https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 26 Apr 2026 11:09:47 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/travel-with-kids-this-summer#post-2924011 Tue, 08 Jun 2021 07:59:20 +0000 ALV91711 2924011@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@bhbee: the doing side trips and exploring new parks sounds fun. It is a good way to stop at places you wouldn’t normally. I definitely will be willing to do this later this summer if I don’t want to fly because we need to see our family. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/travel-with-kids-this-summer#post-2924010 Tue, 08 Jun 2021 07:17:47 +0000 bhbee 2924010@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ALV91711: yes, we drive 10 hours and then 8. The thing that has worked for us is leaving around 4:30am. We drive 3 hours before breakfast while the kids doze, then we put on screens for 4 hours and make it to lunch, then the younger kids usually fall asleep again for a bit and we can push through. We always felt hotels were safer than flying/airports since it’s minimal exposure to other people, but that’s just us. Actually it has felt kind of old-school and nice that we had to find places we could pick up food and then get out of the car to eat outside - we found lots of fun playgrounds and parks at good stopping points and the kids got out some energy. And I pack a duffel bag with pjs and toothbrushes so we don’t have to take in suitcases to the hotel. We’ve also made some side trips which was fun and the kind of thing we usually wouldn’t do. Of course it helped a lot that we were going to our destination (family visit) for multiple weeks so we had time to recover from the drive! But the kids have done so much better with it than I expected. It’s made us think differently about future vacations even once we’re all vaxxed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/travel-with-kids-this-summer#post-2924008 Tue, 08 Jun 2021 06:29:49 +0000 ALV91711 2924008@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@bhbee: wow! That is good to know. Do you make it a 2 day trip? I feel like that is so brave. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/travel-with-kids-this-summer#post-2924004 Mon, 07 Jun 2021 22:59:51 +0000 bhbee 2924004@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ALV91711: we learned to love 18 hour road trips during the pandemic - it may be more doable than you think if that ends up your only option! Just sending encouragement since we were so scared the first time that it would be a disaster. Pre-pandemic I never would have considered it. And now we’re looking at trip #4 next month. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/travel-with-kids-this-summer#post-2924003 Mon, 07 Jun 2021 22:46:28 +0000 ALV91711 2924003@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our restrictions are still tight here especially in regards to non essential travel between provinces. I’m really hoping that it eases this months as set out. I need to take my kids to go see their family. We haven’t seen them in two years now. My almost three year old doesn’t know anyone. </p> <p>Normally we fly as the drive is long especially with kids. Like 15+ hours. But I’m not sure if I’m ready to fly yet, so that is where I’m stuck. I’m sort of waiting to see how things go in the next few weeks. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/travel-with-kids-this-summer#post-2923985 Mon, 07 Jun 2021 09:53:28 +0000 Bluemasonjar 2923985@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are still avoiding large indoor gatherings and wearing masks inside stores etc. However, we have started doing playdates with families with vaccinated adults and are keeping it mostly outside. </p> <p>We are driving to the beach to spend the week with vaccinated family (adults) and will be doing a weekend trip with another vaccinated family with small kids over Labor Day. I feel comfortable gathering with a few other kids. I did just book a flight for my 6 year old DS and I to fly home to visit my family over Fall Break. The tickets were so cheap. I am a little hesitant with the plane but will take precautions. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/travel-with-kids-this-summer#post-2923980 Sun, 06 Jun 2021 20:22:39 +0000 lady baltimore 2923980@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks everyone for weighing in! It is helpful to hear everyone's thoughts, and to see that we are all wrestling with similar uncertainty. I think we have decided not to take this particular trip, for a variety of reasons, but I know that this is not the only tricky decision that we will have to tackle this summer!</p> <p>@Anagram: The first thing I did was reach out to LO's school to see what their current guidelines are, but at this point they only have recommendations related to travel, not restrictions. They would encourage us to test her upon return, but given the timeline of this particular trip, that didn't seem very practical (given best practices to wait a few days before testing, etc.). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/travel-with-kids-this-summer#post-2923978 Sat, 05 Jun 2021 22:35:31 +0000 karenbme 2923978@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So I am doing something similar to this this summer—we’re going (driving) to a family gathering that will have vaccinated adults and 9 kids 9 and younger, 6 of whom are in daycare either full or part time. My daughter is in daycare and we discussed with her teacher and know other kids have seen cousins. For me, it’s almost a hedge in case I don’t feel comfortable seeing family at the holidays. Fingers crossed that won’t be what happens, but I can see a scenario with a new variant or cases plateauing where I’m less comfortable with family gatherings indoors at thanksgiving/Christmas. Now we’ll all be outside and school is out, which means 3 of the kids are seeing friends and doing activities but not in school/camp.</p> <p>The only difference really is that we’re driving rather than flying. Flying risks really depend on the local case and vaccination rates. For me, the airports make me more nervous than the planes, but that’s just me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/travel-with-kids-this-summer#post-2923977 Sat, 05 Jun 2021 20:46:12 +0000 Lahela017 2923977@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Like others have said, this is a really tricky time being so in-between on things. We are still staying close to home and limiting what our 2 year old is doing. She gets together with other kids outdoors for some playdates and we have done some indoor school stuff all throughout the year. However, we don't plan on taking her to an indoor restaurant for awhile longer. I read a good article about weighing the risk to the child and your worry versus the benefit the child would get doing the activity. So, that's why we did in person classes, but no indoor restaurants yet.