WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:03.799 Most people assume Italy with kids will be complicated thanks 2 00:00:03.839 --> 00:00:07.360 to some assumptions about the many cobblestones on long, long 3 00:00:07.480 --> 00:00:10.880 lunches and the three hour museum circuits that some people. 4 00:00:10.880 --> 00:00:11.759 Like to promote. 5 00:00:12.199 --> 00:00:16.480 They are usually very surprised by what they find instead. Today, 6 00:00:16.719 --> 00:00:20.199 three moms, including two who live in Italy with young children, 7 00:00:20.359 --> 00:00:23.960 share why family travel in Italy is easier than you think. 8 00:00:30.679 --> 00:00:35.240 Tawatuti and Benvenuti Tuan Told Italy the travel podcast to 9 00:00:35.280 --> 00:00:38.799 where you go to the towns and villages, mountains and lakes, 10 00:00:39.039 --> 00:00:43.119 hills and coastlines of Beli, Italia. Each week, your host 11 00:00:43.399 --> 00:00:46.159 Katie Clark takes you on a journey in a search 12 00:00:46.200 --> 00:00:51.920 of magical landscapes, history, culture, wine, gelato, and of course 13 00:00:52.240 --> 00:00:55.079 a whole lot of pasta. If you're dreaming of Italy 14 00:00:55.159 --> 00:01:08.640 and planning future adventures there, you've come to the right place. 15 00:01:09.400 --> 00:01:14.120 One Johanno. Welcome to Untold Italy. I'm your host, Katie Clark, 16 00:01:14.159 --> 00:01:17.000 and today I have two brilliant members of the Untold 17 00:01:17.079 --> 00:01:20.359 Italy team joining me. You may have heard Olivia if 18 00:01:20.400 --> 00:01:22.959 you've been following the show for a little while and 19 00:01:23.159 --> 00:01:25.840 up until recently, she lived in Rome, where her daughter 20 00:01:26.200 --> 00:01:28.799 was born on the Tiber Island and has been collecting 21 00:01:28.879 --> 00:01:32.079 travel stamps since she was five months old. And then 22 00:01:32.120 --> 00:01:35.000 there is Cassandra, also based in Italy, mum to a 23 00:01:35.040 --> 00:01:37.400 five year old who has been on road trips across 24 00:01:37.439 --> 00:01:40.319 Europe and is now very much at home in Italy. 25 00:01:41.079 --> 00:01:44.359 Between the three of us, we have covered babies and carriers, 26 00:01:44.560 --> 00:01:47.359 toddlers who run straight for the canal, and tweens and 27 00:01:47.400 --> 00:01:51.879 teenagers who negotiate the itinery. So whether your child is 28 00:01:51.920 --> 00:01:54.959 still in nappies or already has opinions about which. 29 00:01:54.799 --> 00:01:57.599 Region to visit, this episode is for you. 30 00:01:58.560 --> 00:02:01.560 We have a ton of advice for parents considering traveling 31 00:02:01.599 --> 00:02:04.280 in Italy as a family, but if you think you 32 00:02:04.439 --> 00:02:06.680 like the idea of family travel but don't want to 33 00:02:06.719 --> 00:02:10.159 do all the planning yourself. Both Olivia and Cassandra are 34 00:02:10.159 --> 00:02:12.800 on our trip planning team and are ready to help. 35 00:02:13.439 --> 00:02:15.719 We've added a link to their profiles and our trip 36 00:02:15.719 --> 00:02:19.120 planning services in the episode show notes on our website 37 00:02:19.159 --> 00:02:21.759 so you can learn more about how we can help you. 38 00:02:22.479 --> 00:02:29.400 ANDIAMO Let's dive in Helloon. Everyone, Dow Gaylor and by Cassandra, 39 00:02:29.639 --> 00:02:32.439 Welcome back on to the Antony Italy Podcast. It is 40 00:02:32.520 --> 00:02:34.680 great to have some of the team together, and I 41 00:02:34.840 --> 00:02:40.199 really love this topic because actually we get questions about 42 00:02:40.400 --> 00:02:44.520 this topic, and I thought everyone together because we're all 43 00:02:44.599 --> 00:02:47.879 farms and we've all got kids with different stages of development, 44 00:02:47.879 --> 00:02:51.319 at different stages of parenthood. We also have lots of 45 00:02:51.360 --> 00:02:54.439 experience traveling with kids in Italy and also just generally, 46 00:02:54.560 --> 00:02:56.960 so we can give a little bit of a perspective 47 00:02:57.039 --> 00:03:01.159 on travel in general and how it's like Italy. So 48 00:03:01.360 --> 00:03:02.919 I know we'll know that both of you have done 49 00:03:03.000 --> 00:03:06.599 trip consultations with families planning their Italian benures, so have 50 00:03:06.719 --> 00:03:09.919 some other content to draw them. So how about we 51 00:03:09.960 --> 00:03:13.599 get started with some quick introductions and context and then 52 00:03:13.680 --> 00:03:14.400 go to be deeper. 