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Singapore American • December 2014
CELEBRATIONS
Holiday Flights with Babies and Toddlers
What Is Advent?
By Katrijn de Ronde
By Angel Corrigan
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oliday travel is coming up and as much as we look forward to hugging our loved ones and sharing in treasured family traditions, there is always the travel that must be done before we get to the good part. Flying with babies and toddlers can be summed up in one word: horrible. They cry, they won’t sit still, they’re incredibly messy eaters, they have no respect for personal space. And it’s worse if they’re yours. Flying with babies and toddlers is no walk in the park. You will be bone tired afterwards. Hair will turn grey, eyes will be baggy, you will not watch more than fifteen minutes of the in-flight entertainment and your clothes will forever smell of the food your little ones smeared on you (so dress wisely). Your muscles will ache from walking up and down, up and down, up and down the aisle. However well you prepare, you will not enjoy the flight. So don’t worry about it. In fact, I have broken down the not worrying into five specific categories to not worry about: 1. Sleep Schedules At the end of the flight, the children will have to adjust to a completely new time zone anyway. So what does it matter that they don’t get to sleep until 2am because the cabin lights don’t go off? In fact, there’s a silver lining: the worse the flight goes, the easier the children adjust to the jet lag. (If they do sleep well on the plane, the silver lining is that at least you got a bit of peace and quiet before the horrors of baby jet lag hit.) 2. Other People You will never see the other people on the plane again. And if you do, they will not recognize the suave, well-dressed calm and smiling you as the wild-eyed, bird-nest haired woman in the grey sweats who kept stomping up and down the aisle dragging a toddler. So, don’t worry about what they think of you. 3. Healthy Food Food can be a great way to keep your child entertained, especially if it’s empty calories and fiddly to eat. Cereals and puffs have been designated travel food in our household. Other than that, we always bring a truck load of yogurt to settle their stomachs, and breadsticks and crackers. Yes, we care about vegetables and fruit, but not enough to start a fight on board an airplane. And let’s be honest: it’s not as if we are setting a shining example with our microwaved in-flight meals.
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4. Bassinets There is a lot of advice online about bassinets. But because of weight constrictions, bassinets are really only suitable for babies. And you’re not allowed to use one if the seatbelt sign is on. We preferred to carry our babies in a baby carrier during the whole flight. Of course, they didn’t sleep like they would at home, but at least they felt comfortable being close to us in such a strange environment. For the toddlers, some airlines let you make a little bed for them at your feet. But mostly, be prepared to be squashed. Remember, you will never regret time spent cuddling your babies.
h yes, it’s Christmas time again, why does it always come when the stores are so crowded? The lights, decorations, endless parties and preparations designed to get you in “the mood” turns some people into the Grinch. We lament at how commercialized it’s all become. If you come from a Christian tradition, how do you get off the modern holiday merry-go-round and reclaim the holiness of the season for you and your family? May I suggest that you celebrate Advent? Advent has been part of the Christian church calendar since the fourth century. The word Advent is the Anglicized version of the Latin word adventus which means “coming.” Four weeks prior to Christmas Day, Christians begin a season of reflection about the significance of the birth of Christ. There are different traditional tools used to help us contemplate and deepen our faith. Our three children grew up preparing for Christmas Day by using the Advent wreath and an Advent calendar.
5. The Next Flight I’ve had amazing flights with my two (I once got to watch almost two whole movies!) and utterly miserable ones (one look at my face upon arrival and my brother took my toddler for a long, long walk around the airport). Past experience is no guarantee for the future. And remember, at the end of the flight, there will be festive cheer, the comforts of home and lots of people who will be more than willing to take your children off your hands, jiggle them, wiggle them and let you finally have that rest you so deserve. Katrijn de Ronde, a freelance business journalist and medieval historian, writes about parenthood and expat life at her blog singatamtam.blogspot. com. Photos by Wienke-de Ronde family
The Advent wreath's circular shape represents the eternal nature of God, who has no beginning and no end. Traditional wreaths were made from evergreen boughs which symbolize everlasting life. The traditional colors for the Advent candles also have meaning. There are three purple candles, one pink and one larger, central white candle. Purple is the color of royalty and as such represents the royal nature of Christ as the Son of God. In some traditions the purple candles signify penitence. The pink candle is the candle of joy and calls to mind angels
singing and rejoicing at the time of Christ’s birth in Bethlehem. The larger central white candle represents the Christ child, and is often referred to as the Christ candle. A new candle is lit on each of the four Sundays of Advent. The accompanying readings and hymns remind us of the true meaning of Christmas. The four candles represent Hope, Love, Joy and Peace and the central white candle represents the light of Christ that has come into the world. The Advent calendar, a favorite of children, brings day-by-day reminders of the coming of Christ. Some create a picture as you open each door and some have readings along with a small sweet or gift in them. These are excellent resources for kids as it gives the story of Christmas in smaller, easy to understand bits. Practicing this ancient church tradition can help calm some of the hype and usher the holy back in to Christmas. The first Sunday of Advent this year is November 30, so it’s not too late to do a google search on Advent to find readings and hymn suggestions. Then get an advent wreath or calendar and start a new tradition in your family or just reignite an old one. Angel Corrigan has lived around the world as a military spouse. In 1999, she arrived in Singapore with her family and has worked at the US Embassy and in the fundraising and development field as Managing Director of her own company. Photos by Christine McIntosh and Stardust Kay