reality.

As a seasoned parent now, I see the swift passage of time and often recall the challenges of parenting young children. Knowing what I do now, I wish I’d had the clarity to forge ahead despite the hurdles.

We missed opportunities to save significantly on airfare when they were under two. Beyond cost savings, visiting global landmarks with them as infants, nestled close, would have enriched our travels before their needs evolved.

Through a Looking-Glass Lens

Do I look back with a romanticized view, detached from those early trials? Definitely. Yet my confidence as a mother now gives rise to wistful fantasies about an alternate travel-filled past.

Many wonder about the rigors of traveling with children. My perspective is straightforward: yes, it's demanding, but living without travel's experiences feels even tougher. The stresses and expenditures are eclipsed by the rewards of exploration.

Looking back, I'd embrace each chance to travel widely as a family, starting as early as possible in our children's lives.