Blog me happy – Jetsetting Kids

I am beyond excited this week to feature one of my first insta blogger buddies, Paula from Jetsetting Kids for my second instalment of “Blog me happy”. Paula and I connected on Instagram over our passion and love for travelling! And we have been great friends ever since.

Her blog and Instagram feed is filled with amazing travel tips and hints as well as features on beautiful hotels, resorts and super fun travelling activities for kids. She has built a truly wonderful Instagram community where mamas share travel tips, ask her for advice on travel destinations or share amusing travel anecdotes! I love that Paula also keeps it real with some hilarious mama jokes and memes to keep you smiling on her Instagram feed.

I was super excited then to get to know Paula a little bit more and find out about her love and passion for Jetsetting Kids.

Paula

Q1. For myself as a blogger I believe to continue with all those long hours and late nights blogging,  you have to be passionate about your subject. What ignited your passion to start Jetsetting Kids back in 2014 and did you think you would gain such a gorgeous following and community when you began?

Thanks Lizzie, it’s been an amazing journey so far and I had no idea that sharing our adventures would lead to so many new friendships and opportunities.  I started Jetsetting Kids initially as an Instagram account to share our trips and experiences travelling with our two children (now 6 & 4) with friends and family.  Quite early on our account got the attention of some amazing followers who helped share our story. It seemed that everyone was looking for the same thing – how to survive take off to touch down and continue travelling with kids in tow.

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Q2. You don’t only take care of “Jetsetting Kids”,  you also have a day job, tell us a bit about that?

I’m one of those annoying people who ‘likes to keep to busy’ but is dosed up to the eyeballs with coffee.  For the first six month’s of Jetsetting Kids I was working full-time for an amazing organisation that I’ve been with now for almost 14 years.   My experience has always been in Operations & Marketing and managing teams of people; but like lots of mum’s when my eldest started school I decided to take a step back and focus on “homelife”.

 I was fortunate to be offered a casual position for the company that I love so much and the opportunity to work school hours (20 hours a week over 4 days) with a flexible arrangement to be able to travel when we need to. I still get to do what I love there, be a mum and run Jetsetting Kids.

Things sometimes get a bit tough when Mr JSK is out of town (he travels frequently overseas for work) but I’ve learnt to be organised and have a pretty good routine going with the boys. Being a Virgo helps 😉

Q3. What has been your most exciting “wow” moment blogging at “Jetsetting Kids” thus far on your journey?

Honestly it’s the opportunity to build memories that our family won’t forget. I’m a firm believer that it’s never too early to take your children on a trip. A lot of parents ask me what’s the right age to take their child to Disneyland as an example and I know what they are thinking. It’s a big expense and big effort to go to for a 3 year old or younger who may not even remember it.  It’s my belief that every moment builds personality and character and although they may not remember the details of the holiday, the feeling will be with them for life.

For me that’s pretty “wow” …

ANNNDDDDD so was meeting all the Master Chef judges last week and more at Brisbane’s Regional Flavour’s food and wine event.  #justsaying! 🙂 I’m not sure how I’ve been so lucky to do the things that we do but am ever grateful for the opportunity and the chance to share our experiences with others.

Masterchefs and Paula

Q4. What are your top 3 favourite holiday destinations with kids and without?

With Kids
1. Orlando, USA
2. Dubai, UAE
3. Tokyo, Japan
4. Can I pick a fourth…please…we really loved Fiji.  For Australian families this is an easy, relaxing holiday you can take with kids and enjoy a 5 star life.

*My husband would like to add Colombo Sri Lanka to this list… he’s been, we haven’t but he tell’s me this trip is a must and wants to book it!

*Annnnnd I’d like to add “anywhere on a cruise ship”.  Honestly, cruising is the best holiday that we have ever taken with kids.  We cannot wait to get back onboard locally with either Royal Caribbean or Carnival/P&O. These two companies are taking the cruise industry ahead in leaps and bounds and the stuff they are developing for kids and families is just sensational!

Without Kids
1. Santorini, Greece
2. Langkawi, KL
3. Barcelona, Spain

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Q5. We both have beautiful boys of the same age, 6 and 4 (almost 7 and 5), how do you keep your energetic kids entertained on a long haul flight? What are your top tricks on surviving the flight?

Preparation is key!  I have a backpack filled with activities for them to play with (puzzles, colouring, stickers, a lightweight book, lego – anything light weight and most of which is disposable), snacks and a fully loaded iPad (games and movies) with kids headphones.  My plan when I get on the plane is this….the backpack with the goods in it stays with me.  I hand out what they play with next and it’s strictly one activity at a time.  When they finish with that, then they are allowed the next one – but only if I think they’ve full exhausted what they could do with each item.  Yes…I run the flight like a military operation.

I buy a lot of the activities they play with at dollar stores so i’m happy to throw them out when they are done with them. I carry in our checked bagged fresh activities for the flight home, along with another lot of goodies to play with in the hotel room.

On the plane I also have neck pillows for sleep time along with earplanes (protection for ears…a life saver) and gum for take off and landing.

Keeping the boys comfortable is a must. I carry with me a change of clothes (usually PJs on a long flight and we change them straight into these), panadol and vapourrub. This is usually enough to get us out of trouble if they aren’t feeling well.

I also don’t worry about what anyone else things. A lot of parents ask if they should put together ‘i’m sorry i’m travelling with my child’ packs for the passengers around them. I say no!  As long as you are doing your best to look after your child and aren’t letting them run wild on the plane taking over the aisles like a running a track or kicking the seat in front of them, then you have nothing to apologise for.

One final note – don’t rely on the plane to deliver a kids meal.  I’ve been on flights and this didn’t arrive. I was lucky that my kids eat practically anything but I like to let families know that they should carry a backup.  Some airlines have jars of baby food on board but you don’t want to risk it.

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Q6. What toys do your children keep coming back to, time and time again?

They LOVE LEGO and building things.  Whether its train tracks, blocks, magforma’s – my floor is always covered in bits and pieces that will form their bigger creations! 🙂

Q7. What are three helpful tips you have to a blogger who is just starting out?

Find your voice and stick to it and your community will grow.  Find others with values the same as yours and collaborate with them and always have in the back of your mind how you can help people.

My favourite thing about Jetsetting Kids is being able to “point people in the right direction”. I definitely don’t have all the answers but I know who to call on for help.Supporting others and helping them to find a solution for their family whether it’s ‘what holiday to go on’, ‘ what airline to pick’, ‘what products to take’ is what I love.

For anyone reading this, feel free to email me at anytime time with any question you have about travel and i’ll see if I can help.

Q8. How would you describe your perfect Sunday?

Chilled but not at home! We live in Brisbane, Australia which is perfectly located between the Gold and Sunshine Coasts in Queensland. My ideal Sunday is waking up to a water view in either Caloundra or Broadbeach/Surfers Paradise.

We usually like to try new and amazing breakfast places on a Sunday (if you can’t tell from my photo i’m a foodie!) and then ‘run the boys like greyhounds’ at an amazing playground or park. Bikes and scooters are always in boot and ready to take us on local adventures.

Our perfect Sunday is anywhere we are together, and any place we can see and do something new.

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Ahh and after that feature you can see why I have adored Paula from the outset, so kind, generous and a great sense of humour! Not to mention a great business acumen.

So please show some love for the ever inspiring, super passionate and gorgeous Paula from Jetsetting Kids!

Disclosure:- there is no compensation for this feature, just lots of love from one blogger to another.