I read an article this week titled 10 Rules for Flying With Small Children, in a travel publication. It contained some of the worst advice I’ve heard for families traveling. Starting with “ Seriously, if you can avoid it, just stay home.” followed by “For your own sanity, it’s never worth it.” the article went down hill from there. As a result, this week I wanted to share my own advice on how to fly with small children that I hope is more useful than “just stay home.”
There’s a big world out there for you to share with your children, there’s so much to show them beyond a theme park. Don’t be afraid to go see it!
Children are much more resilient than we give them credit for, they are also mirrors of our own anxieties and moods. Perhaps you are anxious or apprehensive about flying with your little one? They will pick up on those insecurities and make for a potentially bumpy ride. On the other hand, if you prepare them for their flight, let them know what to expect and how fun it’s going to be for everyone the whole mood of the trip will change. That’s not to say there won’t be the possibility of trepidation, but if you go into things thinking positively you’ve got a better chance at a good flight than if you go in expecting the worst.
Make flying fun for your kids, my daughter first flew before she was a year old on a few short, pleasant flights. By the time she was two she knew the boarding procedures and would immediately sit down, buckle up and exclaim “take off!” She had experienced consistency during all of her flights. She knew what to expect as we approached the security check points, she knew what we expected of her on board the aircraft and she had snacks and activities to keep her entertained during the flight.
One of the things that we found useful was to keep an activity bag in her suitcase that we used only when traveling. We quickly discovered that items such as a magna doodle or, as she got older, story cubes were a great way to pass the time as we traveled.
We also found that if our daughter had her own suitcase, in our case a Trunki®, that she was responsible for it was easier for us to navigate the airport. Trunki®was fantastic, when she was younger, because she could ride on it, while being pulled by Mom or Dad, she could pull it, or propel it with her feet when we had time to kill. Trunki® was a big hit in many airports.
Should your child be one who works best in familiar situations and those he or she is comfortable in or used to, perhaps an FAA approved car seat is the answer for you. Kids are used to having the structure of a car seat nearly every day. Put them in an airplane without one and they might feel uneasy, but if they have their familiar seat and are buckled in things could be much easier for everyone involved.
Many airports have play areas that can be used during longer layovers, find them and use them, they are a great way to help your little one use up some energy that they have built up from sitting on the plane.
What if you get stuck in the airport longer than expected? That’s where your preparation as a parent comes in. I don’t think there’s a parent in an airport anywhere that doesn’t have enough snacks to feed an entire plane for at least 12 hours, we all travel with much more than we’ll ever need in a normal situation, that’s just smart parenting. But, we also travel with extra diapers and extra outfits not just for Jr., but for Mom and Dad as well.
Other handy things to keep in the diaper bag or carry on include things like a deflated beach ball. With airports having more and more gates that are no longer in service, it’s easy to find some open space in the airport, should you be caught in an unexpected delay. Simply blow up the beach ball and you’ve got instant entertainment if the need arises.
Remember, even though liquids over 3 ounces are not allowed through security by standard travelers, there are exceptions made for people traveling with infants and small children. Another good idea is to bring along an empty water bottle. Once you have cleared the TSA checkpoint you can fill it at a water fountain.
The majority of your family’s travel experience is what you make of it, as I said above, if you go in expecting the worst, that’s what you’ll get. A positive attitude will get you pretty far these days and it will let you experience new places, new cultures and new horizons with your children. Nothing can replace those memories you make together, whether riding a camel as a family in Africa or surviving an unexpected 9 hour delay in Chicago’s O’Hare airport alone with your toddler. The worst thing you can do is “just stay home.”
If you are ready to capture the memories that only a family vacation can provide, I would love to help. Contact me or one of the other travel professionals at Slaydon’s Travel. We can make sure your vacation provides memories to last a lifetime.
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