beatle

After 10 years in oz, it is still not getting easier to be away from family and friends. My other half Is Aussie and we have 2 children, 1 and 5.
In general I like living in Australia but find the distance very very hard. I also hate the plane flight with 2 kids, the stress of it really affects me and can ruin a good proportion of my trip back. To put it briefly I detest it, I hate other people's reaction to us travelling with kids, the trip itself and the after effects. Without much support here in oz I feel it is another thing I have to cope with. It has got to a point where I just don't go back. Which makes me unhappy.

Does it get better with older kids? Or is this something that will continue to be a somewhat difficult? How do you handle it?

Constructive answers please!

holly_1948

Assuming the kids are at least age 6 you can send them as unaccompanied minors and travel yourself separately later.
Actually quite an adventure for the kids and a few days to a week with grandma but without mum could be exciting too.

I did exactly that with mine some years back. Well actually, quite many years back :-)

toodlepip

Yes, travelling definitely gets easier with kids as they get older. My two (now 12 & 9) adore long haul with all the films and games etc. I think it's easier when they are about 5/6 plus.

Mummy in the foothills

Traveling with them does get easier when they get a little older, 5 6 7 and they can be a good fun and good company on the journey. Until then I just ignored all the dark looks and got on with it.

Beccarose

It definitely gets so much easier! Although still with my 9 year old (8 last time we traveled) it was still pretty hard since he does not sleep worth a darn on long flights and gets really irritable. I still dread it with him.

The older they are the more they can help out, and it can get to be pretty fun, I just try to work it so the longest flight happens during the day so they are still energetic and able to manage.

I feel for you and went through that same thing, and we ended up just not traveling for a number of years, it just wasn't worth it at the time.

quoll

Sorry you are struggling with the travelling with kids thing. Yes it does get better once they are old enough to rationalise what is going on but I must admit I was fortunate not to have had any problems (except with BA when I was travelling alone with a 12 weeker and 3yr old but that was BA's fault not the kids) and I was always desperate to get home to UK so I could stand on nails the entire flight and still be happy. I always did (and still do) the leave as late as you can routine then run the legs off them at refuelling (more recent trips have been with grand kids). I've actually found other passengers quite supportive and my daughter in law positively preened when one crusty old businessman caught up with her in the baggage hall at Heathrow and told her how great he thought my granddaughter had been on the flight. I always now try and make a positive comment to frazzled parents!

I don't think there is an easy answer except perhaps to reframe - accept that it could be a sh*t trip, expect the kids to be a bit crotchety, accept all help that is offered, especially when you arrive and remind yourself that it is going to be better next time! I think a 1 year old is probably the most difficult time to travel - between 10 months and 3 would be my most challenging times.

I've sent them alone over the years too - practiced with domestic flights from 5 and international at 9 - fabulous adventures for them.

Hang in there, the next trip will be better!