53 00:03:14.520 --> 00:03:15.400 And I'll go first. 54 00:03:15.520 --> 00:03:18.479 So I've been a mom for wow, like well over 55 00:03:18.520 --> 00:03:20.599 a decade now. I've have a tweet. It's a girl 56 00:03:20.599 --> 00:03:24.879 and a boy and they're almost teenagers now, and they've 57 00:03:24.879 --> 00:03:27.520 been traveling the world since they were six months old, 58 00:03:27.680 --> 00:03:31.759 and our first trip was to Bali and let me 59 00:03:31.919 --> 00:03:34.719 traveling to Italy since they were two years old. They 60 00:03:34.800 --> 00:03:39.240 absolutely love Italy, but they also love going to places 61 00:03:39.280 --> 00:03:43.360 like USA. They've been all over Europe, and of course Australia, 62 00:03:43.479 --> 00:03:47.680 and I've also done some trouble with my teenage nephews. Sorry, 63 00:03:47.960 --> 00:03:51.520 I'll be like, I've got a pretty wide space. You 64 00:03:51.639 --> 00:03:56.560 are traveling with kids, and yeah, I'm excited for both 65 00:03:56.599 --> 00:03:59.120 of you to share your experience as well. So how 66 00:03:59.159 --> 00:04:00.000 about you go first? 67 00:04:00.759 --> 00:04:02.120 Yeah, Hi, everyone, I live. 68 00:04:02.319 --> 00:04:05.680 I'm a mom to a sixteen month old daughter. She 69 00:04:05.879 --> 00:04:08.879 was born on the Tiber Island in Rome in February 70 00:04:08.960 --> 00:04:12.479 of twenty twenty five, so she's been in Italy for 71 00:04:12.639 --> 00:04:13.520 most of her life. 72 00:04:13.680 --> 00:04:16.639 When she was five months old, we took off on 73 00:04:16.720 --> 00:04:17.959 a huge road trip. 74 00:04:18.040 --> 00:04:21.439 We drove from Rome all at the top of Italy 75 00:04:21.519 --> 00:04:25.360 and into the UK and through France, and then over 76 00:04:25.439 --> 00:04:28.079 Christmas time we took her on her first international flight 77 00:04:28.079 --> 00:04:31.240 to Australia. So it's safe to say she's done a 78 00:04:31.279 --> 00:04:34.079 lot of travel. And yet now she's been traveling around 79 00:04:34.120 --> 00:04:35.800 Europe and in Denmark at the moment. 80 00:04:36.560 --> 00:04:39.279 Okay, Cassandra, you have done a lot of travel too. 81 00:04:39.560 --> 00:04:39.680 Hi. 82 00:04:39.759 --> 00:04:40.600 I'm Cassandra. 83 00:04:41.000 --> 00:04:44.560 My daughter is five years old and she was born 84 00:04:44.680 --> 00:04:47.600 in Prague at the very end of twenty twenty so 85 00:04:47.639 --> 00:04:50.240 the following year we were like in peak COVID we 86 00:04:50.240 --> 00:04:53.000 couldn't travel very far, so we did what we could 87 00:04:53.199 --> 00:04:55.759 pretty much like local kind of road trips within the 88 00:04:55.800 --> 00:04:58.920 Czech Republic or maybe a neighboring country. But we did 89 00:04:59.000 --> 00:05:01.480 our first big road trip all the way from Czech 90 00:05:01.560 --> 00:05:05.439 actually down to the Greek island of Kithia, which is 91 00:05:05.800 --> 00:05:08.279 I wanted to say, a thousand kilometers maybe about fifteen 92 00:05:08.319 --> 00:05:11.360 hundred miles long road trip. And she was about six 93 00:05:11.519 --> 00:05:14.439 months when we did that. And then following that we 94 00:05:14.519 --> 00:05:18.439 actually flew from Prague to Seattle to visit family, so 95 00:05:18.639 --> 00:05:21.879 another really big trip during the first year of her life. 96 00:05:21.959 --> 00:05:24.759 I think she visited Italy when she was a year old. 97 00:05:24.800 --> 00:05:26.720 That was kind of the first time. But now we 98 00:05:26.800 --> 00:05:29.839 live in Italy, so we are very familiar with how 99 00:05:29.839 --> 00:05:32.680 things work traveling with her now or just visiting, whether 100 00:05:32.720 --> 00:05:35.279 it's short day trips or longer trips, so she has 101 00:05:35.319 --> 00:05:38.000 a lot of experience what it's like in Italy as 102 00:05:38.000 --> 00:05:38.439 a toddler. 