The Vacation Sitter

Today's post is written by guest contributor Erin on her experience hiring babysitters while traveling. As she points out, this is a topic that many people have strong opinions on, and she herself wrestled with. Enjoy her well researched and humorous tale of the vacation sitter. 

The Vacation Sitter

My family and I ventured to Florida for a month with our 18-month child and dog in tow. We rented a home in Sarasota for the duration of the trip. We knew when we booked the vacation that adult time was a must while we stayed in Sarasota and definitely during our quick three-day jaunt to Miami.

Prior to our departure, we asked our friends with kids if they have ever used an agency. Common responses included, “No, I would never. You don’t know who these people are, they will steal from you or worst, harm your baby!” These were all justified fears of my own, but I wasn’t willing to give up the dream of enjoying dinner once in a while without hearing our child scream like a pterodactyl, or spend the entire meal picking up Cheerios under the table.

So while The Husband was googling how to make the perfect mojito, I was online searching for the perfect sitter. There were many options: hire a nanny from an agency, Skype a sitter from a classified ad, or if you are a millionaire with cash to burn, bring your trusted sitter from home (The Husband spit out his mojito when I suggested the latter). It was all very overwhelming but after a bit of research we chose the agency option.

We used the Sarasota agency Elite Family Care twice and the recommended babysitting service provided by Lowes hotel while staying in Miami. Everything worked out wonderfully! At Elite Family Care we requested the same sitter more than once because we were familiar with her, she arrived on time, was pleasant and was a teacher (or so she told us), so we felt very comfortable. 

At the hotel in Miami, we had a young college student arrive in our tiny hotel room with her ipod, book light and college text books. I am not going to lie, I was nervous leaving my child with a complete stranger, but by the end of the experience (and a couple glasses of wine later) I was over it and knew I would likely do it again!

Here are tips to consider when choosing your caregiver:

• Use an agency recommended by your hotel, or call the concierge service at highly reputable hotel for the name of their agencies if you are staying in a rental home or condo. Often these agencies will advertise this on their websites, but it’s best to confirm with the manager/concierge, especially if you’re staying elsewhere. I figured that the local Ritz or W hotel would only use excellent agencies for their guests, so I called in advance and told them a little white lie that I would be staying with them and needed the list of their recommended child care agencies to pre-book. Maybe one day I’ll actually stay there!
  
  
• Have all your questions written down. Common questions include the sitter’s CPR/First Aid training, references, and their day job. Are there any additional costs such as admin fees, hourly fees, and any additional fees past midnight or for an extra child? Does the agency perform REGULAR criminal background checks and drug tests? One agency owner told me she actually had a woman apply for the job, submitted the drug test and it was positive. The applicant just thought you had to provide the drug test not pass it. She obviously was not hired.
  
  
• Do your research in advance so you are not rushing and feel confident with your choice.
  
  
• If you are still nervous about your child actually interacting with someone new, make your plans after he/she is asleep.
  
  
• Contact the agency owner and inform him/her of your fears. This gave me the assurance I needed as there are so many services.
  
  
• Trust your instincts. It may not be ideal in every country. For instance, we travelled to Costa Rica and when the rental concierge told us that there were no sitters “off the top of his head” but that he could call his mother-in-law who “kinda liked kids,” we no doubt spent our evenings at home picking up Cheerios under the table.   
  
  

Erin's gorgeous son enjoying the vacation. Photos courtesy of Erin.

Barcelona: The official review

So, Barcelona.

We stayed on the edge of El Raval, a neighbourhood in the process of gentrification that still has some sketchy parts, but also boasts a nice mix of immigrants and creative types. We are super close to many of the attractions and are on a pedestrian street. The Gothic Quarter is nearby, where the streets are narrow and pedestrains rule, since many streets cannot fit a car. This means, of course, that it's a racetrack for the Adorable Son, at least in the morning before the crowds begin.

The old, central quarters have an abundance of tiny little play spaces for kids, usually with a slide, swing, bouncy animal and some sand. Perfect for grabbing a lunch or coffee, enjoying the atmosphere, and letting the little one play.  They are ofen overtaken by gangs of children running around having water fights or socializing (admittedly, to certain kids the two are one and the same).

