Practical Parenting With Alison Canavan
IAS A single mother to James, who is four and a half, Alison Canavan knows all about the balancing act that is parenting.
The model and entrepreneur is also passionate about raising awareness of mental health issues, having herself suffered from post-natal depression.
Every week, she will draw on her own experiences and knowledge to give down-to-earth tips, honest opinions and from-the-heart advice… ABSOLUTELY l ove going on holiday until I think about packing — and then the anxiety sets in. This happens for two reasons: I want to break a record (that doesn’t exist) for taking only what I really need, and I really want to be a good packer, and I should be, after 20- odd years of travelling the world as a model!
Travelling when James was a baby was hilarious. It reminded me of when he was born — I bought and brought an awful lot of nonsense and used none of it, or at least very little.
Take my advice and simplify things. The essentials to think about when travelling with a baby are having enough food, nappies, wipes and a change of clothes, or two changes if you are going on a long-haul flight. Always consider that you might be delayed, especially in high season. But in my opinion, the most important travel accessory of all for parents is a SNOOZESHADE.
The SnoozeShade is a sun shade and sleep aid for babies on the go, which attaches to any design of pram or buggy to block out the light so your baby can sleep for as long as he or she needs. It creates a snug and dark haven, which helps your little one to stick to regular sleep patterns, even when out and about (€26.99,
When I was in Spain, I found a lot of cafes and restaurants didn’t have any high chairs, or had only a very limited number, so it makes sense to pack a product like the TOTSEAT, which is a washable, squashable high chair.
The Totseat makes it easy to convert almost any chair into a fully functioning high chair. So when you are all enjoying a picnic on the beach, your little one can j oin you in a civilised manner, as a pop-up deck chair can turn into a high chair. It will be just like being at home — no fuss, no hassle ( from € 22.95, totseat.com).
As children get older they need more entertainment, particularly on long journeys. I use an iPad as a last resort, which means it is not coming on holiday with us. I understand that when kids are a bit older they want them, but it just makes me so sad to see children staring at an iPad in a restaurant instead of talking and beside the pool on holiday when they should be running around and enjoying themselves.
James brings books and Galt Water Magic colouring books. The water pen makes colours and pictures magically appear, it’s mess free and can be used over and over again (from €7, amazon. com). We also take carddies, which are little card people for you to colour i n. They encourage imaginative play and
come in travel-size boxes (€12.80,
We also have RORY’S STORY CUBES, creative story generators which are lots of fun and great for encouraging a vivid imagination. Buy them on Aer Lingus flights for €12.
James is at an age where he wants to help with everything, which is lovely but, be warned, this can come at a cost when packing. On Saturday I had an e ncyclopedia, a c ouple of ornaments, an odd shoe and a token angel in my case! Luckily my friend Pamela popped in and saw my stress levels rising, so she took him off on a play date. Being abroad, though, can knock kids out of routine, so it’s a good idea to bring something of comfort from home such as a teddy, pillow or blankie. Something small that is familiar. We always take panda with us and, believe it or not, he loves the sun, but we found out in Egypt that he’s not a great swimmer.
SPEAKING of swimming, I l ove the SwimFin. I have bought them for friends and family and everyone agrees i t’s simply genius. It’s the world’s first and only swimming aid shaped like a shark’s fin! Unlike traditional swimming aids, SwimFin allows little ones the freedom to kick their arms and legs about and really master the water (€29.99,
Above all, enjoy every second of your trip because we get precious little time to ourselves these days. Holidays are a time to mind yourself and those you love, and refresh, renew and recharge your batteries. My batteri es are nearly dead so I can’t wait until next week when they’ll be full again.