103 00:05:38.480 --> 00:05:39.800 For a young child now five. 104 00:05:39.720 --> 00:05:43.959 Years old, that flew by really school, I know, a 105 00:05:44.040 --> 00:05:45.360 school age in September. 106 00:05:45.680 --> 00:05:48.560 That's going to be interesting. It's in a different era 107 00:05:48.680 --> 00:05:51.279 of your life. And so how mut did we talk 108 00:05:51.360 --> 00:05:55.439 about it? Just how do vibe about trebling in Italy 109 00:05:55.480 --> 00:05:58.439 as a family. What's the different way traveling in Italy 110 00:05:58.519 --> 00:06:01.920 can pay with tripling out parts of Europe and the world. 111 00:06:02.839 --> 00:06:06.120 I love traveling in Italy with her baby because Italians 112 00:06:06.399 --> 00:06:10.360 are obsessed with babies and children, and they're just so friendly. 113 00:06:10.439 --> 00:06:14.000 It's family orientated, so you feel I feel really welcome 114 00:06:14.040 --> 00:06:16.439 wherever I go with my daughter. If you go into 115 00:06:16.480 --> 00:06:19.639 a restaurant as well, like they just love to feed. 116 00:06:19.680 --> 00:06:21.839 That's the way that they show their love. And she's 117 00:06:21.879 --> 00:06:24.519 always really well fed. Let's say so, even if there's 118 00:06:24.639 --> 00:06:27.399 past of sul not on the menu, they'll happily make 119 00:06:27.439 --> 00:06:28.319 it for your children. 120 00:06:28.439 --> 00:06:29.879 So on that side, it's really great. 121 00:06:30.360 --> 00:06:31.879 On the other side, though, there can be a few 122 00:06:31.920 --> 00:06:34.560 logistic things that I think are challenging. 123 00:06:34.759 --> 00:06:37.399 If you're not familiar with traveling in Europe. 124 00:06:37.439 --> 00:06:40.439 Let me take cobblestones, lack of change tables. 125 00:06:40.920 --> 00:06:43.720 I have to get creative sometimes also, like the size 126 00:06:43.720 --> 00:06:46.160 of your stroller to the size of the door. 127 00:06:46.680 --> 00:06:48.920 That's not something in Australia or the US that you 128 00:06:48.959 --> 00:06:50.160 probably have to advocate. 129 00:06:50.600 --> 00:06:51.639 Yeah, that's true. 130 00:06:51.759 --> 00:06:55.920 I love the way that children are reviewed in Italy. 131 00:06:56.079 --> 00:07:00.000 It's so refreshing. I was on a forum this week actually, 132 00:07:00.279 --> 00:07:03.480 and I think it was an Instagram post or something, 133 00:07:03.480 --> 00:07:06.639 and someone had said, oh, we need more spaces for adults, 134 00:07:06.680 --> 00:07:09.839 and I thought, wow, that's wild actually, because ways built 135 00:07:09.879 --> 00:07:13.120 for adults. In our society, you can easily as an 136 00:07:13.120 --> 00:07:16.160 adult if I want to not be around children, that's 137 00:07:16.199 --> 00:07:18.480 an easy thing for me to do. But in Italy 138 00:07:18.560 --> 00:07:25.040 it's a totally different experience. Do you feel the same way, Cassandra, Yes, definitely. 139 00:07:25.279 --> 00:07:28.800 I have this very distinct memory actually when my daughter 140 00:07:29.000 --> 00:07:31.000 was a baby and we were driving through a toll 141 00:07:31.000 --> 00:07:36.079 booth in Italy and the lady deliberately held up traffic 142 00:07:36.120 --> 00:07:37.759 like there are cars behind us to trying to get 143 00:07:37.759 --> 00:07:40.360 to the toll booth because she was just admiring the baby. 144 00:07:40.480 --> 00:07:42.839 She was admiring my daughter in the backseat, like ooing 145 00:07:42.879 --> 00:07:44.959 and eyeing and talking to her, And I was like, 146 00:07:45.040 --> 00:07:47.720 does she not care that there's traffic just piling up 147 00:07:47.759 --> 00:07:48.319 behind us? 148 00:07:48.399 --> 00:07:49.319 But that's just it. 149 00:07:49.519 --> 00:07:52.279 That was a first, very core memory of what people 150 00:07:52.279 --> 00:07:54.480 are usually like towards babies and Italy. 