More and more families are traveling again but getting back out there isn’t quite as simple as it was before the global coronavirus pandemic began.
With mask mandates for travelers still in place on airlines, trains and public transportation, families traveling with small children who want to enjoy a family getaway must first figure out how to get their toddlers and small children to wear a mask.
Such was the scenario for mom Stephanie Hodges-Dunivan (who also happens to be an ESSENCE staffer) when she was faced with getting her daughter Alice, 3, to wear her mask. Alice wasn’t so into the idea at first, so mom decided to tap into her daughter’s love for Disney princesses to help her get on board.
Hodge-Dunivan went all out, got dressed up as Princess Tiana from Disney’s The Princess and The Frog and tweaked the lyrics to the movie’s hit song “Almost There” (originally sung by Anika Noni Rose) to help teach her daughter the importance of wearing a mask.
What happened next will warm your heart twice over. Watch as mom, err, Princess Tiana, surprises little Alice with a sweet visit and serenade and see Alice change her attitude about masks. Of course, the fact that mom, who’s also a singer and songwriter, can really blow, only helped to seal the deal. Warning: Your heart will flutter when you watch this video.
To all the moms dealing with little ones who just can’t seem to get used to traveling in a mask, you may want to take a page from Hodges-Dunivan’s book and get ready to grab the mic and play dress up.