A few highlights of our trip included the Sagrada Familia, Montserrat, the old quarters, La Rambla street (dont buy or eat anything there, tourist traps) the Museum of Art of Catalonia (take the escalators all the way up, or walk up if you have calves of steel), the beach, the aquarium. We wish we had been able to see the Zoo and the Casa de Mila at sunset, but it was not in the cards (seeing anything at sunset with a toddler is probably something you shouldn't count on too much, unless it's december I suppose).

The metro system has many elevators and escalators making it easier to get around. They are pretty clean as well.

Streets are stroller friendly. We never used a baby carrier here, but if you plan on going hiking, or castle hunting, you definitey want one.

Nap time is a city wide activity, and one Spanish habit we have quickly adopted. Everything shuts down from 2-4 as the heat peaks. Then things get rolling again around 5:00pm. Dinner begins around 7:00 or 8:00pm. It is totaly normal to see someone pushing a stroller around at 8:00pm and many of the shops stay open until 8:00 or 9:00pm. Sometimes later.

This is possibly my favorite city in the entire world. It has a fabulous creative vibe, nap time for everyone, and is incredibly child friendly. Did I mention nap time? I wish I could stay, but the airport beckons me to another adventure.

Funky Fresh Barcelona

If the French have refined taste covered, it looks as if the Spanish own the Avant Garde. At least in Barcelona. They take huge risks with architecture and fashion and pull it off in an impressive and inspiring way. This city is a wonderland of color and creativity, with an amazing mix of old and new, classic and crazy, deeply spiritual and vibrantly insane. The people are laid back and unpretentious, and smile a lot.

Yeah. I could live here.

Barcelona Loves Children

One very nice thing struck me about Barcelona.

Back home in Canada, I sometimes feel like I have to excuse myself for existing in public with a child. There are family friendly places, of course, but that means there are also plenty of non child friendly places. If my toddler decides to protest in public, I may receive a glare.

Barcelona is somewhat different. Okay, it's AMAZING. If your kid has a meltdown, people will actually try to help you, and they will even give you sympathetic looks. Its almost as though it's everyone's job to help you raise your little monkey. I was most impressed with the men who are eager to talk and coo over a child.  I was not expecting that, but Barcelona is really a great place to travel with a child.

We really hope to be back, and I think the Adorable Son does too.

Zen Laundry

European washing machines are extremely economical on energy, water and not very economical with your time. We have had loads of laundry take 3 HOURS for a single wash.

You stare at the washer and wonder "is it dead?"
Then it moves!
As if to say "haha gotcha again!"

Great opportunity to practice meditation. (or write a blog post)

The Traveling Toddler Visits the Barcelona Aquarium

Fish are fun. So we went to visit the Barcelona aquarium. Now, everyday, The Adorable Son asks to go see the fish. So we went again. We are quickly becoming the aquarium's most reliable customers.

It boasts a wild array of fabulous fish tanks, and The Adorable Son was ecstatic as he ohhhhed and aaaaahed at all the beautiful fish.  Big fish. Small fish. Then big fish again. Back and forth. For a long, long time. And the aquarium also includes a fish tank tunnel you can walk through as though you are underwater. Simply fantastic.

If this part gets boring, which it dosen't, but you have to move on one day... You can head upstairs to the play area that has a water tube slide (Ooooooh, silde! Water!), and a submarine (Mix of awe and uncertainty at the soundtrack of diving noises playing inside the cabin).

Then stop for some penguin action in the polar section, and let the Toddler run around in the child-sized tunnels under the manta ray tanks, and your day is complete.

A three hour nap ensued. From which the Adorable Son woke up saying "Fish."

I feel like we will be back.

You Never Really Know Your Culture's Playground Etiquette Until You Know Another's.

The playground is a microcosm of a society. You see how people interact, what they teach their children, and how they teach it. Which general rules are considered important and need to be taught early to children and how childhood is viewed can all be wonderfully analyzed in the setting of a playground.