151 00:07:54.519 --> 00:07:57.639 Really if they get older, when people at truck stops 152 00:07:57.680 --> 00:08:01.000 come and give the kids chocolate bar like we're being 153 00:08:01.319 --> 00:08:05.680 like people have been giving them cane and I'm like, no, 154 00:08:06.720 --> 00:08:09.600 they do love to feed the kids, don't they. And 155 00:08:09.680 --> 00:08:14.040 I think it's that is just such a different vibe 156 00:08:14.079 --> 00:08:17.519 to even traveling in Australia and also traveling in the 157 00:08:17.600 --> 00:08:21.920 UK or France or anywhere like that. It is completely different. 158 00:08:22.000 --> 00:08:25.399 So I think, as someone who's traveled to a lot 159 00:08:25.439 --> 00:08:28.920 of places with small children, that Italy is actually one 160 00:08:28.959 --> 00:08:32.879 of the easiest places to travel. And so if you're concerned, 161 00:08:32.960 --> 00:08:34.799 or if you're thinking I want to do the first 162 00:08:34.879 --> 00:08:39.559 international trip, I would recommend Italy more because it's easy. Well, 163 00:08:39.679 --> 00:08:43.200 so of course you've got pizza, and what kids love pizza. 164 00:08:43.480 --> 00:08:46.840 We've got pasta and they'll always make you pasta pomadoro. 165 00:08:47.039 --> 00:08:50.759 So they're always making a very simple pasta. And you've 166 00:08:50.759 --> 00:08:54.200 got jilat what are DNA exactly your parental art. 167 00:08:55.039 --> 00:08:57.879 Yeah, it's so true on that note. 168 00:08:57.919 --> 00:09:00.919 At restaurants, not only well there are with a comedy, 169 00:09:01.120 --> 00:09:04.519 something simpler, kid friendlier. It's such as like red sauce pasta, 170 00:09:04.559 --> 00:09:06.919 but they'll actually bring it out first because they know 171 00:09:07.000 --> 00:09:07.759 that you're a child. 172 00:09:07.879 --> 00:09:08.480 It's hungry. 173 00:09:08.679 --> 00:09:10.919 Probably you don't want to have them just sit there 174 00:09:10.960 --> 00:09:13.440 and wait for all the courses. So many times we've 175 00:09:13.440 --> 00:09:16.360 been seated and they'll bring out the kids food first, 176 00:09:16.759 --> 00:09:17.879 just they're not waiting around. 177 00:09:18.279 --> 00:09:19.440 Yeah, that is the best. 178 00:09:19.480 --> 00:09:21.879 And then they may even entertain them a little bit, 179 00:09:22.039 --> 00:09:25.360 like them and play with them a little bit. So yeah, 180 00:09:25.440 --> 00:09:28.759 it's more of a family friendly experience, not just related 181 00:09:28.759 --> 00:09:33.919 to kids, but yeah, having that family friendly experience, it's delightful. Okay, 182 00:09:33.960 --> 00:09:36.879 So what are some of your trips about traveling with babies? 183 00:09:36.879 --> 00:09:39.240 You both had that I can't really I'm bit beyond 184 00:09:39.240 --> 00:09:41.840 that face. I think your brain goes into shut down 185 00:09:41.960 --> 00:09:43.080 once you've reached a suit. 186 00:09:43.559 --> 00:09:45.200 It's you like, that's done. I'm been in. 187 00:09:45.559 --> 00:09:48.159 But if you are, you think of it leaving. You've 188 00:09:48.240 --> 00:09:49.200 just been through a kiss. 189 00:09:49.240 --> 00:09:49.440 Andra. 190 00:09:49.600 --> 00:09:52.679 So what are some tips around traveling with babies in Italy? 191 00:09:52.840 --> 00:09:55.159 I would say my number one is get comfortable with 192 00:09:55.200 --> 00:09:56.279 the baby carrier. 193 00:09:56.639 --> 00:09:58.519 So that is just so easy. 194 00:09:58.960 --> 00:10:02.960 In sometimes music and some places you can't always take 195 00:10:03.000 --> 00:10:04.879 your pram and you might need to leave it in 196 00:10:04.960 --> 00:10:08.120 like the cloakroom or something like that, and then you're 197 00:10:08.200 --> 00:10:10.240 kind of left just holding the baby. So get a 198 00:10:10.240 --> 00:10:12.840 really good baby carrier and then it's just really easy, 199 00:10:13.080 --> 00:10:15.039 especially if you're in places like Rome too, you think 200 00:10:15.039 --> 00:10:17.519 of all the cobblestones and pushing the pram around. 