posted on December 15, 2000 09:49:31 PM new
HI ALL.
EBAYING IS ONE THING, BUT NOW I REALLY NEED SOME SUGGESTIONS. IM FLYING TO BWI FROM PHOENIX TOMMORW EVENING WITH MY HUBBY AND TWO YOUNGSTERS, AGE 19 MOS AND 4 MOS. IM SO SCARED THAT MY 19 MONTH OLD WILL BE BORED BEYOND BELIEF AND ANNOY EVERYONE ON BOARD. HAS ANYONE HAD ANY POSITIVE EPERIENCES FLYING WITH YOUNGSTERS? ANY ADVICE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. I HAVENT FLOWN MYSELF SINCE I WAS 4, SO I DONT EVEN KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT.
posted on December 15, 2000 10:12:07 PM new
turbulence is highly entertaining to children.
My Dad used to fly for SMB Stagelines. He would take us up every now n then in a DC3. He would go up and down quickly so that our stomaches had no gravity. I loved it. I miss it.
Anyway, just give the child into your husbands care during the flight and take a battery powered cd player and wear a do not disturb sign so you arent affected by your husbands whining.
posted on December 15, 2000 10:12:42 PM new
Bring snacks and drinks. Make sure they are eating or drinking during takeoff and landing because moving the jaw helps to equalize the ears. Mine never found the noise frightening, but yours may, so be ready for that. Crayons are good. I always found matchbox cars, coloring books and puppets (I make the puppet talk) to work for me. Bring lots of little things so you can keep showing him something new when he gets bored. The worst part is that they can't stand up or move much, and it makes them cranky.
posted on December 15, 2000 10:23:38 PM newTNB: I assume you have to have the car seats to use for the rugrats...?
When we traveled with the kittens, I took one, the tom took the other. When I traveled alone with the kittens, I sat in the middle so I could deal with both of them. Put the elder rugrat in the window seat to keep him/her sort of corralled, unless you need to have free access to the bathrooms.
For the elder rugrat: Take box juices, small bottles of water, and favorite NONMESSY snacks(this is VERY important), small toys without a lot of pieces, books, a change of clothing(also VERY important), diapers, wipes, bibs, coloring book and crayons, and a small pillow or blanket that's familiar to them.
For the younger: A couple changes of clothes, blanket, lots of diapers, wipes, etc. Make sure that the baby is sucking on a pacifier or something as the plane is taking off or landing so the pressure in the baby's ears will equalize or you could end up with a baby in pain(NOT GOOD). At four months, they're not sure they're alive yet, so take whatever small toys and rattles might keep them occupied.
Yes, this means you need a honking big bag to carry on the plane. Trust me, if you get stuck in an airport for any length of time, you'll appreciate having all this available.
If you're also carting a stroller around, this is the time to fork over cash for a skycap to help you with bags and such rather than deal with all that on your own. Trust me on this. It's tough to keep track of very mobile children while maneuvering a cart full of luggage about or dealing with boarding agents.
Above all, STAY COOL!!! It's easy to become impatient with all the hassles of traveling this time of year but if you lose it, so will your kids and the trip will be horrible. Give yourself plenty of time to get checked in and to the boarding area-believe me, it's a lot easier to cope when you can leisurely stroll from Point A to B rather than trying to race with a baby under one arm, a toddler in tow, and dragging a honking big carryon and child seat(plus, you need three hands).
posted on December 16, 2000 05:16:56 AM new
I betcha it won't be that bad. There will be a granny type across the aisle that will help you with the older babe. Nurse / feed the 4 MO and he she will very likely sleep.
Whatever you do if they start howling, don't automatically assume that people are annoyed, and become jangled. Many of us are highly sympathetic to parents with young children, to others it brings back very sweet memories.
posted on December 16, 2000 06:04:54 AM new
If you have the noisecanceling headphones - even one pair to share they help with the noise which is very stressfull. The older kid will pick up on your attitude. If you are scared on takeoff he will be also even if he has no idea why he should be or not. If you are excited and think it is a great big adventure and tell him we are taking off like a big bird and show him with your hand he will be thrilled also. I personally never take the belt off when seated - I just make it real loose. I have never hit turbulance bad enough to lift me from the seat but if I ever do I won't be one bonking my head on the bins.
