The Newbie’s Guide to Surviving a Plane Ride with (Really) Little Kids
There are few things better than a family vacation. The problem is, you have to get there first. Starting a vacation off with a rocky trip really puts a damper on the entire experience. And then you have to survive the trip home.
Six years ago, we took our first (and at the time, only) child on our first flight together as a family. Since then, we’ve flown multiple times with three children under the age of 6. Those first trips were… interesting. Lugging three car seats, two strollers, multiple carry-ons and a checked bag or two across the airport while juggling multiple personalities is pretty much the seventh level of hell. We’ve made lots of mistakes, and had more than a few wins. Today I’m here to give you all the dirty details on how to make your next flight a smooth one.
Schedule your flight for naps or when your child(ren) is/are (generally) most content.
I’ve got a few kids. So it’s inevitable that I’ve been the parent with an angry, tired, overstimulated baby on a plane. Most people just ignored it, but there were some people who were really irritated. I felt terrible but also annoyed myself when I overheard some older lady suggest my toddler was “hungry” while I had a boob shoved in her mouth for the better part of 45 minutes. Had she only just looked over. I ended up shutting myself into the tiny bathroom and nursing/bouncing/swaying for like 20 minutes until she fell asleep.
On the flip side, I’ve also been the parent who had such well behaved little people that everyone got off the plane either thoroughly impressed or feeling like shit about their own parenting. It’s a total toss up. The only thing you can do is plan your flights for when your child is generally feeling their best and hope. For us, that means going early in the morning, but not so early we have to wake someone up because that’ll make motion sickness worse. Ask me how I know.
If you can’t do this, don’t fly. It makes such a difference when they have their own space to wiggle when they need to. If they are in your lap, it gives you extra space to put their crap. And it just isn’t safe to hold them during turbulence, which brings me to the next point…
Bring your own car seat.
Lots of parents don’t. I almost didn’t, too. But then I read lots of articles about it and traveling without a car seat just doesn’t feel safe to me. All I could envision was hitting turbulence or needing to make an emergency landing and my little peanut sliding up under the chairs somewhere. I’ve also hit insane turbulence with little kids on a plane and was glad they weren’t in my arms. Beyond that, having the smells of their own car seat helps them stay calm. That’s my two cents on it, anyway. You are the sole mitigator of risk for your family.
If you have a larger family, book two rows together.
This seems really obvious. But there are two ways you can do this. You can have your partner across the aisle from you, which works out really well if you need an extra set of hands or you need to pass a baby. Or, you can have your partner in front of you, which works out really well if the kids in your row can’t handle themselves and refrain from seat-kicking. You know your kids and your situation best, so give it some consideration and make the best decision for your crew.
I’m not kidding when I say I can get five people into one suitcase for an entire week. I issue uniforms, adopt a Marie-Kondo style folding method, and it somehow all comes together magically. It can be done. And keeping things light makes the trip across the airport infinitely easier.
But take advantage of all the airline’s kids perks.
Airlines will often let you bring a stroller or whatever free. Utilize that perk. It’s worth it. No, you don’t need to bring everything and the kitchen sink. But you do want to make sure that you are well prepared for the flight. And having a stroller to either carry luggage, a car seat or a child while huffing through the airport is invaluable.
Bring lollipops or something with a straw.
The sucking motion helps little ears pop. Make it special and hide it, because often they don’t want the “go-to” at the end of a long flight.
Put your shyest kid in the row without strangers.
This really only applies to odd number families. Right now, we are a family of 5. Subject to change because we’d like to take up two full rows on an airplane. Just kidding. Maybe. Anyway, If you’re in this sort of situation, make sure that your shyest kid is protected from strangers. There is a time and place to deal with stranger anxiety and onboard a flight where everyone is smooshed together for the foreseeable future isn’t it. Trust me on this one.