201 00:10:18.000 --> 00:10:19.679 I will say as well. 202 00:10:19.320 --> 00:10:23.360 Like maybe controversial, but the yogo stroller, I'm not about 203 00:10:23.360 --> 00:10:26.679 that in Italy. Sorry, but I do not rate that 204 00:10:26.879 --> 00:10:27.799 tiny wheels. 205 00:10:28.120 --> 00:10:30.440 It's just you know, it's just so no, yeah, you've 206 00:10:30.440 --> 00:10:31.840 got a way up what's right to you. 207 00:10:31.960 --> 00:10:35.159 But I've got the Bugaboo and it's got big wheels 208 00:10:35.200 --> 00:10:39.919 and that tackles ROMs, holes in the ground, cobblestones, uneven 209 00:10:39.960 --> 00:10:43.919 pavement really nicely. So I would say, personally, leave that 210 00:10:44.039 --> 00:10:47.559 yoyo at home and just check your pram into the plane. 211 00:10:47.960 --> 00:10:50.679 And another thing I would also say that I mentioned 212 00:10:50.720 --> 00:10:55.960 briefly before changing tables, So if a new venue opens 213 00:10:56.000 --> 00:10:58.720 in Italy, by law, they need to have a change table. 214 00:10:58.799 --> 00:11:01.320 But that's just if they're prend So if they're not 215 00:11:01.440 --> 00:11:05.600 brand new, they won't necessarily have a change table, or 216 00:11:05.639 --> 00:11:08.279 they'll be down like one thousand steps and you can 217 00:11:08.320 --> 00:11:10.399 just imagine how fun that is taking you a little 218 00:11:10.440 --> 00:11:13.080 baby down like a spiral staircase downstairs. 219 00:11:13.559 --> 00:11:15.679 So what we would do was just easier. 220 00:11:16.080 --> 00:11:18.440 When we had the bassinette part of our prem we 221 00:11:18.440 --> 00:11:21.279 would line it with the towel and we would change 222 00:11:21.320 --> 00:11:24.039 her NAPPI is in that it was just much easier 223 00:11:24.039 --> 00:11:26.519 because yeah, a lot of places don't have change tables. 224 00:11:26.559 --> 00:11:29.000 I would highly recommend, and yeah, bring a really good 225 00:11:29.080 --> 00:11:31.279 nappy bag or dipe a bag. I guess in the 226 00:11:31.399 --> 00:11:34.360 US you might say with an in built changing table 227 00:11:34.360 --> 00:11:36.440 that you can even change them in a park or 228 00:11:36.440 --> 00:11:40.200 something like that. And then just baby specific if you 229 00:11:40.240 --> 00:11:43.919 were breastfeeding as well. Italy is very breastfeeding friendly, so 230 00:11:44.360 --> 00:11:46.960 you don't need to be overset about breastfeeding in public 231 00:11:47.000 --> 00:11:49.799 if that's what you want to do. Obviously, with bottles 232 00:11:49.799 --> 00:11:53.679 that's fine too, So yeah, you can do that absolutely anywhere. 233 00:11:54.000 --> 00:11:57.039 Yeah, I'm getting a bit treated by that stroller conversation. 234 00:11:57.480 --> 00:12:01.120 Can you imagine every meaning store a lot I cannot 235 00:12:01.200 --> 00:12:05.840 speak to but Claren side by side, Oh my gosh, 236 00:12:06.120 --> 00:12:09.279 we watched it was anyway, I'll leave it there. 237 00:12:09.879 --> 00:12:10.120 Yeah. 238 00:12:10.559 --> 00:12:12.200 Just on the pram thing as well, though. 239 00:12:12.320 --> 00:12:15.120 One thing to consider, even though I say no to 240 00:12:15.159 --> 00:12:17.519 the yo yo, just have to think about where your 241 00:12:17.519 --> 00:12:20.759 accommodation is and how big the elevator is, because your 242 00:12:20.799 --> 00:12:23.960 pram might potentially not fit in the elevator and you 243 00:12:24.039 --> 00:12:26.399 might need to fold it up, and I would not 244 00:12:26.480 --> 00:12:30.720 be leaving my pram downstairs in the Airbnb lobby or 245 00:12:30.759 --> 00:12:33.519 anything like. Take it inside with you. It may get 246 00:12:33.679 --> 00:12:36.480 taken otherwise, so just think about that. And also the 247 00:12:36.519 --> 00:12:39.559 size of the door. When we went back to Rome recently, 248 00:12:40.000 --> 00:12:42.840 the stroller would not fit unless it was folded up 249 00:12:43.000 --> 00:12:47.200 through the door, so just think about that as well. Well, 250 00:12:47.320 --> 00:12:48.960 these are things that you don't have to think about 251 00:12:49.000 --> 00:12:50.159 in Australia or the US. 252 00:12:50.799 --> 00:12:52.559 You can become a little bit of a ninja in 253 00:12:52.639 --> 00:12:56.519 just squashing things up. Yeah, any inside to Merkazandre. 