(Lets face it kids are full of honesty, they say it as they see it. This is a new column written from the ‘HONEST’ observations from our children. It touches on all aspects of the process of growing up and how we as parents can improve ourselves from a child’s point of view)

There is happy commotion in the house, we are going to the seaside and everyone is ridiculously happy. Big Sister is wearing about three floating devices, arms bands, a rubber tube and now she’s managed to get her into some floating duck-like device.

SIGH..doesn’t this child understand that these devices only work in water, there’s no need to wear all this now. Anyways everyone seems delightfully happy at the thought of some sun, sea and sand.

Mum’s humming a tune whilst she packs my extensive luggage, hey it’s just for the day, BUT I’ve got needs. Five bags of stuff will do fine Mum, hope you pack that little squigy frog like toy that I have a liking too, if you forget you know what’s going happen.

I gonna cry and cry and cry and cry…you get the point. Yeah Mum’s got her work cut out, Dad on the other hand is also doing some work, usually he leave all this to Mum, but I guess the thought of some fresh air, has got him moving. I on the other hand, NOT so happy.

I mean I really don’t know what the fuzz is about, hey so they strap me to the car, Mum does put the straps on a bit too tight, trying to be extra careful but it hurts Mum, I want to sleep on my tummy, WHO can sleep in a chair, arms and legs strapped.

Then we drive recklessly, or when you’re a one year old baby, it feels like a roller coaster ride. The bumps, the sudden turns…whoah was that a pothole, thought we fell off a cliff. Yeah..NOT a fun ride, I’m fighting the nausea as I speak, will hold on it till we get there and when Mum picks me up, then I will hurl, she must know my pain.

Okay so here we are,  Big Sister goes screaming into the hotel..sheesh, anyone would think we had held her captive, 'Just Dad' runs after, before she falls into the decorative pond. Just Dad you forgot she’s got all that floating gear on, she’ll survive. Right so got my many bags, vomit cleaned up and now once again strapped into the pushchair, my funny looking family wanders down to the beach.

Funny, because Mum’s got some gianormous, could land a plane on it hat..sheesh..what’s with that funny head piece Mum, we’re at the seaside you can’t hide from the sun and Dad’s decided to join the circus with those “jungle-themed” swimming trunks glistening in the hot sun, makes you wince!..Yikes.

Not to worry “I “, the only sane one holding up the normalcy in the family am here to save the day, Mum puts me down on the sand..YIKES..what is that stuff, it’s in my toes, it’s hot, it’s kinda squidgy..and HEY it’s in my eyes now, Big Sister just kicked some in my face. What nonsense is this?, who said humans could swim, I mean didn’t anyone realize we’ve got legs, no tail no swimming.

I’m not having any of this, I wanna to go home, I’m just gonna cry till Mum gets it, take me home Mum, I’ve got sand in my ears and I’m NOT loving it. Well to cut a long story short, Big Sister’s tiny toe was bit by a crab and she joined in the crying fest.

Mum and Dad had enough, all the bags went back in the car and we were home before I could say “SEASIDE”. Ahhh home sweet home I thought, that’s the best part of a mini holiday, coming home!

Traveling with Baby

You can keep baby safe in the following ways:

·  Get some removable window shades for your car to shield your baby's skin and eyes from the sun.

·  Make sure your baby's car seat is properly installed and that the seatbelts are correctly threaded. Your baby should travel in a rear-facing car seat installed on the back seat of your car.

Never place your baby's car seat on the front seat of a car with a passenger air bag.

·  Pack a first aid-kit, with supplies such as infant paracetamol for relieving a fever, a colic treatment, saline nose drops for stuffy noses, and teething gel. See our first-aid kit checklist for more ideas.

·  If you're flying, feed your baby on take-off and landing to ease any earache.

How do I keep my child from being car sick?

It's always a good idea to try to schedule car trips during your child's nap (if he takes one) or regular sleep times, and if he's prone to motion sickness that strategy might be especially helpful. Here are some other ideas to keep in mind:

* Don't seat him too far back in the car. He's more likely to feel nauseated if he sits in the back of a van, behind the axle, than if he sits in the middle seat, for example.

* Stock the car with some toys or books, but keep in mind that playing or looking at a book can sometimes make matters worse. If this is the case for your child, try other distractions, like listening to the radio, singing, or chatting with him.

* Looking out the window may help prevent motion sickness, so talk about what's going on outside.

What to pack in baby’s bag?

Here are a few essentials to pack in baby’s bag when travelling:

-    Diapers
-    Wipes
-    Blankets
-    Clothes
-    Bibs
-    Bottle/Mil Powder
-    Pacifiers
-    Toys
-    Medicines

By Mayuri Jayasinghe