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Flying With Small Children
July 24, 2008

During the summer, everyone wants advice on traveling with babies and toddlers.  Here are a few things I learned this week while flying with my 22 month old niece.

First and foremost, if you do not have to travel with a child between the ages of newborn and 3 years, do not!  Avoid putting yourself in this predicament at all costs.  If this is an unavoidable circumstance, proceed with your reading.

Gear:
Of course, when traveling with a small child, one must travel with a pile of gear.  Some items that are not to be forgotten include a place for the baby to sleep (such as a play yard), a place for the baby to eat (such as a travel booster), a ride for the baby through the airport (such as a stroller or car seat wheels), and a car seat for when you arrive.  

If you can, I would recommend purchasing a seat for your small child so that he/she can be restrained in the car seat throughout the flight.  The car seat is bulky to carry through the airport but car seat wheels can convert your seat into a stroller during your time in the airport.  If you won't be flying enough to justify the wheels, you can also add a carrying strap to your car seat to make it easier to transport through the airport.  We used a Sunshine Kids Radian Strap to make a Britax Roundabout where we could carry it over a shoulder.  Your play yard and booster chair are items that you will not need until you arrive.  These items can either be checked in baggage or shipped ahead to your destination.  Check with your airline to find out how many bags can be checked per person.

Necessities:
I wouldn't pack too much in the way of baby food, diapers, wipes, etc.  These items can typically be purchased at the destination and take up quite a bit of space in the luggage.  Necessities include linens for the travel bed, clothing (including plenty of extras), some "comfort" item from home that can be where the baby sleeps (such as a toy, blanket, or sleep sack), etc.  These items can all be in the baggage that is checked.

Carry Ons:
Must haves for a carry on bag include child-safe hand sanitizer or hand wipes, snacks (the child may not like what the airline has to offer), pacifier or bottle to encourage the child to "pop" their ears by swallowing (even if the child doesn't take a paci or bottle anymore these may work better than a sippy cup), and toys such as finger puppets, small board books, rattles, etc.

Other:
The final recommendation I have for those traveling (and particularly flying) with small children is to pray.  Pray that your child doesn't scream for the duration of the flight and pray for nice people to sit near you.  You can also avoid headaches by making small talk with the passengers seated near you before the plane takes off.  If they feel sorry for you before your child starts screaming, they will be more sympathetic if things get out of control and may even offer to help.  Your child will also feel more comfortable with the strangers in the vicinity because he/she has seen you talking with them.  

Worst Case Scenario:
If your child does scream for the majority of the flight, offer other passengers an apology before they can complain to the flight attendants.  You can also offer to buy them a drink on the plane or to buy them a meal when you land.  They'll not be likely to take you up on your offer, but this allows you to be seen in a humble, apologetic state.  Anyone who can remain frustrated with a humble parent and a screaming baby can suck it up and have a mini-bottle of wine on your tab.

Summary:
If you don't have to travel with small children, don't!  If you do have to travel with small children, be prepared to travel like a pack mule and be ready to bury your head in the sand like an ostrich.  Oh, and make sure the trip is worth it! 

Posted by Kelly Nelson on July 24, 2008 | Comments (0)