On practitioners planning travels with preschoolers: some practical pointers and pitfalls.¹

Instead of Dos, I'll list 3 Don'ts, based on my recent experience in #Japan.

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1) Don't expect to get any work done.

I had this idea that every night, after putting the kids to bed, I'd have the chance to clear a few small or urgent matters.

That was...

...ambitious, to put it mildly.

It doesn't take into account:
- the sheer exhaustion after a long day of marshalling the kids;
- the need to use that timeslot for other necessities, like packing, laundry, or preparing night-time snacks; or
- the possibility of the kids refusing to sleep, whether due to crankiness or illness.

And if I had committed to using these slots to deliver any work, I wouldn't have been able to sneak out at 1am for a bowl of ramen.²

Don't promise to deliver work product in the midst of your travels. Your time is not your own.³

2) Don't fit too many cities into your schedule.

We shifted our bases between 3 cities in 8 days.

That was...

...ambitious, to put it mildly.

The most challenging days were those on which we transited from one city to another. Picture having to manhandle multiple pieces of luggage, a stroller, and squirmy children, all while navigating an unfamiliar transport system, and trying not to miss a specific train...

...and in the midst of a tropical storm.⁴

Now picture having to do that multiple times within the span of 8 days. Even if things go according to plan, it drains your batteries far earlier and faster than you'd like.

3) Don't have overblown expectations.

The last time I was at Universal Studios Japan, I managed to hit most of the popular rides, including The Flying Dinosaur, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, and the Final Fantasy XR Ride⁵. This time round, I told myself I would be happy with a single rollercoaster ride.

That was...

(all together now!)

...ambitious, to put it mildly.

I had to settle for the Sesame Street Fun Zone⁶, the No Limit! Parade⁷, and Hello Kitty's Cupcake Dream⁸.

After all, it's a little difficult to justify:
- standing in line for (at least) 90 minutes for a 5-minute ride;
- entertaining your hyperactive children throughout;
- while your feet scream bloody murder.

But I suggest that's fine - so long as we manage our expectations, and accept that whatever we lose in terms of the amount of content we're able to fit into a single day, we make up for with the opportunity to create shared experiences and memories with our kids.⁹

It requires a mindset shift, especially for those of us who are used to #travelling without these additional, err, encumbrances.¹⁰ But I suggest that such a reframing exercise is well worth the effort.

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That being said, don't get me wrong. The trip was completely worth the effort!

Just give me a couple more days to recover before I talk about the good bits.