Traveling moms are my heroes. My darling husband and I just returned from a cross-country airline trip to Miami. It was all I could do to keep track of me through all the security rules — the carry-on, purse, ID, tickets, boarding passes, snacks, drinks, reading materials, jacket, money, receipts. My heart went out to the moms juggling all that plus strollers, baby bottles, diapers, toys, medicines, electronics and accessories, blankets, binkies. I bow down to the queens!
We were off to meet the most overachieving of all of our international exchange student children. There has never been enough time in life for this amazing young woman to reach her potential. I have always said I want to be Zuzi when I grow up. She’s beautiful, talented, impossibly gifted in music and sports, funny, brilliant, fluent in four languages and familiar with another handful. She just got her master’s degree in law and is debating getting her doctorate. All this while being a wife to a busy high-tech executive and entrepreneur and mother to another darling — just like her.

That is not to say that everything comes easy for her, but that only makes me admire her more. She is one hard worker. Honestly, I never have met anyone quite like her in my life.
Now, she is mom to a 3-year-old whirlwind just like her! It’s our first time to meet Little Zuzka and I cannot wait to see Zuzi in action as a mom.
While waiting for dinner to arrive one evening, I asked Zuzi how many countries her 3-year-old daughter has visited so far. She ticked them off on her fingers. Nine.
OK, I had to know. What is your secret?
Like most seasoned travelers, she has learned from experience. She admits that on her first trips she packed way too much.
This trip from Bratislava to Miami took about 15 hours. Her smartest move was taking her mom, Dr. Viera Agnerova, who traveled with her. It’s nice to have a doctor and an expert mom on call at all times. In addition, she had these tips:
~~ Start preparing the child several days in advance. Tell her where you are going and what fun is coming. Talk about what you’ll be doing there and who she will see. On the day of the trip, remind her that this is the traveling day and review the routine.
~~ Check the airlines in advance to make sure the correct food is available for the child and prepare to take the rest — including some favorite treats. Zuzka has a few allergies so those needed to be accommodated.
~~ Less is more. For this trip, Zuzi took a portable DVD player with little Z’s favorite videos, one pillow, one little toy to cuddle with.
~~ Dress the child in comfortable clothes she likes and take a spare outfit for accidents.
~~ I was fascinated with Zuzka’s little ride-on suitcase called a Trunki. It’s my new favorite baby gift. You can see it right here . Zuzi gives this her recommendation. The child can play on it, ride on it, pull it on a leash and it carries clothes and supplies on the plane. Plus it’s cute and looks like a little animal. Good investment.

How about you, moms on the move. Share your tips, too!