Jet Lag, Joyrides, and Journeying With a Toddler- Issue #17

This note is coming to you a little later than planned—and I’m placing full blame on jet lag. The kind that makes you forget what time it is, what day it is, and why your toddler is wide awake at 2 a.m. playing like it was the middle of a sunny afternoon. We just returned from a long trip to India, and while my bags are unpacked, my internal clock… is not. Still, I wanted to share this while the memories (and sleep deprivation) are fresh—because traveling internationally with a toddler is equal parts chaos, discovery, and unexpected learning.

We made the trip to reconnect with family and friends after years away, and it was deeply special seeing my toddler experience his parents home country for the first time. But let’s start with the obvious:

International flights with little ones are not for the faint-hearted. What helped us most were tiny, new surprises—stickers, small toys, coloring books—but I’ll be honest: the real MVP was in-flight entertainment. I usually keep screen time limited, but on long flights? The seatback TV was a gift. My toddler happily alternated between cartoons, snacks, and mini activities, and giving him that freedom kept all of us calmer.

A second lifesaver? Snacks he already loved plus a few “special trip snacks.” Familiar flavors kept him grounded when everything else felt unfamiliar.

And that personality is unpredictable. Toddlers don’t understand time zones—they just know when their little bodies say “awake.” The first few nights were rough: awake between midnight and 4 a.m. as if he had signed up for a night shift.

What helped us reset gently:

It didn’t solve jet lag instantly, but it eased the chaos.

My son didn’t care about monuments or tours. What he did care about was the auto.
That bright yellow-and-green, breezy, slightly bumpy ride became the highlight of his entire trip. The first time he sat in one, I think he just fell in love with the whole experience—the breeze, the noise, the novelty of it all. After that, nothing beat autos. Every outing began with, “Auto? Auto?” with the kind of urgency adults reserve for coffee.

If you’ve ever watched your toddler reject a perfectly normal meal, only to scarf down something you grew up eating, you know the feeling—it hits straight in the heart.

Enter parathas.

Warm, soft parathas made lovingly by grandmothers? Magical. My son, who sometimes looks suspiciously at air, ate them with enthusiasm I’ve never seen. There’s something beautiful about watching your child enjoy the foods that shaped his parents childhood.

The biggest learning—not surprising, but deeply felt—was how naturally toddlers fold themselves into family, even after long stretches apart. My son settled in instantly, as if he’d known everyone all along. He giggled nonstop, shared his snacks like they were rare treasures, and moved from person to person without hesitation. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins—he absorbed every bit of their affection. They didn’t just welcome him; they wrapped him into the everyday rhythm of home so effortlessly that it felt like we’d never been away.

I found that the best travel tool wasn’t something I packed—it was flexibility.
Plans shifted. Bedtimes stretched. Routines wobbled. And instead of fighting it, leaning into the fluidity made the trip sweeter. Toddlers adapt faster when we do.

Coming back has been a blend of joy and exhaustion. Traveling with a toddler is never a “vacation,” but it is an invitation—to see the world through their bright, curious eyes. India was loud and colorful and warm, and he embraced every bit of it, even the small, simple joys we adults often overlook.

So yes, this note is late. And yes, we’re still recovering from the time-zone gymnastics. But my heart is full, and I’m grateful we made the trip.

If you’re planning international travel with your toddler, know this: it won’t be perfect. But it will be memorable—and dotted with tiny moments of magic.

Until next time (hopefully with better sleep),
Aradhana
Creator, Modern Mom Notes