Off to Parental Leave! The Best Tips for Your Journey

Many young parents spend part of their parental leave on vacation and traveling. Some even venture far away during this time. We'll share the best tips and vacation destinations for your parental leave.

Some may view it critically when young families convert their parental leave into travel time and spend half a year wintering under palm trees. After all, parental leave is meant for new parents to have plenty of time for their newborn. Fathers should help mothers recover from the strains of childbirth and pregnancy, giving them a chance to rest.

There's some truth to that, but let's be honest: does it really matter where and how you spend your parental leave? The main point is that it's done in the company of family. Whether it's near or far-whether in Castrop-Rauxel, the Harz mountains, or New Zealand-the relaxation might be greater abroad than at home.

When traveling together and spending lots of time together, it strengthens the bond. Stefanie Schindler from the family travel blog Adailytravelmate agrees: 'One thing we learned after our first trip: You absolutely have to make the most of parental leave. As a family, traveling together is the key. The reason for us was: We found each other again; this experience brought us closer together.'

Plus, modern men interpret their roles as fathers differently from their own fathers. Those who find it normal to manage the household and change the baby's diaper do so even when far from home.

In general: Good planning pays off during vacation, especially when you are traveling for the first time as a family of three (or with a newborn and its siblings). Regardless of whether you're gone for a few weeks or much longer.

As parents, you know best how your baby will react-whether it will be completely relaxed or not. Still, you should only go on tour when your child is fully healthy. So be sure to visit the pediatrician before your trip. A long trip with a newborn is not advisable because many check-ups are required in the first weeks after birth. Use that time to get to know each other at a comfortable pace. A little rest after giving birth is very beneficial for the mother.

In the second month of life, you might visit grandma, but you should still not expose your child or yourselves to long distances. The next two months are the ideal time to go on a well-deserved vacation: The baby sleeps a lot and needs little entertainment. If you plan to travel between the fifth and seventh months, you should prepare the trip well: Babies sleep less, need more attention, and want to move more. And all of that increases as your child gets older.

A shorter vacation nearby has its advantages. Cautious parents appreciate that they can quickly return home if the weather doesn't cooperate or the baby can't settle down-plus a doctor speaking their language is always nearby.

In the Black Forest, Allgäu, or at the Alps, you'll have wonderful holidays on the farm. The same goes for the East and North Seas, with great sandy beaches and the ocean. You can stay at campsites, hotels, or vacation homes-depending on your budget and personal preference. Your baby won't care where it sleeps, eats, coos, or cries. And you don't need to worry about incompatible food or exotic diseases in your own country.

If you're not drawn to busy cities, parental leave can be enjoyed relaxed by the sea or in the countryside of Southern Europe. You can easily reach Italy and Croatia by car. Practically, many babies fall asleep in the car once the engine starts. However, it doesn't always work that way, as travel blogger Stefanie and her husband learned during their journey across Europe: 'It was completely different from what we thought! Because we had only heard how much babies love car rides, we had rented a camper van before the birth. We traveled from Lake Garda through Tuscany and the Cinque Terre to Elba, and then to the Côte d'Azur, the Camargue, and the Ardèche. Only, our baby hated the car rides!'

Still, their six-week road trip was fantastic. 'That was a time I wouldn't want to miss for anything. Of course, it was tiring at times. Having a baby is certainly an adjustment that challenges you now and then. Why should it be any different when traveling with a baby?' said Stefanie.

Traveling to Greece and Spain by car is already more challenging. Here, you should take the plane to avoid endless car rides or ferry trips. 'Some babies love flying, sleep throughout the flight, and only fuss when they're hungry. And after breastfeeding, they fall right back asleep,' says Stefanie from Adailytravelmate. 'But since all babies are different, there's no guarantee! For instance, we didn't fly at all with our world travel baby in his first year; I just didn't think I could handle it. After that, traveling by plane was quite relaxed.'

Flying with your baby to Australia or America is only relaxing if your child is neither teething nor suffering from severe digestive issues. The flight to Vancouver, for example, takes eleven and a half hours-that's even too long for some adults!

But if your baby is healthy, there's no reason not to fly on vacation soon. However, most airlines recommend traveling only when the child is at least one-or better yet-two weeks old. You should always remember that traveling with older children is easier than with very young ones. And if the baby cries on the plane? 'I think the flight attendants are quite relaxed about that. There are certainly often crying or screaming babies. Well, and the other passengers: don't let yourself be pressured and don't start a discussion. That applies anywhere, not just on the plane,' says Stefanie.

Sure, it's a long way to New Zealand (and it's not exactly cheap), which is why you should bring more time in your carry-on. However, it's simply stunning there. Plus, unlike Australia, there are no dangerous animals. The best way to explore New Zealand with a baby is by renting a camper van or RV.

Thailand is a very popular travel destination, not only for regular tourists. Parents with small children can feel safe choosing Thailand as their destination too. This is partly because there's a good tourist infrastructure. Additionally, medical care in Thailand, especially in the big cities, is also excellent. The seaside destinations with their beaches are a paradise for the entire family.

The USA and Canada are also preferred travel destinations for families on parental leave. No wonder, as these vast countries offer pretty much everything: wide and desolate landscapes, mountains, sandy beaches, and many interesting metropolises teeming with life. The best way to discover the USA and Canada is by RV.

Regardless of your chosen destination, you should definitely plan your trip before the baby arrives. Because after that, you certainly won't have the time. When their child was one year old, Stefanie first flew with her husband and child on vacation. She always had a backpack with her. 'It contained diapers, wipes, a changing pad, snacks, warm socks, spare clothes, a hat, and toys. In the plane, you can access everything quickly. And you can get through the airport much easier: carry the child in front of you and the backpack behind. I also find it practical that you can use the backpack on vacation too-this minimizes your luggage!'

With parental leave, you can temporarily pause your employment, and there's special protection against termination. Whether mother or father: both parents have the right to parental leave until their child turns three. Both can simultaneously take up to three years of parental leave. During this time, they can either work part-time up to 30 hours a week or be fully released from work. The employment relationship remains in place during this time and after parental leave, there is a right to return to previous working hours.

Parents can thus take parental leave for up to three years-each parent. The situation is different for parental allowance, which everyone is entitled to who goes on parental leave. With parental allowance, you can compensate for your income that is not available while you care for your child after birth. The state pays parental allowance from birth for up to twelve months for one parent and up to 14 months if the other parent also takes at least two months of parental leave. Parents can divide the 14 months freely among themselves. The amount of parental allowance is 65 to 100 percent of the lost income-depending on the previous income level. Parents with higher incomes receive 65 percent, while parents with lower incomes receive up to 100 percent of that previous income.

For more information about parental leave and parental allowance, you can visit the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women, and Youth.