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Surely you're not taking a toddler on a plane?
Well the Free Range Chicken Experiment has limited success. Some nights it's bed and sleep, others it's don't you dare leave this room or I'll scream. We'll get there.
This week we're going to Long Island, NY for my cousin's wedding so we'll be taking the baby on her first airplane ride. It's four hours from Phoenix to Baltimore, and another hour from there to Long Island. We're planning on packing lots of snacks, books, toys, and little bottles of airplane alcohol (for us, in case this whole thing goes bad). We've been hearing the benedryl story from others who've done this with an 18 month old, so we tested it last weekend. It didn't seem to make her sleepy, just kind of out of it. So unless she's a real monster on the plane, I'm not sure we'll use it. It's against my better judgement anyway. Our flight leaves at 7 AM, so she'll be up very early. Hopefully she'll be tired by then. But I'm not counting on it!
She's going to have a blast. I'll post some pictures of her in the top secret dress over the weekend. For now, we're packing all the essentials...
I'm leaving, on a jet plane.
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18 comments:
I flew alone across country with my oldest (I was a single mom then) and we had a great time except I didn't notice until later that EVERYONE knew her name by the end of the flight. (ever see Bill Cosby's schtick about "Jeffrey"?). I had lots of snacks (note to self) and they saved us and several other toddlers along the way. No Benadryl -- I'd have tried if I had known -- but it's really not necessary. Recommendations: Snacks, get them; plan to take lots of walks around; and get to know everyone; plan to visit the bathroom often; practice changing diapers on your lap (ha) and in a 3 ft sq bathroom; take your camera so you can have pics on the plane, so funny; DVD player with headseat; sippy cups for landings/takeoffs. You know everything else. Have fun. My children adore flying!
Stickers! We saw a mom do this once on a plane and it was brilliant. She pealed the sticker off the paper sheet and stuck it to the plane seat first so it was a little less sticky than usual. Then her 18mo proceeded to stick, unstick, stick, unstick for the entire six hour plane ride. Seriously. Six hours!
Kathryn's idea is fabulous! We've flown several times with K. When she was really little other passengers were sympathetic, but as she got older they are less sympathetic. :( Anyhow, she'll do fine... and so will you!
I agree with everyone else:
portable DVD player
stickers
lots of snacks
For our last trip the DVD player alone did the trick! Try "Curious George" or Caillou
My only advice is PLEASE remember that you are not the only ones on that plane and that others just might not think Sabrina is all that cute.And that the plane is not a giant romper room in which the rest of the public has to endure out of sheer bad luck.
I see too many parents act as if their kid is more important that everyone else in the world and as a result are disrespectful.IMO i shouldn't know and loathe your kids name,because you've said it 100 times in a 1 hour time span.We paid for our flight too and would like it to be quiet and stress free.The airlines have first dibs on stressing us out.Take what you need for every scenario. It doesn't matter if you actually use it or not.
Poopie diapers might smell like a bouquet of roses a parent,but to the rest of us it smells like sh*t.
Hope you guys have great time and a drama free visit. If you need a list of flying tips complied that are community friendly i can email you.
We flew with our son when he was 15 months old. We packed a bunch of toys and books he'd never seen before, the DVD player plus lots and lots of snacks. But guess what kept him entertained the most? Switching that little seat light on and off over and over and over again. We got lucky on the way home - he slept the entire flight! We never had to get up and walk with him, which was great.
Obviously we'll do everything we can to make the flight as pleasant as possible for everyone on board. We've been researching and preparing. Ultimately, sometimes babies cry. Toddler emotions are not something that are easily contained. We'll do our best, but sometimes things happen.
Ok...here's what you do for the bed issue...
Every time she gets out of bed, return her to bed and say it's bed time. EVENTUALLY she will get the idea. When all else fails, scream.