254 00:12:57.639 --> 00:13:00.919 One thing I do remember when she was a baby 255 00:13:01.279 --> 00:13:05.279 is so I breastfed for about six months and then 256 00:13:05.360 --> 00:13:08.679 we did switch to a bottle. It became in convenient 257 00:13:08.679 --> 00:13:12.000 a little bit traveling with having to put together formula 258 00:13:12.159 --> 00:13:14.720 and milk and stuff like that or water. But I 259 00:13:14.759 --> 00:13:18.399 do remember actually the one time I decided not to 260 00:13:18.440 --> 00:13:20.759 be shy and just ask a restaurant or even at 261 00:13:20.759 --> 00:13:23.840 the bar in Italy, and they were so accommodating. So 262 00:13:23.919 --> 00:13:26.759 every time we had to just get that situated, I 263 00:13:26.799 --> 00:13:29.200 just popped into a bar restaurant, didn't even really have 264 00:13:29.320 --> 00:13:31.919 to be a patron of the restaurant. Or anything if 265 00:13:31.960 --> 00:13:34.919 it was like an emergency, and everyone was always willing 266 00:13:34.919 --> 00:13:37.039 to help, which is just really nice. And this even 267 00:13:37.080 --> 00:13:40.440 happened in big cities, So even places like touristy places 268 00:13:40.480 --> 00:13:43.279 like Rome where the service isn't always the best or 269 00:13:43.320 --> 00:13:45.799 the friendliest, people were still always willing to help when 270 00:13:45.840 --> 00:13:47.120 they saw that you have a baby. 271 00:13:47.240 --> 00:13:48.720 And oh, it's just this. 272 00:13:48.840 --> 00:13:53.559 Common ground that exists in Italy among everyone for some reason, 273 00:13:53.720 --> 00:13:57.279 which I'm very thankful for. But somehow it's just automatic 274 00:13:57.360 --> 00:13:59.080 in their brains that they're like, yeah, I'm going to 275 00:13:59.159 --> 00:14:01.399 help this person out they have a baby. Maybe I 276 00:14:01.440 --> 00:14:04.320 know what it's like, or I've been around children. That 277 00:14:04.399 --> 00:14:08.440 was actually another thing. Even a teenage boy, for example, 278 00:14:08.480 --> 00:14:11.320 where I grew up in the US, I don't think 279 00:14:11.360 --> 00:14:13.360 any teenage boy if I handed them a baby, they 280 00:14:13.399 --> 00:14:14.879 would be like, what am I supposed to do with this? 281 00:14:15.039 --> 00:14:16.240 I don't even know how to hold this. 282 00:14:16.799 --> 00:14:20.519 However, in Italy, for some reason, even a teenage boy 283 00:14:20.679 --> 00:14:23.080 knows how to interact with a baby. And it to 284 00:14:23.120 --> 00:14:25.159 me it was just like I wasn't used to seeing 285 00:14:25.200 --> 00:14:28.679 that so pretty much obviously was a generalization, but it 286 00:14:28.720 --> 00:14:31.799 holds true for the most part. Pretty much everyone in 287 00:14:31.879 --> 00:14:34.720 Italy just knows how to interact with a baby, and 288 00:14:34.759 --> 00:14:37.080 of course that's going to make any parent or a 289 00:14:37.120 --> 00:14:39.679 new mom just feel a little bit less stressed, a 290 00:14:39.679 --> 00:14:40.759 little bit more at ease. 291 00:14:41.279 --> 00:14:42.879 I love it. It's so good. 292 00:14:43.240 --> 00:14:45.600 So while we're on the babies, before we move on 293 00:14:45.639 --> 00:14:50.559 to toddlers, how about thinking about travel style and thinking 294 00:14:50.600 --> 00:14:52.320 about some of the people that we worked with it 295 00:14:52.440 --> 00:14:55.600 as clients as well. And I probably have a different 296 00:14:55.600 --> 00:14:59.399 travel style to YouTube be simply because we're coming as 297 00:14:59.399 --> 00:15:02.440 a visitor instead of traveling around as family. And so 298 00:15:02.919 --> 00:15:05.320 sometimes if you're coming as a visitor, you really want 299 00:15:05.320 --> 00:15:08.240 to see things, but you've got kids in toe and 300 00:15:08.519 --> 00:15:11.120 how do you manage it? And so for our family, 301 00:15:11.360 --> 00:15:14.639 what I always do is break the day into chunks. 302 00:15:14.639 --> 00:15:17.000 So Mike is always up really early. 