posted on December 16, 2000 10:14:07 AM new
As someone who's been stuck more than once near screaming toddlers, I second krs's suggestion, except I'd recommend that clear packing tape. Doesn't stick quite as well, but it also doesn't leave a sticky residue, and it's less obvious
You might consider picking up some Children's Benadryl. One dose and they'll be snoozing peacefully at best, and at worst too droopy to make much of a fuss.
posted on December 16, 2000 10:40:15 AM new
Please don't feel that you need to drug your children to keep the public happy. They are quite welcome to travel alongside many of us. If you were sitting next to me and they started yelling, I would help you out any way I could think of, and there and lots and lots of people like me.
posted on December 16, 2000 11:36:33 AM new
Do your babies have a history of getting carsick? If they do (or perhaps even if they don't), you may want to ask your pediatrician if a very small dosage of Dramamine is safe for children their age. My parents told me that when they took my up in a plane as a baby I literally turned green. That was a turbo prop, not a jet, but I still get airsick.
posted on December 16, 2000 02:12:53 PM new
nailbitter - First stop biting those nails.
With that said: As an Uncle/Adult Cousin to children. Have none of my own yet I fly all the time with children. First things first, go to your airlines web site and check the seat configuration of the plane you will be flying on. Next prebook seats that keep all of you together. If that is not possible two sets in front of one another works for me.
Next advise (hell flat out tell) DH that trying to finish the report on the laptop is a nogo for this trip. Why should he also be a nuisance complaining about the kids that he happens to be the father of.
Now the advice on snacks and bags is right on the money.
When packing remember those sticky rules on carry ons. That means DH needs to accept that the camera/camcorder will fly but the bag with the gadgets will be checked. Trust me, as a man you better get this straight right now. Or you will be traveling with 3 kids and one will be having a tandrum.
Keep in mind with the exception of a few random buttholes most of society doesn't mind kids. If when seating you see some snobbish executive with the laptop sitting with you immediately ask him to consider changing his/her seat.
Get to the airport early and take full advantage of that ability to board the plane first. The advice on making it an adventure for the elder child please take it. I hope this helps.
posted on December 16, 2000 02:31:47 PM new
I seem to remember advice on babies flying suggesting they use a pacifier if they are young enough to help the pressure in their ears.
Let Hubby know that he WILL be helping with one child the entire time.
Some new toys to help keep the toddler occupied would help too.
posted on December 16, 2000 02:41:48 PM new
Childrens TYLENOL!!!!! I flew from NC to KS with 2 of my kids...once when one was 3 years and the other was 18 months. And again when one was 9 years and the other was 8 years. ALL of our ears hurt, the whole time, no matter how much gum we chewed! The saving grace for the kids was TYLENOL! Good Luck!
posted on December 16, 2000 02:59:58 PM new
Get a couple of the large pet kennels and check them like luggage, just make sure the are dressed warm and have some snacks. But of course the Benydryl doesn't sound so bad either. One of the few very bad things in life, being trapped in an airplane with a squalling kid. Oh, let me guess, one you are going to hold in your lap? I wish the airlines would do away with that rule...
Ain't Life Grand...
posted on December 16, 2000 04:56:05 PM new
Memories..
With luck they'll nap, without can be rough.
I remember one filght with one of about 20 mos. struggling the whole way.
posted on December 17, 2000 01:02:52 AM new
Seriously consider the tylenol or benadryl, especially if yours will be a long flight. On our flight going to Fiji there were several babies and toddlers. When they weren't screaming singly they were performing in concert. One would start, and a chain reaction was set off! All through the 10 1/2 hour trip. Homicide wasn't far away when we landed. Or put in a quick call to your doctor about a mild tranquilizer so they'll sleep. Believe me, your fellow passengers will thank you.
posted on December 17, 2000 06:09:08 AM newBunnicula: Which is why I ALWAYS travel with earplugs...
It never ceases to amaze me how many parents take a small child on a plane and not take anything for that small child to do. The novelty of flying wears off in about five minutes of being strapped into the seat and if there's nothing to keep that child occupied PLUS the kid can't freely roam, well, it's almost a certainty that soon there's gonna be a screaming child.
This may sound harsh, but I feel that unless there's a physical reason why a child should be crying-pain, hunger, etc-a screaming child is the result of bad planning by the parents.
True story: On one flight to the US that seemed to contain every child in Europe, ours were the only ones with backpacks full of diversions and snacks. Ours were also the only ones not screaming(It was a LONG flight). Amazingly, the other parents kept shooting the tom and me dirty looks as though it were our fault their offspring were unhappy.
