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• Reputation: 896 Q&A: 12 0 33 864 868 0 Classifieds: 0 0 what's this? Follow Following 0 "Cagey"

  4 0 Make sure that you pack something that they like to chew... raisins, grapes, peanuts, gummy bears... something to work those jaws and equalize the pressure during take off and landing. Also, remember if you give them something to suck on NOT to tell them to suck on it. That is, if you want the lifesaver to dissolve on their tounge, tell them to let it melt by rubbing around in their mouth. I made the mistake of telling my son to suck on it, he inhaled it, threw up when it stuck in his throat, and wound up stinking of vomit all the way to Florida on one flight. Second, ask the attendants if they have flight wings for the child to celebrate their first flight. Ask for a pillow, and make certain that you and your child are either on the aisle or that you can get out if a potty break is called for. Pack some lightweight softcover books or magazines with large colorful pictures for them to "read" during the flight. consider taking your safety seat on board for the toddler to sit in/sleep in. Ask ahead of time if it's permitted, and be prepared to arrive extra early so that the seat and your carry ons (diper bag, toy bag, etc) can be searched and x-rayed. Be sure to have shoes that are comfortable for the toddler to slip on and off for the security check, and a push stroller that converts to a safety seat is best. Certainly beats carrying the child through the busy airport. Carry at least two back up binkies (pascifiers) and two security/soft sleepytime blankets so they can feel something soft and drop off. Don't forget drink boxes. "Cagey" answered in Family & Kids about 1 year ago | Report 1 comment by Rev.Enant… 0 0 cagey's answer, especially GUM = full of win Rev.Enant commented about 1 year ago | Report Enter your comment or ask a new question preview THIS IS A PREVIEW: Click "Post" to submit it or "Edit" to make changes. edit Please wait… This could take a minute if the tubes are clogged.

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  4 0 I know nothing about children or flying but on the one flight I took in the last few years I saw a very good parent running his kid around in circles by the gate for about 20-30 minutes before the flight. Little dude was out like a light before they had even finished boarding. protosaurus answered in Family & Kids about 1 year ago | Report 1 comment by Cedarthvader… 0 0 That's genius! Cedarthvader commented about 1 year ago | Report Enter your comment or ask a new question preview THIS IS A PREVIEW: Click "Post" to submit it or "Edit" to make changes. edit Please wait… This could take a minute if the tubes are clogged.

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• Reputation: 2397 Q&A: 49 0 8 1421 164 0 Classifieds: 0 0 what's this? Follow Following 1 Mahtli69

  2 0 It's probably a bigger deal with an infant than a toddler, but the change in air pressure can really hurt, and that's why babies often cry during take-off and landing. Two things alleviate this: Swallowing or sleeping. Take-off and landing is the perfect time for a feeding (breast, sippy cup, whatever)! Portable DVD player = priceless! (make sure the battery is charged) If you're a parent who thinks that TV/video is evil, this is the perfect time to make an exception. If you're two adults with a lap child, book the window and aisle seats. Often, the middle will be empty, giving you the entire row. Otherwise, the random person stuck in the middle seat will gladly trade with one of you. Expect the worst and try not to give too much of a shit. Traveling disrupts naps and schedules, which can turn even the best behaved toddler into a little monster. At that age, it has little to do with good or bad parenting. A vast majority of people on airplanes understand this, so don't let one or two grumpy adults ruin your flight. You'll never see any of them again. Mahtli69 answered in Family & Kids about 1 year ago | Report Comment on this answer Enter your comment or ask a new question preview THIS IS A PREVIEW: Click "Post" to submit it or "Edit" to make changes. edit Please wait… This could take a minute if the tubes are clogged.

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  1 0 Here's an article from the Seattle's Child archives, written by a parent about traveling with a toddler from Seattle to Kauai. http://www.seattleschild.com/article/20090601/SCM06/905279943 Chris answered in Family & Kids about 1 year ago | Report Comment on this answer Enter your comment or ask a new question preview THIS IS A PREVIEW: Click "Post" to submit it or "Edit" to make changes. edit Please wait… This could take a minute if the tubes are clogged.

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  0 0 Check out fly Thomas Cook's printable games. They're doing one a week. First one is a paint by numbers! Check it out here, http://book.flythomascook.com/news/paint-by-numbers-printable-games-509/ Really cool.. Fun4family answered in Family & Kids about 1 year ago | Report Comment on this answer Enter your comment or ask a new question preview THIS IS A PREVIEW: Click "Post" to submit it or "Edit" to make changes. edit Please wait… This could take a minute if the tubes are clogged.

