Remember when I told you I was on Family Feud? (If not, check out a previous post about our Gameshow experience.) During one of our episodes, we were asked the question: “What is one thing you hate to see someone bring on a plane?” My answer was…”A crying baby!” Survey says…Good answer! It was on the board! The reality is, no one wants to sit on a plane with a crying fussy baby/toddler/child. I do a few extra things to make the flight enjoyable for all:
- Use the extra time- this feature is provided to passengers who are elderly, disabled and/or with children. I get ahead of the crowd to turn in my stroller and board the plane.
- Get settled- I unpack what we need and place our items below our chair (since I have one carry on, I give the overhead bin to the other passengers to use and it also makes it much easier to retrieve items for the girls during the flight when I need to).
- Use the restroom- I take my oldest to use the bathroom (whether she thinks she has to go or not) and change my baby’s diaper. I also make sure I use the restroom too so that we can all stay seated during the flight. Especially if we have the window and middle seats.
- Provide entertainment- by this time, the rest of the passengers are boarding the plane causing idle time before take-off. This is when I give my oldest daughter a device and/or coloring/reading activity. I sing songs and play hand games to keep my youngest daughter engaged.
- At take-off- I give my oldest daughter something to chew and nurse my infant to prevent their ears from getting irritated by the altitude of the flight. Every once in a while, they start to get fussy and I try to keep them distracted until we actually begin to go up in the air before giving them their snacks and nursing. Ear plugs are also available in most stores but consult with your child’s pediatrician before use.
- During the flight- My oldest daughter, if awake, uses this time to watch her favorite movies (Trolls, Sing, and Moana) or her favorite shows (Doc McStuffins, Bubble Guppies, Paw Patrol, Super Why, Sesame Street, Dora the Explorer, Mickey Mouse Playhouse, Blaze, Peppa Pig, and Umizoomi). I recommend downloading a few episodes on your device while charging them the night before, just in case your aircraft isn’t equipped with wifi or televisions.
- Learning activities- as a certified early childhood educator and children’s author, I always look for age appropriate learning activities to engage the girls with. A few of my favorites that I like to pack for travel and hotel stays (another detailed post about this coming soon) includes some of the items pictured.
- When the seatbelt sign goes off- my girls are usually out of the count! Now, I can rest, read, or catch a movie or show that’s not one of the ones listed on Alana’s list above.
Whelp, you’ve made it through a successful flight and your fellow passengers are complimenting you on having awesome children on the plane. Don’t be embarrassed to take the compliments and don’t be afraid to use the help offered by the passengers who offer to assist you during your journey. 
To commemorate the experience for the kiddos, I ask the attendant for flight wings. This is a cute item for the kids to collect and a fun way to represent the trips you take and memories you make.
Together, we thank the pilots, stewardesses and attendants for getting us to our destination safely and for their service.
Now, it’s time to plan and prepare for our next family adventure. Happy traveling with your kiddos! Xoxo