</p> <p>In July my husband has a family funeral to attend in a different part of the country. After talking to our pediatrician, we didn't feel comfortable with our toddler flying yet, so I'm staying home with her and my husband is going alone.</p> <p>I don't think you have a right or wrong choice is your situation either. Just do what feels right for you!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/travel-with-kids-this-summer#post-2923976 Sat, 05 Jun 2021 13:00:35 +0000 Cait1 2923976@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <br /><p><i>This comment has been deleted by the original poster.</i></p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/travel-with-kids-this-summer#post-2923975 Sat, 05 Jun 2021 12:15:56 +0000 bhbee 2923975@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have been pretty careful, but I would probably go for it in the specific situation you mention and not worry too much if your daughter is young and all 12+ are vaxxed.</p> <p>Like above I feel really weird about this stage of things. We still wear masks indoors everywhere but we are sending them to school in person in mid August and know there will be no masks then. So when do you make that switch? I’ve tried to think about it as we’ll wear masks indoors unless it is an undue burden. I think asking our kids to wear them to school when no one else is, is probably a burden we would not ask. But asking them to wear them this summer when we go to a store, or paint pottery, or go to an inside part at the zoo, even if no one else is? Totally doable and maybe we protect someone vulnerable. As an adult, I feel like my mask wearing is basically just signaling at this point. Signaling to my kids that it’s worth it; signaling to others that they don’t need to worry about my vax status. </p> <p>It happened that we couldn’t visit family at the same time as my brother’s family this year, but if we had I would have probably let it go and all stayed at my mom’s house (vaxxed adults, but two households of unvaxxed younger kids). I didn’t even consider any unmasked camps though. There’s no perfect answer so in the end, go with your gut. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/travel-with-kids-this-summer#post-2923971 Fri, 04 Jun 2021 16:51:17 +0000 Mama Bird 2923971@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'd feel fine with most of the socializing, between the falling cases, the low risk to kids, and the rarity of asymptomatic spread. The only thing that kind of gives me pause is school... but I would think that any teachers that want a vaccine would have gotten it by now, and spread between kids is really rare. My kids' classes had several cases over the year, and they all came from outside the school - even the kids sitting nearest to them didn't catch it. But maybe ask the school if they have any guidance about travel (quarantine, testing, etc.) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/travel-with-kids-this-summer#post-2923970 Fri, 04 Jun 2021 15:43:02 +0000 Anagram 2923970@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lady baltimore: does your school have guidance about summer school and travel? </p> <p>Our kids are still not hanging out with groups of unvaccinated kids, at this point. People are loosening up where we live, so we’ve had to make some hard choices (not attending birthday parties and the like, if they are indoors/unmasked). This stage kinda sucks. </p> <p>We have met up ONCE with a family/friends that have unvaccinated kids and our kids are also unvaccinated. The parents are all vaccinated. But we trust them even note than I’d trust my own family—like we trust their level of socializing. They haven’t socialized with anyone else, we haven’t socialized with anyone else. Whereas my extended family had never stopped socializing with basically anyone, so I feel like chances are much higher in that situation for someone unvaxed to have the virus if there are like 5-10 kids altogether. Also, in my family not even all of the adults are vaccinated so it’s a double whammy of anti vax people who also socialize constantly maskless and always have, compared to our friends who wear masks in public and haven’t socialized with anyone but us with masks off. </p> <p>So I guess I’d take it on a case-by-case basis. I’m so ready for the vaccine to be available to younger kids, that’s all I can say. I will be in line on day 1. Because it’s getting harder every day to follow the cdc recommendations. I keep hearing “our house is fully vaccinated” but they just mean the parents are vaccinated. It’s weird time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/travel-with-kids-this-summer#post-2923969 Fri, 04 Jun 2021 15:18:51 +0000 KNS 2923969@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If the people you are meeting are coming from low prevalence areas (I expect this to be substantially all of the US this summer) I would feel absolutely fine having my young kids unmasked in this situation. I would absolutely not ask my kid to to be the only masked kid and I do not worry about my kids' covid risk. </p> <p>If needed, I would get her a test on return before going to school but otherwise I would not worry. We have travelled to Hawaii twice and are going again in July. Once you start doing more things you will probably start feeling better about doing more things. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/travel-with-kids-this-summer#post-2923968 Fri, 04 Jun 2021 15:08:57 +0000 lady baltimore 2923968@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am struggling to make a decision about travel this summer, and I think I need a gut check about what other people are feeling is reasonable at this point. I have not yet eaten at a restaurant or gathered for a family holiday, so in some ways I think I am having trouble ripping off the bandage with some return-to-normal activities.</p> <p>We already have two (driving distance) beach vacations planned for this summer, where we will stay in a condo with my vaccinated parents and our unvaccinated 5-year-old. We also may drive to visit my husband's family (vaccinated adults, 2 unvaxed kids). I feel confident about and comfortable with all of those plans.</p> <p>Now we have been invited to fly to visit several different family members from different states who will all be in the same area at the same time. We are talking about vaccinated adults and teens from at least 4 different households, plus a handful of unvaccinated kids from 2 of those households. We would not be staying with these groups, but I imagine would be socializing with them heavily, and expect that some of that time could be indoors, or unmasked at meals. </p> <p>My concerns:<br /> -Is it irresponsible to socialize in this way while my daughter is in school (she is enrolled in her school's summer session)?<br /> -I think it is likely that I would be asking my daughter to wear her mask in situations in which none of the other children are required to - is this unfair to her, or setting myself up to cave?</p> <p>What would you do in this situation? What are your summer travel plans, and what pandemic-related adjustments have you made? </p>