My preschooler daughter and toddler son have logged many hours miles on airplanes and road trips and have spent many nights in hotels during their short lives. It took a lot of trial and error to figure out how to keep little ones happy while away from home.

Here are 10 key tips I think they would have told me as babies if they could:

1. I need time to crawl or run around every day. I don’t mind being pushed in a stroller through a museum or two, but afterwards I need to be free!

2. Healthy snacks, educational toys, and books will entertain me for awhile but I may start to go bananas toward the end of a long trip car trip or flight. I will not be scarred for life if you give me a few “forbidden snacks” or if you let me watch a baby-friendly movie on a travel DVD player.

3. Long drives in the car might make me queasy. Bring along a bucket on road trips and keep it within arms reach to avoid icky messes.

4. I will probably not sleep as well on vacation as I do at home. It’s your job to keep my bedtime routine intact. Bring along my beloved stuffed rabbit, read me my favorite stories, and give me a nighttime bath just like we do at home.

5. I don’t want to wait to eat a sit-down breakfast at a restaurant in the morning. By the time you are done primping and we are out the door, I will be in the midst of a serious hunger-induced meltdown. Stock up on my favorite breakfast items so we can eat in the room instead!

Read the rest at New Parent.