We are going to DL for the second time with our two year old twins next week and I am looking for any tips to make the stuff we have to bring more managable. The girls are potty training (yeah:( ) so that adds a new layer of stress to the trip. I am a little OCD about germs so hotels are hard any way so I was wondering what other parents do about the room itself, potty training and just general tips to make things a little easier. Thanks for your help, I have learned so much from all of you.

Invest in mulitple packs of the wipes that have the antibacterial stuff on them...I don't even have toddlers and I always have a pack of wipes in my bags....for the hotel itself, a can of lysol ...yeah they clean but you get in there and spray the joint down and you'll feel a lot more comfortable. Not that you don't already need a small trailer to tote all the stuff needed for a toddler, much less twins, bringing their own potty chair/s is a 'must' if you plan to work on the potty training or just go back to pull ups and ground zero and start over after vacation.

potty training and just general tips to make things a little easier.

Use the baby care center potties when you're in the park. They disinfect them after every use. The Center ladies have a spray bottle of disinfectant and they spray and wipe the toilets down.

Adrienne

I've read some posts by some very smart parents here, that the automatic toilets sometimes are an issue for the kids - put a sticker over the eye to keep it from flushing on them!

I second the covering up of the auto toilet's "eye." I'll have a pack of the smallest post-it's handy in my bag for those times.

The websites www.onestepahead.com and the older kids version at leapsandbounds.com have lots of good travel stuff. I know they have collapsable toilet covers, that go on a regular toilet to make the seat smaller and then fold into a small pouch. I'd bring lots of extra clothes and undies/pull ups, and maybe a few small toys for the hotel room. I also keep in my diaper bag stain remover and a waterproof zip bag for dirty clothes.

When we stay at BWPPI this past May, we brought our kid's step stool from home. It made them more comfortable using the bathroom at the hotel (they used it to step-up to the toilet like they do at home) and allowed them to reach the sink too, just like at home. We also brought those little sample bottles of Purell Hand Sanitizer Gel with to use (with toilet paper) to wipe down at seats we needed to. That also works great to prevent germs on little hands since it air-dries very quickly.

I have OCD when it comes to germs. I have a hospital grade antiseptic cleaner that I carry with me and wipe down the basic stuff in the hotel, such as the remote for the TV, door knobs, phone etc. I HAVE watched way to many 20/20 specials about the stuff found on comforters of even the nicest hotels!
I recommend bringing their own potty seat if you can. But I second the motion about using the Baby Care Centers in the parks. They are very clean, and usually pretty quiet, so they can concentrate.

I've read some posts by some very smart parents here, that the automatic toilets sometimes are an issue for the kids - put a sticker over the eye to keep it from flushing on them!


This is one of the best things I have read! My DS4 hates the automatic flushers. What a grat idea- thanks!

Thank you all so much! Your ideas will make this journey a little easier.:D

Don't be discouraged if they don't do well with the potty training for the trip. They will probably be 'distracted'

While cleanliness is a big concern, a bigger one is safety. Most of the hotel rooms, on the second floor or higher, have small balconies, usually with a couple of chairs or a small table . Even small children can usually unlock the sliding door, and climbing on a chair, which can put them at or above railing level, is a big temptation. Do something to block their access to the balcony, if there is one, so you don't have to worry every time you go into the bathroom or even sleep later than they do. There may be some sort of stick or similar item you can bring with you, to prevent them from opening the sliding door.