In France the parents sit on benches around the playground, and give this time for the children to be together and play on the structures. Some parents take the opportunity to give directives on how the slide is used: you go up the stairs and go down the slide. The other way around is a big no-no. Parents are always careful to instruct their children not to put sand on the slide or other play structures so that no child has to slide through it and get dirty. There is not much chitchat between the parents as everyone is always very careful to respect each other's privacy. The children are often immaculately dressed, and very stylish. It is impressive.

In Spain the kids run barefoot in the sand, they make human chains together to go UP the slide and go DOWN the stairs. When they are done, they co-create a sandcastle on the slide. Possibly with the parent's help. Sometimes the parents slide down with the kids. Parents chat on the benches, and I actually received a semi hug from a perfect stranger when I told her her son was adorable. I found it awkward, but endearing. Someone might even pick up your kid, or offer to hold your baby while you unfold your stroller, or help your toddler up the stairs. The saying: "it takes a village" comes to mind.

This makes me wonder, what is the playground culture of my hometown in Canada? It's always easier to see someone else's culture than your own. I have to think about this. Perhaps it is time to travel home.

The Adorable Son (Spain)

European Accommodations for Children PART 2

Paris apartments in the 7th arr. 

Beautiful home
You will be spending plenty of time here: at nap time, at mealtimes, at rain time. So make sure your holiday apartment is NICE, but not so nice that those sticky toddler hands will destroy the place, or that you'll go insane trying to keep the little one off the Louis XIV furniture. Check out Homelidays.com or Air B&B for a short term "gîte" rental.

Little Warning: what Europeans call the "1st floor", is what North Americans call the "2nd floor" and so on and so forth. The ground floor is called "Rez-de-Chaussée" in France.

Bonus: Find out if a city apartment has an inner courtyard you can use. This will only be available to the people who live in the building and have a punch code to get in. Many apartments will have that inner courtyard, but some are nicer, or bigger, than others.

Baby beds
What we call a crib in North America, is called a baby bed, or a baby cot, in many places in Europe. Most places have portable baby beds available. I found them to be quite safe. You can also purchase one of these foldable beds at a children's store for about 49 euros.

Warning: I have found that blankets are often not provided for the crib at the hotels and apartments.

Bonus: better baby sleep = better parent sleep = less crabbiness all around.

Bathtubs
Bathtubs are not a standard in Europe. Check if the hotel or appartment has one. Kitchen sinks can double as a bathtub (lots of fun; don't forget to remove breakable kitchen items from the reach of tiny inquisitive hands), or slowly introduce the fun of a shower (experience: if at first this doesn't succeed, don't rush it, but persevere. It might come to work).

Bonus: Many shower heads are detachable and can be lowered to a child's friendly level.

Warning: The Wonderful Husband says that detachable shower heads make fun toys, but can also make for very wet parental clothing.

Scary stairs and tiny kitchens are pretty normal.

Stairs and Railings
This is actually just a warning. No bonus: It seems as though there are no real safety standards for railings on stairs. Many apartments and hotels have scary stairs that are either extremely steep, or have wide apart guards on the rails. If they have a guard rail at all. Look carefully at the photos before renting.

Pools
I have been told that in some European countries a fence is required by law around pools. However, I have not seen this law applied very often. Check website pictures and ask questions, you will never relax when there is an un-gated pool on the property.

The Adorable Son enjoying a public park

In summary: Location location location! Get a rented apartment that is close to the attractions, with pleasant walking possibilities, a nearby play space (park, courtyard or square) and groceries.

Bonus: now that you're well-prepared, enjoy your trip!

European Accommodations for Children PART 1

Travelling with a child is an amazing experience, while at the same time having its own set of... let us  call them challenges. To make these more hill-size than Himalaya-size, here is a list of things we have learned to consider in our travels with the Adorable Son.

Kitchen
Kids eat all the time, any time. Also, they can, as our Adorable Son does, have pretty selective palates. Therefore in order to make your trip as stress-free as you can, rent a place with a kitchen.

Warning: kitchens in Europe are tiny. Very functional, but tiny. Do not plan any kitchen parties.

