We’ve all been terrified about being that person on the plane. You know, the one with the kids that are screaming or running up and down the isles. So today, I want to share some tips for flying with kids, as there are a few things we’ve done as a family to help alleviate that stress.
Set the Scene
First things first, set the scene for getting onto the plane. When we’re traveling, we as adults understand that it’s going to be stressful. You’re slightly out of control, you’re on someone else’s schedule, and you can’t control what the lines will look like. There really are a lot of unknowns.
We recommend that the second you enter the airport, set your expectations, as it really helps the kids understand. Tell them it's going to be wild and crazy, and explain that things will be more hard and challenging. Also, remember to remind them that it’s okay if things don’t go as you planned because it's not necessarily in your control.
For us, when we fly with our kids, we like to tell them, “All right guys, let’s go see what we’re getting into,” and kind of set the scene for the feel of the day. At the end of the day, we’re just going along for the ride, and we’re going to do the best we can, but it’s going to take some teamwork, and everyone needs to play their part.
Pack Spare Outfits
When flying with kids, you should always pack a spare change of clothes. For me, I have my mom bag, which has a change of clothes and some different things in it to make sure that if accidents happen, I have the things I need to help make the flight a little easier.
For example, when we were potty training my daughter Parker, it was really important for me to have a whole second outfit with us when we were flying. Sometimes having to find a bathroom for your kid is very challenging, and accidents do happen. So, by having a spare change of clothes, it doesn’t matter if they don’t quite make it to the toilet.
Think about some of the things that are really stressful for you, or the things that you’re worried about happening, and ask yourself the question: What can I do to help alleviate some of that stress?
Drinks or Bubble Gum During Take Off and Landing
When kids are screaming on planes, a lot of the time it’s because of the pressure in their eardrums. There are two tricks you can do to help alleviate the pressure in your kids' ears.
Adults do the fake yawn or popping of the jaw to see if we can ease the pressure, but for babies, instead, have a bottle on hand (or try and time breastfeeding for take-off/during descent when the pressure really changes). For my older kids, I would give them something that I knew they’d be really excited to drink. For example, my kids don’t drink a lot of juice, but if I put it in a bottle, they are going to pound it during takeoff and landing. So that's one trick that you can use when flying with kids.
As kids get older and they’re no longer drinking out of a bottle, then chewing bubble gum does the same thing. I always keep bubble gum in my bag and hand it out throughout the flight to prevent the pressure from building up in their ears.
Have Entertainment on Hand
One other thing I like to bring with me is a surprise toy, magazine, or activity book that the kids weren’t anticipating. You can say to them, “If we get all the way to our seats on the plane and everyone’s behaving, I may have a little surprise for you.” Sometimes, that’s what I do with my kids, and usually, it's something that I know is going to keep them engaged for a while.
Another way is downloading a learning app on an Ipad if they do have screens. I’ll go ahead and download one without the kids knowing, so when we get onto the plane, I’ll say, “Hey, I downloaded this game for you guys to try,” and it usually ends with them being engaged for hours.
To recap, some of the things I like to take on the plane with me are:
- Bottles for little ones
- A change of clothes for parents and children
- Bubble gum
- Baby wipes (I can’t say enough about baby wipes in general as they’re great for cleaning up)
- A surprise app
- An activity book
- A toy or something that is going to grab their attention.
Flying With Kids: Conclusion
Traveling can be stressful, and if you’re bringing that stress into the adventure with the kid, then they’re going to absorb it, even if you’re not communicating it to them. Do everything you can when engaging with your kid to make sure that the whole experience is as positive as possible, even if sometimes it means lying to yourself.
