Top air travel tips for parents of toddlers, small kids - msnbc.com |
| Top air travel tips for parents of toddlers, small kids - msnbc.com Posted: 19 Dec 2010 10:41 PM PST Dear Kristen, We are going to be visiting my in-laws this Christmas season. I have three kids age six and under, and this will be the first flight we've taken with all three. How do I manage flying without a meltdown? -- Allison Dear Allison, Here are some tips for saving your sanity (and the sanity of those around you) on a flight with your kids: 1. Plan ahead. It might be too late for this trip, but when you are planning your trip, keep your sleeping schedule in mind. I have found that planning a flight with the though that your children will "just sleep on the plane" is a recipe for tired, screaming kids. Just as for adults, kids can have a hard time falling asleep on a plane, so it's best to fly during the times that your kids are most rested. For our family, that means avoiding any early-morning flights that require us to wake up in the wee hours. And a red-eye? Not any time soon. 2. Gate-check the stroller. If your kids are under 4, using a stroller to lug your children (and your bags) can be a helpful way to navigate through the airport. You can take the stroller all the way up to the entrance of the plane, and you can "gate check" it for no charge just before you board. That way, you can use the stroller up until the last minute. 3. Research your car-seat. Not all car seats are FAA compatible and may not be allowed on the plane. If that is the case, you are better off checking it instead of carrying it around the airport and trying to stow it as a carry-on. Most airlines will check car seats without a fee. However, if your car seat is allowed, it can be really nice to have that five-point harness on a long flight! 4. Strategize for security. For me, the most difficult part of the flying experience is getting through that TSA line. Be prepared before you even leave the house. Be aware that many typical diaper-bag items are considered a "liquid or gel" and therefore must be in a see-through bag (and 4oz or under) as they go through security. Have everything of the lotion variety in travel sizes, and packed into a Ziploc that you can pull out quickly. Airlines can be picky about formula and juice, so you may want to give yourself extra time to get through security and buy or mix these items on the other side. Also, keep your kids in shoes that are easy to get on and off, and remove jackets and slings before the security line. 5. Pack toys that travel well. Not every toy is an airplane toy -- and my kids are known to drop things that go rolling down the aisle, never to be seen again. A trip to the store beforehand for a few new items or coloring books can be very helpful, and a portable DVD player can be a lifesaver. I like to let each child carry their own backpack with a few small action figures, a few new coloring books, and a couple books they really like. 6. Assume the worst. When it comes to travel by air, anything can happen. You never know when you might be delayed for hours at the airport, stuck in a layover city overnight, or sitting on the tarmac for an hour after your flight. You also never know if your child will experience motion sickness (a lesson I learned the hard way) and ruin both their clothing and your own in a confined space. Pack accordingly -- it's better to be over-prepared than without food or diapers in a pinch. Make concessions for the fact that you may not have time to buy food, or that you could end up spending the night with only your carry-on as luggage. Bring a change of clothes and extra food and diapers for emergencies. 7. Keep your cool. Even with the best-laid plans, you may find yourself with a bored or tired child who decided to test out his lungs on the plane. It happens...and the worst thing you can do is react emotionally because it will only heighten the frustration level for your child. Apologize to the people around you, do what you can to soothe your child, and tell yourself that you are doing the best you can. It's all you can do -- and a child's meltdown does not need to be followed up with a meltdown of your own. Remind yourself that at some point the flight will end, and do your best to ignore the glances from strangers because stressing out about how others are perceiving your family will only make things worse. Tell me: how to you keep your sanity when flying with children? Do you have any tips or tricks for making the flight more enjoyable? Leave your thoughts in the comments below. Take It or Leave It is an advice column by Kristen Howerton, family therapist, mother of four, and author of Rage Against the Minivan. Kristen lives in Costa Mesa, where she spends her days strategizing how to keep her family of six happy, healthy, and chaos-free. She is rarely successful on that last one, but she is enjoying the journey. Here, she shares her best parenting hacks and invites readers for their input into common parenting concerns. If you have a parenting question for Kristen, email her at ocmoms@ocregister.com. More on family and parenting: Visit OC Moms for deals, events, features, contests, and news & information just for moms. Find OC Moms on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @themomblog. You can also sign up for the weekly OC Moms newsletter. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
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