Bonus: renting with a kitchen is a great way to save money.

Groceries, Pharmacy and Bakery.
AKA: milk, diapers and  bread. Your new BFF's. Know them, know where they are. A special note: Pharmacies tend to only sell drugs and a few limited items like soap, diapers and wipes, unlike in North America where you can pretty much buy anything at a Pharmacy.

Warning: a lot of things are closed on Sunday in France, and in Europe in general. Much more than in North America, so plan ahead.

Bonus: you will spend many wonderful hours discovering your surroundings while looking for that one place where they might hopefully possibly sell that one thing that your toddler will eat this week (seriously, it can be fun, I swear!).

Costs
Eating out is expensive and you can cut costs by only going out every few days. Lunch is a great time to eat out in France, where lunch breaks are almost sacred. Go to a cute cafe and you can stay as long as you want.

Warning: avoid places with pictures of the food. They have a high chance of being tourist traps.

Bonus: if the restaurant is located on a square, you can let your little person run around when they have finished eating.

Bonus II: Or, do lunch during nap time when the Toddler is snoozing in the stroller and enjoy people watching.

A small backyard in the South of France

Park space and Squares
These are car free areas, frequently found in European cities, that are great for the kids to run around in. Most parks in cities are gated, so you don't have to worry about the kids running off into traffic.

Warning: most parks are closed after 8 pm or around. Usually not a big deal, but good to know.

Bonus: Many parks have plenty of activities for small children, carousels, ponds with ducks and fish, small playgrounds, a café or play equipment that can be rented for your child's delight.

Rent close to the attractions.
Public washrooms are hard to find in Europe and most restaurant or café toilets are incredibly tiny with no change tables. When you rent centrally, you are close to an equipped bathroom. Learning to diaper change while the Toddler is standing up is an excellent skill as well.

Second reason to rent close to the attractions is you can immediately enjoy the scene or museums without having to waste an hour commuting or navigating the transit systems with your stroller or do the stairs with your baby carrier.

Warning: places nearer the attractions will sometimes be more expensive, but weigh that against convenience, and be aware that, with a toddler, if the commute is too long, there's a big chance you won't get to see much at all. We know. We tried.

Bonus: if you're close to your place when the Toddler gets crabby, you can run back for a quick nap, bite, or chocolate treat/bribe.

Be near public transit.

I would go for a bus over metro stops, easier to get around since there are less stairs.

Bonus: in a bus, you get to see the sights while commuting.

Stay tuned for more amazing tips in part 2: Return of the Travel Advice.

The Traveling Toddler Visits Villeneuve Les Avignon

This small village was recommended to us by a  local of Avignon. He told us to go to on Saturday, see the Marché aux Puces (flea market) and then head up to the square for a glass of wine in the afternoon.
We did just that. Plus we threw in a castle and an abbey garden for good measure.

The flea market is only open for a few hours in the morning. What treasures to be found! I could have spent my life savings on all the beautiful artworks, ancient toys and gently used YSL purses. This was not a favorite activity for The Adorable Toddler or Wonderful Husband, and so we walked up the hill, into the village. We found a square where a second market selling award winning cheeses, olives, fruits and vegetables from the region. We stopped and had a coffee, people watched and let the Adorable Son run around. Next we pick up some olives, and wandered up through the giant gates and into the abbey's serene garden.

When we entered the garden we were amazed by the sharp contrast of the busy square, busting with food and talk in comparaison to the hush of the abbey garden. There were many different sections, views and flora and fauna quietly growing under the southern sun. The Adorable Son soon found the glassy pond that contained fish and quickly got to work trying to throw rocks in it. The Wonderful Husband quickly, and quietly explained that these were special ponds we cannot throw objects into....He was pretty perplexed by the idea. Best thing was to keep moving. So we did.

Enjoy the photos of our day at Villeneuve les Avignon, there is so much beauty to be found.

The Toddler Travels the French Countryside

A guidebook is useful but, as we’ve learned time and again in our travels, it takes a local to show you the gems.   

