As summer closes out and the end of the year approaches, the major holidays are just around the corner. As I know, most moms are already getting an early start to planning out holiday travel plans. Whether it’s a last-minute summer getaway or a big family holiday adventure, the daunting aspect of jet-setting with the little ones can place an ample amount of stress on any mom.
We all have been on a flight with the screaming nonstop baby or the rambunctious children running up and down the aisle. After doing my investigative work on the manner, consulting with countless moms, I found some great ways to make your next flight with the little ones, clam and peaceful.
Ways To Make It Easier Flying With Your Children
Redeye Flights Are The Ticket
So many people despise flying on redeye flights, however personally I have always enjoyed the quiet atmosphere so I can catch some ZZzzzz and I also know this is a favorite choice amongst those moms who fly often with their children. Keeping your child on their regular schedule is probably how you maintain some sort of sanity throughout your day, so the last thing you want is to get out of your routine. Well, traveling, in general, will probably throw your schedule off a little bit, however, a red flight can offer you a way, to keep as closely to your schedule as possible.
Children are accustomed to knowing that night time, means bedtime and this rule applies even in the skies. No matter how much energy your little one has, eventually they will get tuckered out and what better way for that to occur while you’re in the air. Redeye flights come in handy for those longer flights, where you can recline their seat, put their favorite blanket on them and watch them drift off to sleep.
Tire them out before the flight
I often reference my own mom and the tricks she used on me in various situations, that still work to this day on a whole different generation of children. On the days we would travel, my mom would always have me spend the day swimming, running errands and being as active as possible, basically, anything to keep me awake before the flight. By the time we were taxing on the runway, I would be passed out. It was a trick that seemed to work every-time. Planning activities to tire out your children for the flight can give you the peace and quiet you need to enjoy some much-needed ZZzz yourself or perhaps a nice in-flight cocktail.
Bring Along the Ipad
Yes, you are probably thinking my child spends enough time on their iPad as it is, why not have them read a book? Well, as much as I am an advocate for children reading, I’m also a realist and know that books during a flight (especially a long one) will only captivate their attention for so long. This is the time you want your children on the iPad, to keep them busy to make your flight more enjoyable and tantrum-free.
Try and hold off giving them the iPad until you’re in the air, if they are playing with it before departure, you run the risk of them throwing a fit when all electronics need to be turned off for takeoff. My friend was flying from Las Vegas to New York and was telling me how smooth her flight was because her son watched movies all during the 4.5-hour flight without making a fuss.
Pack Along Snacks and Special Treat
There is something about flying that brings on an increased appetite, especially in children. From the gate to soaring in the air, you are bound to hear your child say they are hungry. I remember flying home from Australia (the grueling 15-hour flight… ugh) and I saw a mom with a bag of enough snacks to open up a 7-11. You want to avoid depending on your flight to provide food, in this day with all the budget cuts airlines are doing, you’re lucky to get a glass of water for free. Pack your child’s favorite foods and snacks and tuck away a special treat for them, whether it’s a sucker or a new toy to keep them happy.
Mom’s flying with your children doesn’t have to be a painful experience when you follow these simple tips. Not only will you enjoy your flight more, but also the people seated around you will appreciate it as well. It’s all about preparing in advance, so you don’t have to worry about all the small things that can come up during your flight, so you can enjoy it.