Plane ride:
Bring a never-seen new toy given on the plane
Stickers and/or sticker book
Portable DVD player with her fave program (if she is not used to a headset, no worries. The plane's engine noise is loud enough to drown out the noise from the player)
Snacks
Water
I agree with mommy3 - you need to practice changing diapers on your lap 'cause many planes do not have changing tables. Also, don't be shy about changing a diaper in your seat if you have to do so. I hope you are fast!
I forgot the most important thing! (ohh, but stickers are always loved, totally agree)-- be sure to pack a bag of a few other new activities and snacks (it's easier now than later) for your RETURN flight.
I do try to do my best to not have our children in people's faces for sure but I've found so many people are kind and helpful that they just learn your child's name by the time you get to your destination, esp. if your child ended up in a good space. I've planned trips around naps, only to have the flight delayed -- so you can only do your best tricks, which I know you'll attempt. Flying with two adults, one toddler and the best laid plans IS the best of possibilities, truly!
By the time my boy was 18 months old, he was on his second 12-hour flight. There was a lot of walking up and down the aisle, bumping into sleeping passengers. Still, you'll be surprised about the effect an 18-months-old smile has on grumpy people. If YOU walked up and down and woke up everyone in your path, that would make the flight a little less pleasant, though...
I wrote a couple of paragraphs about this blog. Hope you come and visit: http://www.bloggerfather.com/2010/10/53-bobby.html
At 18 months we took our little one to England. It was the one of the worst twenty some hours of travel ever. People were very sympathetic, but we were mortified by the screaming and flailing. We didn't take Benadryl with us, although in retrospect she had 4 teeth coming through at the same time, we should have taken the Benadryl at least with us. The poor kid was in pain and the change in cabin pressure was excruciating. The next time we traveled on plane we did as she was getting a cold and was still teething.
At 4 years old our daughter is fairly seasoned traveler having been to half a dozen countries and flown across the Atlantic to see family multiple times. We take two DVD players, stickers, drawing materials, snacks and a few books. We also take a several changes of clothes for her, and I always take one for me having been peed and puked on in the past. My better half is luckier and braver as he doesn't. Have fun.
I am guessing by the time I am posting you already went on your flight :)
I traveled with my twin boys by myself since they were one year old and the best part of it all is how wonderful people turn out to be. I always start my flights with talking to the passengers sitting around us and telling them that I will do everything within my power to make this as calm a flight for them as well as for my boys. Trust me when I tell you I saw some people sweat when they saw me coming down the isle - haha. Never has anyone complained but most were very charmed and appreciated to be acknowledged :)
The worst thing for me on a plane is that my ears pop. I'm a grown-up and I wanna cry when my ears pop. I wonder if that's why many little kids go nuts on plane rides.
Good luck.
Ha! I love the travel essentials in the picture...baby and corkscrew! Good luck!
Bring a portable dvd player or laptop...with headphones and some kiddie movies. Total lifesaver. Also bring assorted snacks! and dont forget her fave sippy cup, bring it on the plane empty and the flight attendants can fill it for you with juice. a fave blankie is good too..you can roll her stroller right up to the gate, and gate check it..very convenient and helps keep the baby buckled in and not tearing around the airport..espec..if you have delays! Good luck! You will be fine!
I don't have any personal experience yet, but from what I've heard, something to eat/drink/chew on during take-off and landing is a good idea. Working the jaws helps with the ear pressure issues.
Good luck!
I also just have to say that as a traveller without children, I've never been as irritated with fussy babies/kids as I have been with obnoxious adults. Like the (drunk) guy in front of us who spent all of a red-eye flight hitting on the (married) woman across the aisle from him. Him, I wanted to smother with one of those tiny pillows.
you know, Marie was so great on this trip I am now AFRAID to go on any other. They say lightning doesn't strike twice.
Our Blake had his first flight at two months and then again at three and then five months. Frequent flyer! It's easier when they're babies. Once they can crawl or walk they just want to run up and down the plane and explore every corner.
Various syrups have a drowsy side-effect on my son, but I'll never use it for that purpose. It just feels... Wrong. I know it's probably harmless, but just doesn't feel right.
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