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• Reputation: 0 Q&A: 0 0 0 0 0 0 Classifieds: 0 0 what's this? Follow Following 0 W Eric Martin

  0 0 We had a big success with the "Shae By Air" DVD that shows a 3-4-year-old girl packing for a flight (stowing books, snacks and her bear in her backpack), traveling into the airport and through security, boarding the plane, going through take-off, enduring the hours in-flight, and landing. The video is homemade and brought eyerolls from me at first because it looks so cheap, but our two-year-old son watched the DVD again and again in the week prior to our three-hour flight, mesmerized by the airplanes taking off. When the time came for our flight, we were able to point out everything that was coming up and in a sense he had already experienced it through the video, so he was never scared or surprised. When he started to get antsy on the plane at various points, we'd ask, "What would Shae do?" and he'd say read or sleep or eat or whatever else she had done. He had a model for behavior during the flight, and he lived up to the model. (That's been our approach to most activities: telling him what's coming in advance, usually multiple times, so that he can prepare as best he can for the experience.) It probably didn't hurt, of course, that we brought our iPad with games and movies, not to mention clay, toys, books and snacks. I'm not saying watch the DVD and leave it at that! But we had the tools on hand for staying busy and doing stuff during the flight, along with the video guide for how to make it through the entire process. W Eric Martin answered in Family & Kids about 1 year ago | Report Comment on this answer Enter your comment or ask a new question preview THIS IS A PREVIEW: Click "Post" to submit it or "Edit" to make changes. edit Please wait… This could take a minute if the tubes are clogged.

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  0 0 No kids (yet), but I do have a couple of suggestions since I fly a few times a month and usually try to help out when parents bring small children - I figure playing with the kid is a lot more fun than hearing them scream :-) Obviously, since you are asking this question, you wont be one of those people changing the diaper on the tray table and ignoring the child if they scream! Reading some of people's horror stories on other sites can also give you a lesson in "what not to do"! 1) Don't take noisy video games - hearing those noises the entire flight will not win you points with neighbors. 2) If you are getting the stink-eye from others (mentioned in another answer), yes, realize that they are seeing your child in a very stressful situation and apologize. YMMV, but many people will either settle back down or stop and you might be surprised to get some help! ariane answered in Family & Kids about 1 year ago | Report Comment on this answer Enter your comment or ask a new question preview THIS IS A PREVIEW: Click "Post" to submit it or "Edit" to make changes. edit Please wait… This could take a minute if the tubes are clogged.

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  0 0 I just did a 12-hour cross-Pacific flight with my two year old. I was worried too, but it went so well. I'm proud of us both! 1. a late or night flight is always a plus. Make sure they are nice and tired - chasing them around the boarding lounge works pretty good. 2. spend the cash - get them their own seat. 3. bring lots of extra stuff.(games/toys/activities), but don't shoot your wad all at once; bring them out slowly right when boredom with the previous item sets in - slow and steady wins the race... 4. a portable DVD player with headphones if you can afford it. 5. make fiends with the cabin crew - they are usually only too happy to help out. 6. extra clothes, diapers, food, wipes, "just in case" you're on one of those "stuck on the tarmac for 3 hours" flights. 7. don't sweat it - kids smell fear and if you're tense they'll wonder what's up and be on edge to start with (never a good look). 8. Don't worry about all those people without kids who give the stink eye - they're just pissed they don't get to have a bundle of joy and cuddles at their house. 9. if it is a big flight then there are some great books to help prep ("Amazing Airplanes" pub. Kingfisher). I am sure it's why we did so well. Good luck! Haim Ainsworth answered in Family & Kids about 1 year ago | Report Comment on this answer Enter your comment or ask a new question preview THIS IS A PREVIEW: Click "Post" to submit it or "Edit" to make changes. edit Please wait… This could take a minute if the tubes are clogged.

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• Reputation: 157 Q&A: 1 0 5 47 10 0 Classifieds: 0 0 what's this? Expert: 1 topic Family & Kids Follow Following 0 Cheryl

  0 0 I traveled to Europe with my daughter when she was 3 and we had a blast! Each of you is allowed a carry-on and a purse. So I bought her a BIG purse and filled it full of toddler appropriate snacks, games, books and things that she'd love but were brand new to her (Archie McPhee's is a great place to find cheapo stuff or go to a $1 store -- this does not have to be an expensive endeavour). Filled the purse to the brim for about $30. Include gum in that package but remind your child not to swallow and have him or her spit it out once you are airborne. While on the flight, I S-L-O-W-L-Y doled out the loot, one cool item at a time and she was happily occupied throughout the flight. I brought books for her to "read" alone and books to read to her. When the captain turned off the seatbelt sign, we got up and went to "meet the neighbors," just walked up and down the aisle so she could say "Hi!" to people. That's all she said, but it was a great distraction and a few lovely people actually engaged her in conversation. Back then, there weren't portable DVD players on planes and while I don't think drugging kids with television is a good idea, it is in fact a great distraction on a flight. I sat next to a toddler and his dad on a flight not long ago and I swear I wasn't sure that kid was breathing he was so engaged in Thomas the Tank Engine. Cheryl answered in Family & Kids about 1 year ago | Report Comment on this answer Enter your comment or ask a new question preview THIS IS A PREVIEW: Click "Post" to submit it or "Edit" to make changes. edit Please wait… This could take a minute if the tubes are clogged.

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  0 0 They dig colorful capes and sound FX. Reindeer and a sleigh if you can swing it. Rev.Enant answered in Family & Kids about 1 year ago | Report Comment on this answer Enter your comment or ask a new question preview THIS IS A PREVIEW: Click "Post" to submit it or "Edit" to make changes. edit Please wait… This could take a minute if the tubes are clogged.

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