The 1 Item Parents Will Never, Ever Travel Without

Traveling with kids is hardly a simple endeavor. The disruption in routine and logistical challenges can be enough to call off the whole trip.

But there are ways to make the experience a little smoother and more enjoyable — and a lot of it starts with the packing process.

HuffPost asked parents to share the one thing they always make sure to pack when they travel with their children to make the experience smoother and more enjoyable. Here’s what they had to say:

“As a mother of a 3-year-old and an infant, the one item I always bring with me is my baby monitor and camera and the chargers for them. I like to book suites or vacation rentals with private pools, so that my husband and I can have the kids sleeping or napping in one room and we watch movies in the living room, or relax in the private pool or jacuzzi.

Having the baby monitor allows us to do this while still monitoring and listening to the kids. We put the kids to sleep in the pack and play, turn the noise machine on, and set up the camera, and then we can utilize the rest of the house or suite and enjoy our vacation too.” ― Stephanie Claytor, founder of the travel brand Blacktrekking

“We always take a kids travel journal with us so that our boys can record all their adventures. Rather than a formatted journal with daily prompts, we prefer a standard notebook as this allows for more creative freedom. Some days they may just want to write a line or two, other days they may want to draw a picture or stick in tickets, and other days they may be inspired to write pages and pages. With a standard notebook they can write what they want when they want. And we always have glue and scissors at the ready to stick things in.” ― Jenny Lynn, blogger at TraveLynn Family

“We never travel without the special stuffed animals that the kids sleep with so they feel some comfort from home during naps on the go or unexpected delays.” ― Caroline Hershey, blogger at Jet With a Set

“I’d say I’d never travel without quick-dry alcohol ear drops to prevent ear infections you can get from lakes, pools or ocean spots on the road. Kids can get screaming ear infections, because of their short tubes, and sitting in urgent care can ruin your whole day and cut a trip short. And you only have so many days for vacation.” ― Maria De La O., editor at Roam Family Travel

“Snacks are a must-have to keep hunger at bay and avoid any mid-flight…