Today was one of the best days of our vacation, thanks to the lovely Rachel who gave us a tour of the small towns in the area, the crème de la crème (the best of the best) of the Avignon region, all with great enthusiasm and warmth. She even found a carseat for The Adorable Son and fed us TWICE. 

We saw four areas in particular, Robion, Maubec, Oppède, and Ménerbes. All very charming and well worth the trip, with meandering paths through tiny stone villages built into the mountainside. And the views! Oh the views! Rolling hills and valleys dotted with picturesque “mas” (traditional provençal homes) and crisscrossed by the lush green lines of vineyards.

These are ancient towns, some dating to the Roman era, and you have to park on the exterior of these tiny compact villages and walk in. Since we saw several in one day, and we had to work around The Adorable Son’s nap and meals, it was like speed dating, but with villages: we walked quickly and snapped a million pictures. Luckily, the south of France is so replete with beauty that it excels at quick seduction. A few minutes often suffice to leave you starstruck, with a beatific smile on your face. 

Later, when we returned to her home, Rachel fed us and made a ‘fishing rod’ out of a stone, a bamboo stick and some fabric for The Adorable Son. This was pure entertainment for the Adorable Son who went straight to fishing ‘grounaille’, aka grenouilles (frogs) that lived in the pond next to her home. 

The Adorable Son even got to sit in Rachel’s husband Roland’s truck, which was very, VERY exciting. Probably the best day on earth for The Adorable Son who loves all cars, trucks, trains, and planes and the most important, buses (much better for him, I’m sure, than all these views and castles and old things that have no wheels). 

Today was epic. Thank you Rachel, the angel of Avignon. 

    

Anything Will Entertain The Traveling Toddler

We packed toys.

Meh.

Aside from acting as objects of security, it was not really necessary. We are always outdoors and he barely touches them.

The toddler species is entertained and learns from just about anything. Steps, ramps, flowers, rocks, a slide, a bug, and of course, other children. That little mind is busy, busy, soaking up life.

In Noves, South of France, we met an incredible Canadian family traveling around France with three young children.

They gave me a new definition of minimalism:
a bucket
a shovel
a rake
three dolls (no clothes)

That's it. My jaw dropped when she told me that was all the toys they had packed for the trip.

The best part was her kids were not ripping each others faces off due to boredom, instead they were full of joy and busy exploring everything around them.

Here is a visual list of some of the all time favourite activities while on the road. A special shout out to anything involving throwing rocks into water. (splooosh! = good times for toddlers)

SOS : Traveling With A Toddler, Grandparents Required

We are back in Paris, this time, a better location. And backup. Aka THE GRANDPARENTS.
Yes, you heard me.

Together we have rented an enormous apartment in the 6th arr.
This time we are ready to handle this city. Bring it. I have a Grandpapa and Grandmaman.

I realize that for some people renting an apartment with your inlaws is basically hell. I am not one of those  people, because my inlaws are FANTASTIC (yes, they read this blog). But it's true, I basically won the inlaw lottery. I tell my husband I married him for his parents. Some people marry for money, or looks, but those people are fools. You have to go for the inlaws, they will make your life a dream.

A dream you say? Here is the lowdown.

They will love your child, fiercly, to the point you may have to pry him out of their arms.
After nearly a month on the road without childcare, they will take over so you may soak in the bathtub, go on a shoe shopping expedition in Paris and date night with The Wonderful Husband. They will save your butt, your sanity, they will always have your back, without judgement, and always with plenty of love. Not to mention: good food. The Adorable Son thinks they are pretty darn fantastic too. So I don't even think about feeling guilty while I am sipping my wine and enjoying the view of the Eiffel Tower. Not. One. Second.

The Early Toddler Gets The Worm

As a parent of a toddler, waking early, as in six in the morning is sleeping in, is a regular occurence.
It can be trying, and significantly increase your caffeine intake. If you have a toddler, you know this. But when travelling, you can turn this liablilty into an asset. Now you can do what  you always said you would do on trips but could never accomplish: get to the sights early, no line ups, no crowds. The whole place to yourself!

