Super early morning flights are the best!! Late evening and night flights...bad idea! We left our house at 4:00am and landed at our destination at 9:40am. My daughter stayed awake the whole time and was very calm and happy the whole flight. Our return trip left at 5:40pm and didn't arrive home until 9:30pm. After a weekend of new faces, no schedule, and strange surrounding this last flight was more than she could handle. She was up past her bedtime, and couldn't sleep through all of the airport chaos. Another thing to realize about early morning flights is there are usually less people on the plane - which mean you have more room and good chance that your child will get her own seat. (even though you didn't pay for one) and everything is still on time so there is no undefinable waiting time for boarding or departing. One of the hardest parts about flying is the waiting period after you board the plane but before you actually leave. The later in the day it is, the longer your wait will probably be.
Don't change your routine! I have tried it so many times... it never works! Don't purposely keep your child awake so they will sleep later or longer . Don't try to put them to bed early. Young children cope better with change in a strange place. Leave the crazy scheduling for when you get there. My daughter had no problem getting up at 4:00am and switched over beautifully to a new routine (nonexistent routine) when we arrived at the In-Laws. The less amount of time your child is out of their comfort zone the better.
You won't be brining a carry-on! That's right, don't expect to bring a book, or an i-pad unless it's a board book or and i-pad with children's apps. Your carry on should be filled to the max with awesome stuff for your kid. Make sure your carry on is small enough to put under the seat. It needs to be accessible at all times. I brought a large purse with lots of pockets to keep things manageable. Don't bring anything with small parts! It's hard enough to bend over to pick something up when you are on the plane...add a child on your lap and it's near impossible. If you have a spouse or friend sitting with you you can flip up the arm rest and have double the space. It's really marvelous how much easier it is when you have two laps for your child to share. Here is a list of items I brought in my carry-on.
1) two board books
2) Bible Storybook ( this is a special book she can only look at with adult supervision, so it was special to get to play with it longer)
3) 2 Sticker Books (one for each flight)
4) Blank Page Journal & 2 Crayons
5) Diapers, Wipes, Changing pad
6) extra set of clothes
7) ziplock bag (for emergencies!)
8) Sippy cup and bib
9) bag of snacks (I brought boiled eggs, cheese, bagel, blueberries, & strawberries)
10) Lolipops (organic, so she wouldn't be bouncing off the walls)
11) Jacket/Cardigan
12) Blanket
13) Headphones & Phone or i-pad (Make sure your apps work on airplane mode)
14) Wallet and Child's Birth Certificate
How to deal with earpopping without gum. We had four flights two 45min and two 1 hour. So we were going up and down a lot and didn't have much time to just fly. We did three things to help with the ear pressure. 1) sippy cup (water) 2) snacks (airplane snacks and some I had packed) 3) lollipop (I bought organic ones to keep the sugar level low and she loved them.)
Dealing with Layovers. Layovers can be a blessing or a curse. You are always glad to get off of the plane and have some room to run, but airports were not created for children and running, there are also no highchairs and napping is almost obsolete for an older child. Checking a stroller at the gate is a must. It's extremely helpful to be able to put your child down and have two hands for certain occasions and also it's good to let the child be "alone" after being held for the entire flight. Try not to use your carry on toys during layovers, unless it's a super long one. Walking, exploring, eating, playing games or just laying on the floor is the best way to get out the wiggles and save those toys for the plane.
A few more tips... getting a window seat is the best. Your child can watch as you take off and land and also as they load and unload baggage. It's also great to stay away from the isle so your child doesn't see the possibility to get down. Airport rules and personnel are very considerate to mothers and children. You can check a carseat (along with normal baggage no fees), bring liquid formulas and water for your baby, check a stroller for free, and people are just nice to you when you have a baby. I've never had a stewardess look cross because I was boarding with a child.
If you are traveling with a child soon, I hope this list helps. Each family and situation calls for its own special measures, and ideas, but you have to start planning somewhere!
Happy Travels!
Sarah
Comments
Post a Comment