303 00:15:17.120 --> 00:15:18.879 So we were like, okay, let's go out and go 304 00:15:18.919 --> 00:15:21.120 for a walk and see everything, which is really great 305 00:15:21.120 --> 00:15:23.000 because there's not as many crowds. 306 00:15:22.600 --> 00:15:24.000 In the big cities at that time. 307 00:15:24.360 --> 00:15:26.919 And then we'd usually do an activity in the morning 308 00:15:26.960 --> 00:15:30.639 that required a bit more brain power concentration if we're 309 00:15:30.639 --> 00:15:32.440 in Rome or being a visit to the coliseum in 310 00:15:32.480 --> 00:15:34.480 the morning, and then in the afternoon we leave it 311 00:15:34.559 --> 00:15:39.480 completely free because there's like for naps and by that 312 00:15:39.519 --> 00:15:42.399 stage I'll be knitting in that too. And as they 313 00:15:42.440 --> 00:15:45.000 got older, what we would do is if we were 314 00:15:45.039 --> 00:15:47.360 staying in the countryside, we would get a place with 315 00:15:47.399 --> 00:15:51.279 a pool and it going between May and October. In Italy, 316 00:15:52.000 --> 00:15:55.080 the pool is your friend. You need a pool and 317 00:15:55.360 --> 00:15:58.519 I cannot stress that enough. It's going to make your 318 00:15:58.559 --> 00:16:02.000 whole trips so much better. Unfortunately in the big cities 319 00:16:02.039 --> 00:16:04.759 there's not so many pools, but that's why you probably 320 00:16:04.759 --> 00:16:07.000 need to get out of the countryside as well. Any 321 00:16:07.200 --> 00:16:12.000 thoughts around structuring days and things like that, people, One 322 00:16:12.000 --> 00:16:12.440 thing that I. 323 00:16:12.480 --> 00:16:14.399 Like to talk about at the early part of the 324 00:16:14.440 --> 00:16:18.799 conversation where I do trip consultations with families is about compromise. 325 00:16:19.240 --> 00:16:22.039 So some parents don't think about what it's actually going 326 00:16:22.080 --> 00:16:24.559 to be like, for example, to go to the Vatican 327 00:16:24.639 --> 00:16:27.879 museums with a young child, until we start talking about 328 00:16:27.879 --> 00:16:30.679 what it's really Then they start to understand that maybe 329 00:16:30.799 --> 00:16:33.840 that's not the best option, and it's maybe not this 330 00:16:33.960 --> 00:16:34.519 time around. 331 00:16:34.559 --> 00:16:36.840 Maybe you can go back when the kids are older. 332 00:16:37.200 --> 00:16:40.200 So having to have more of a realistic idea of 333 00:16:40.200 --> 00:16:42.600 what it's going to be like during the consultations. Once 334 00:16:42.639 --> 00:16:44.840 we can give you more of a realistic idea and 335 00:16:45.039 --> 00:16:48.440 in a picture, then parents need to compromise a tiny bit. 336 00:16:48.919 --> 00:16:53.360 Yeah, time for a quick break shorter than your morning espresso. 337 00:16:57.080 --> 00:16:59.840 If you've been dreaming of experiencing Italy the way it's 338 00:17:00.240 --> 00:17:03.279 to be lived, slow, unhurried and with locals who open 339 00:17:03.360 --> 00:17:06.599 their homes and hearts. Our Untold Italy Tours are now 340 00:17:06.640 --> 00:17:10.559 open for twenty twenty six and beyond. We handle every 341 00:17:10.599 --> 00:17:13.119 detail so you can just show up and soak in 342 00:17:13.160 --> 00:17:16.720 the magic. Spots are limited and many field months in advance. 343 00:17:17.039 --> 00:17:19.480 Check the link in the show notes or visit Untold 344 00:17:19.480 --> 00:17:26.079 Italy tours dot com for details. And actually that's a 345 00:17:26.119 --> 00:17:30.240 really great example because we only took our kids to 346 00:17:30.519 --> 00:17:34.440 the Vatican Museums last year when they were twelve years old, 347 00:17:34.480 --> 00:17:37.000 because I just didn't think they could handle it. It's 348 00:17:37.039 --> 00:17:40.559 a minimum of a three hour expedition depending on when 349 00:17:40.559 --> 00:17:43.759 you go. It's very crowded. And yeah, we had an 350 00:17:43.799 --> 00:17:47.559 amazing guide. And for anyone that's looking for a guide 351 00:17:47.839 --> 00:17:52.000 or a company that does tours, live tours is their tastic. 