Here’s the scoop:

You most certainly CAN travel alone with your Tiny Traveler.  I have been there many times, sometimes successful and sometimes a total disaster. That being said, I’ll be the first one to encourage you to take the plunge and hire a travel nanny, if your budget permits. In my 50,000+ travel miles with Lucian, I’ve found I’m a much better momma on the road when I have any extra pair of hands!

Here is one of my fabulous travel nannies, Dani, and you can see from this photo, the pure love and enjoyment she has to be caring for Lucian! THIS is the ideal situation!

The stress of traveling with your kiddos can be super overwhelming but if you choose the wrong travel nanny to accompany you, it could end up even worse with you regretting the whole trip!

Here are my 3 quick tips for choosing the right travel nanny:

1. Get Comfortable – When considering your options for a travel nanny, keep your comfortability in mind! There’s nothing worse than hiring someone to help you on the road with your Tiny Traveler and then feeling anxious and uncomfortable the whole trip.  I don’t know about you, but I have a small list of people I’m happy to share tight spaces of hotel rooms with, and an even smaller list of people I’m excited to be around 24 hours day, for days on end.  If you choose to “room in” with your nanny, remember you’ll be sacrificing privacy and downtime, but this can be an excellent choice, especially when traveling with younger babies, for overnight help. Bottom line…make sure you’re fully comfortable with whoever you choose, as you’ll be getting real up close and personal!
2. Get Selective– Just because someone is available to be your travel nanny, doesn’t mean they are the right fit. Think about the needs of your family and the type of care you’d like. The friendly retired woman from your neighborhood garden club, might not be the right fit for your sassy and active two year old and although your college age cousin is great kids, she might be more interested in partying during the evening, than helping with bath time. Make a list of all your options and be choosy!
3. Get Serious – Set your expectations before you travel and be clear about what you expect out of your travel nanny. This means chatting about difficult topics like finances, accommodations and hours of service. There are many ways to set up the arrangement but I recommend setting a schedule for each day of your trip and a flat rate in advance. Consider what you can afford to provide and what is reasonable in exchange for the service. Discuss all details before you travel and make sure everyone is in agreement before your miles away from home.

With a little advance planning and careful consideration, you can find the perfect travel nanny for your family.

I’d love to hear your tips for finding a good travel nanny over in the Mom Truth Forum.