Pack snacks
Obvious, right? But what I really mean is pack enough snacks for at least one per hour. Make them fun, but ensure they won’t upset their stomachs. And keep them balanced. Think protein/fat + carbs + fruit / veggie. You really don’t want your kid flipping their lid over sugar on a flight. You’ll need to get creative with what your children love PLUS what won’t flag the TSA. Just so you know: hummus counts as a liquid. Insert eyeroll. That said, there are special rules for children, which you can read about here. We love these little Bentos for ensuring our snacks are balanced and I can tell you from personal experience that the Bentgo Chill zips right through security.
Prepare for blowouts
I have never had the pleasure of this experience; however, I have heard of lots of kids having major blowouts at high altitudes. For this reason, I recommend bringing an entire spare outfit that is easily accessible OR using a cloth diaper. Or both. Cloth diapers are like the magic blowout cure. Either way, you’re cleaning up feces in a small airplane bathroom. I prefer to keep it contained, instead of up the back, in the hair and down the legs. Pick your poison. If you’ve never used cloth before, I highly recommend Fuzzi Buns.
We have used and enjoyed the Mini Voyager kits. You can buy them on Amazon in a hurry, customize them on their website if you have time, or just buy the individual pieces on Amazon and cobble one together yourself. We do the latter because we have “a lot” of kids and it works out to be less expensive for us.
Board last. Or first. Know the setup of your flight.
If you are on a wildcard flight where you didn’t get to select your seats, board first during the family boarding. People are absolute idiots and refuse to give up their seats for little kids and parents to sit together. Why anyone would want to sit beside a scared toddler rather than just switch seats is beyond me. It’s cruel, but it’s also stupid. They’re setting themselves up for a nightmare. But, those people exist and you have to plan for them and be the adult in the room. Otherwise, wait until the end and board last. This ensures that you aren’t cramped and your kids haven’t ran-snacked through your stash of goodies or succumbed to claustrophobia in those short 40ish minutes before takeoff.
Give them Dramamine before they’re sick.
I am the first person to admit to being a hippie. My first e-mail address was flower_power4u and I used acupuncture and Chinese herbs to treat my infertility. That said, I am also the person who gives my super motion-sensitive child Dramamine before we even get in the car. I’m not about to start my vacation with a sick child on a plane. No, thank you.
Dress them in a travel uniform.
This significantly reduces the chances of them getting lost, and it also helps you spot them quicker if they do wander off. It also makes packing infinitely easier. Read more about my experience or where we purchase our matching outfits here.
When all else fails, have Mickey ready.
After reading about all the things screens do to our brains, I’ve been pretty anti-screen as of late. That said, we will still be taking our screens along for any drives over a few hours and all flights. Sometimes it’s borderline necessary. Just make sure you go ahead and download enough episodes for a few hours. You don’t want to be in the middle of a tantrum and realize you don’t have WIFI and their favorite episodes.
Imagine the absolute worst case scenario on-board.
Part of preparing for a flight with children, is envisioning the absolute worst case for your family and then planning for that. First, it helps lower your expectations. Second, it helps you mitigate for issues with your own child. Nobody knows your child better than you do. You’re going to have to figure out what your own personal obstacles might be and the best solutions. For example, if your child is sensitive to loud noises, bring earmuffs. You’ve seen your child at both their best and their worst. Don’t expect the best, prepare for the worst and the reality is you’ll be somewhere in between.
Last, but not least, know this:
No matter what you decide to do, everyone is going to have an opinion about it. If you decide to go screen free and your child screams, someone is going to judge you for it. If you decide to use the screen, someone is going to judge you for it. At the end of the day, all you can do is be kind to your children and yourself, prepare in advance and make the best decisions you can in the moment. Nobody has to live with your child beyond a few moments, so don’t parent out of guilt. Instead, stay true to you and your family because it’ll all be over shortly. It’s okay to say yes to keep things peaceful. It’s also okay to say no. Just remember that your child is just as overwhelmed as you are. Carry a healthy dose of empathy for everyone involved, take a deep breath and let the memories unfold. Just remember: it’ll be a funny story later.
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