By Katy
So we weren’t originally sure if we would be able to go on holiday this summer what with toilet training combined with potential speech therapy. However, after about two days of toilet training Hector seemed to be doing amazingly well and so we decided we would risk going away.
Possibly because Disney is so familiar Hector did really well for the first few days with no accidents on the first day at all. And even after that he still did really well but a few things really hindered us.
- Hector refuses to speak and so we can only guess when he needs to go
- Toilets in China are variable and sometimes there are only squats
- The carrier makes it even harder to know when he actually needs to go!
- No easy access to laundry facilities (no Jihua I’m not paying 12RMB for one pair of socks!)
This results in needing both a potty in a box and what we commonly refer to as ‘the frog’. The latter is amazing as it takes up so little space and thoroughly recommended for those who always have access to civilised toilets!
By the end of the trip we had really admitted defeat and done what everyone had told us not to and resorted to nappies. But I’m pleased to report that this did not have the catastrophic effect that is often implied. After a day he is already nearly back on track.
We have always been able to do pretty much what we would otherwise have done due to the carrier. However now that Hector is 12.4 kilos it’s becoming too much for Tom as I can’t manage to carry him at all particularly when we do things like walk up Tai shan! So we now need to train hector to tolerate baby reigns. We have resisted this for a long time as he hates it so much but the speed Hector runs at means that letting him walk is not safe otherwise!
Our other challenge has been hotel rooms. As mentioned previously we tried to stay in suites but Hector is pretty resistant to going to sleep in new places. Then there is the fear that he will break or damage something. Probably the worst one was him finding a pen and attacking the sheets but there were others…
All this might lead people to wonder why we bother to travel with a child at all. I think we are something of a rarity, many of our colleagues with children don’t travel the way we do. But for us this is why we came here. We want to experience everything as a family. I’m often amazed when I stop and think how many countries Hector has already been to (UK, Canada, Vietnam, Belgium, Thailand, Cambodia, France and China). And ultimately it makes it simultaneously more enjoyable and more stressful!
The Hopkins of Hangzhou 