“Mark Oldershaw bringing young family to Olympics despite Zika threat,” reads the headline. “Canadian canoeist ‘confident’ that situation in Rio under control.”
Travelling with a baby, despite what you’ve read and what you’ve heard, is never as easy as it sounds. There are mini meltdowns and major tantrums. You may (will?) experience delays, cancellations and the dreaded plane descent. And if you’re really, really unlucky, a diaper blowout. Or two. (Always pack an extra set of clothing!)
But does that deter millions of parents from travelling with their young ones? Not on your life. Family travel offers a wealth of experiences and the memories made will last a lifetime (at least for mom and dad!). And for Mark Oldershaw, a third generation Olympian and the fifth member of his family to compete at the Games, family travel means having his infant daughter cheering him on in Brazil.
“Excited to have them there in the crowd,” Oldershaw said in a phone interview with the CBC, as part of a sponsorship with Pampers.
Now, while some athletes had expressed reservations about going to Brazil, with some even pulling out of the Games, the Oldershaw family’s plans did not change.
“We know that the COC and International Olympic Committee is very on top of it and making sure that it will be safe for athletes,” said the native of Burlington, Ontario. “I’m very confident it will be safe for me and Annamay (his wife) and (his daughter) Josephine.” …