Today we went to the Palais des Papes, aka the old center and home to the Christian church for a while, during the 14th century. This is an acient palace, quite large, with many rooms to see.

We arrived as soon as they were opening, and we had already gone out for breakfast and played at the park. We had to ditch the stroller and exchange it for a free baby carrier to get around the palace. No strollers allowed. Not that we ever used the baby carrier. Since the Adorable Son refused to get in it, its main use turned out to be providing the Wonderful Husband with extra exercice. So instead we let the Toddler toddle around the palace, where he eventually became a central attraction for the Japanese tousists taking pictures.

This is not Versailles: there is not a ton of fabulous furniture for him to destroy, it's simply ancient stones, so we were not too worried about the palace getting damaged by the Toddler. Perhaps the Toddler getting damaged by the palace was more of a relevant concern, with all the stairs, sharp drops and hard surfaces. I guess the popes didn't have two-year-olds around much.

We even  managed to climb the highest turret, holding onto The Adorable Son with both hands. I was completely out of breath by the time we arrived at the top, and enjoyed the incredible view of the land while trying to desperately suck in oxygen. It was worth it, the view was superb.

As we left, we saw the crowds building up, and the packs of tourists swarming the entrance. We were glad to have had the opportunity to go early. Thank you, Toddler!

Avignon, a pleasure for the senses

We arrived in Avignon to an uber-well located apartment in the old city, just a few minutes walk to the carousel, a huge open square, children's parks, and all the boutiques.

Today we had a wonderful afternoon sampling much of Avignon's menu. This is a very walkable town, with pedestrian streets paved with polished stones, many beautiful parks, open squares, castles and gardens.

Here is what we found in pictures.

The main square is enormous, with plenty of safe space for children to run. There is a beautiful Belle Époque carousel that we have been on at least three times a day. The Adorable Son would like to add that it turns, which is what he points out in an admiring tone to every passerby.

If you walk past the castle (which is open for viewing), and head up along the road you will find a very charming park with a view of the pont d'Avignon (like the song).

On the top of the hill sits a public garden (no dogs permitted or should I say no pooping permitted), with ducks, greenery, trees that remind me of group of seven artworks and a small children's park.

The pond has Koi fish, a turtle, and ducks all which expect to be fed. A toddler's delight.
You can climb to the very top, without toddler, to get an even better view of Avignon.

 If you are feeling adventurous, you can rent children's reclined bicycles that are created to resemble chariots. The inventor was smart enough to put padding on the front of the horse to protect innocent bystanders.

It has been raining for the past couple days, resulting in puddles. This is a huge dose of awesome for The Adorable Son, although perhaps less so for the Maman who does laundry. However, the Adorable Son would like to point out, once more, that the washing machine turns as well, which makes everything all right.

Grey: The color of French dirt...and now, your entire family.

I packed plenty of black and navy blue. I should have packed grey.

Everywhere in Paris and the south of France we find all these beautiful public spaces filled with creamy grey stones. That combined with constantly picking up The Adorable Son, means we are usually covered in creamy grey dirt.

So, in retaliation, I bought some grey pants to match the filth I am so often parading.
I am a genius.
It's like camouflage.

The French have neutrals down to an art. You can purchase a huge variety of beautiful neutral tones in greys, beiges, browns and blues. No patterns, other than on a scarf. Maybe it's due to their tiny closets, they need limited wardrobes, and nothing is easier to put together than neutrals. They don't really do matchy-match, its more about the textures, silhouette and general tone.

I basically lost my mind at Monoprix and bought the Adorable Son a wardrobe of greys and blues. He wore this outfit today, and I had several French ladies come over and give me compliments on him.

Bonus: Those boots are an easy tracking device.

A stroller with a view

The Wonderful Husband refers to this as "First Person Stroller" to replace the gamer term "First Person Shooter",  like you see in video games. Cute.

My point is to show the experience of The Adorable Son from his stroller. I will be taking pictures throughout the trip. Here is a taste of what is to come.

Moulin de la roque, Provence

Jardin des Tuileries, Paris

Train Station, Paris

Train Station, Avignon