352 00:17:52.079 --> 00:17:57.000 They do specific family led tours and this guide we had. 353 00:17:56.839 --> 00:17:59.799 She leaned writing to my son's interest in. 354 00:17:59.759 --> 00:18:03.279 Each Gyptology, which you can go into the egypt Room 355 00:18:03.440 --> 00:18:07.039 in the Vatican Museum. So that was really cool. Yeah, fantastic, 356 00:18:07.079 --> 00:18:09.759 and you can get a discount. Actually, if you're booking 357 00:18:10.240 --> 00:18:12.640 with them with code Untold Italy, we'll put that in 358 00:18:12.640 --> 00:18:16.240 the show notes. But definitely, if you're going to these 359 00:18:16.240 --> 00:18:18.799 big sites, it's really worth getting a guide because not 360 00:18:19.039 --> 00:18:22.960 only can they tailor the tour around the kids, but 361 00:18:23.000 --> 00:18:26.000 it gives you the opportunity to enjoy the experience yourself. 362 00:18:26.160 --> 00:18:28.960 So you're going this far and you're giving these kids 363 00:18:29.000 --> 00:18:32.599 this amazing experience, but it's also for you too as parents. 364 00:18:32.640 --> 00:18:35.839 And I think people sometimes say to me, oh, they 365 00:18:35.839 --> 00:18:38.960 will never remember, you know what. They don't remember specifics, 366 00:18:38.960 --> 00:18:42.319 but they remember the vibe. I can't stress this enough. 367 00:18:42.799 --> 00:18:46.519 Soak up everything. And I would say my kids are 368 00:18:47.000 --> 00:18:50.559 very They don't think they're patient, but they're more patient 369 00:18:50.720 --> 00:18:52.160 than used to waiting in lines. 370 00:18:52.599 --> 00:18:55.240 An amazing experience for them. I think I'm preaching to 371 00:18:55.279 --> 00:18:57.000 the choir with you. 372 00:18:56.759 --> 00:18:59.559 Because we're all big travelers and we're all really believing it. 373 00:18:59.599 --> 00:19:04.440 But yeah, it's one thing that I'll never ever regret doing, 374 00:19:04.720 --> 00:19:08.599 is going on troops with the kids. So yeah, yeah, 375 00:19:09.079 --> 00:19:11.960 all right, should we talk about the toddler's the toddler 376 00:19:12.039 --> 00:19:15.680 age where we've got the toddlers entire love the toddlers 377 00:19:16.319 --> 00:19:19.000 in direct Yeah, so I'm a little bit over the hump. 378 00:19:19.079 --> 00:19:22.559 Thankfully she started exclosed September, but we still have our moments. 379 00:19:22.680 --> 00:19:25.200 The toddler age is when they're temperamental. We all know 380 00:19:25.279 --> 00:19:28.720 that they have tantrums, can't really express themselves. So this 381 00:19:28.920 --> 00:19:31.599 is the phase where parents are going to be most 382 00:19:31.839 --> 00:19:34.599 self aware of, like, how do I not annoy every 383 00:19:34.640 --> 00:19:36.319 single person around me? Right? 384 00:19:36.680 --> 00:19:38.599 How do I keep this a little bit in control? 385 00:19:39.000 --> 00:19:44.359 On one side, Italians are very patient and they're accepting 386 00:19:44.440 --> 00:19:47.720 because they just understand kids are being kids, not necessarily 387 00:19:47.720 --> 00:19:50.160 something happened, or you're not a bad parent, or the 388 00:19:50.240 --> 00:19:52.920 kids not bad behave They're just there're three or four. 389 00:19:53.000 --> 00:19:55.839 It's just going to happen, and Italians understand that. But 390 00:19:55.960 --> 00:19:57.839 on the other side, we also want to make sure 391 00:19:57.839 --> 00:19:59.519 that you're setting them up for success. 392 00:19:59.599 --> 00:19:59.799 Right. 393 00:20:00.240 --> 00:20:03.839 So one thing that I particularly seek out when we 394 00:20:03.920 --> 00:20:06.519 travel is restaurants. I always want it to be in 395 00:20:06.559 --> 00:20:09.359 an area where it's ideally in a piazza or there's 396 00:20:09.400 --> 00:20:12.119 a garden or some kind of park just right nearby, 397 00:20:12.640 --> 00:20:15.400 because yes, she's going to eat, but then go go 398 00:20:15.480 --> 00:20:16.000 off and. 399 00:20:16.119 --> 00:20:16.960 Go run around. 400 00:20:17.319 --> 00:20:19.519 Children are going to have a lot of energy at 401 00:20:19.519 --> 00:20:22.319