Sunday, May 12, 2013

What kind of toys worked when flying with kids(less than a year old) on long flights ?

Q. I have a 10 month old, will be flying to Asia, I have purchased a seat for her but she does not enjoy being strapped in the car seat for long. I am contemplating checking in the car seat, at the same time wondering if the airlines provides you with necessary things to secure a child this young ? My first time flying with her so want to do every bit of research so make the journey comfortable for her and other fellow passengers. Please feel free to pass on any tips as well. Thanks.

A. We’ve only flown with a really young child once, and it wasn’t as long of a flight as you’ll be taking. My son was 13 months old, so a little older than your baby.

We checked the car seat and did not bring it on the plane. We’d flown with our daughter once when she was a toddler and used the car seat on the plane. It was awful--the seats are so close together that she literally had nowhere to put her feet. The man sitting in front of her insisted on reclining his seat, which made it worse. If she bumped his seat (which she could not help doing every time she moved), he turned around and glared at us. He even made a few comments about it, and when I tried to explain that it wasn’t the poor kid’s fault, he got very huffy. We decided to never try to bring a car seat on the plane again. I don’t know why the airlines suggest it, when they don’t even fit onto those stupid seats!

To keep my son occupied--we brought along a few quiet toys, some small books, and LOTS of snacks. It’s not a tactic I normally use, but to keep him happy on the plane I pulled out something new each time he got restless. His favorite activity was searching for Cheerios in a small box. I’d put a few Cheerios at a time into the little box, and he’d dig around for them. We also brought some of those Crayola Color Wonder markers and paper. The markers only write on the paper, so don’t make a mess. Your baby might be a bit young for something like that, but if she is starting to enjoy scribbling on paper, the markers might keep her busy for a while.

I’d suggest getting some small, inexpensive, quiet toys that your daughter has never seen before. They will be new to her and more interesting than her own toys. Pull them out one at a time, as needed, whenever she gets restless. She’ll probably also like playing with your keys or your cell phone--my kids always liked those things more than they liked their toys! Bring along some picture books that are new to her as well. The novelty of everything will keep her occupied for longer.

Also, it’s a good idea to have something on hand for your child to drink during take-off and landing so her ears don’t hurt. I don’t know what the current regulations are for bring things like juice boxes or bottles onto an airplane, but make sure you check that on the airline’s website before you leave.

Here are some websites with more tips for traveling with children:

http://www. flyingwithkids .com/ best_travel_tips .htm
http://www. flyingwithkids .com/ travel_tips .htm
http:// parenting.ivillage .com/mom/travel/0,,45jl, 00 .html
http://www. faa .gov/passengers/fly_children/
http://www. onestepahead .com/custserv/ shop_smarter_article .jsp?pageName=Flying_Tips

This article lists restricted items on planes. It does say that formula, milk, and juice for infants and toddlers ARE allowed. http://www. tsa .gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/ permitted-prohibited-items .shtm

Have a safe and happy trip!

ps you might want to pack some Advil or Tylenol for yourself. :)


How do i travel comfortable and convenient on an airplane with a 1 yr old and an infant,?
Q. what can I do to keep a toddler occupied on an airplane and make the trip easy?

A. Do you have a separate seat for each of you, or are you planning on having a "lap baby"? Definitely bring the toddler's carseat on board; you will want the convenience of being able to keep the child in its seat! It is WELL worth the hassle of having to lug it around and carry it on the plane, get it installed, etc. Plus the crew can and should help you get it to your seat, and back off the plane when you land. Ideally the baby should have its own seat and carseat as well.

Bring some quiet activities along for the toddler. A few items that they are familiar with, and several that are new. Dollar stores have lots of fun stuff and you don't have to spend a lot that way. Just a bunch of things to keep the toddler occupied if they are bored or frustrated. I would bring 1 toy/activity per 30 min. of flight time, and an extra one or two in case of delays.

Bring lots of snacks (more than you think you'll need-- delays can wreak havoc on little ones' tummies), and notify the airline ahead of time if your toddler has allergies or any other issues that require specific beverages (I don't know what they do if a child must have a nutrition beverage or soy milk rather than cow's, or any of that). Then you won't be surprised and unprepared when it comes to drinks. If you are planning to breastfeed your new little one, do me a favor and ask the airline when you call, if they have any restrictions on bringing lactating breasts on board now with all of their no-liquids policies... LOL

Another thing-- expect that at some point your toddler, your baby, or both, are going to be unhappy while on the plane. Try not to stress over whether this is bothering the other passengers, and just focus on meeting your childrens' needs. You're not responsible for the comfort of the rest of the plane, only for your own two precious passengers! And you paid for your seats, just like the rest of them.

Good luck! Flying with children doesn't have to be a huge issue; it can even be an enjoyable experience! I've flown with my kiddos many times, at different ages and stages, and with up to 5 children, plus dog & cat, with no hubby to help (he's military) on some occasions. Some have been negative experiences, but most have been wonderful. And the negative ones were only because of unforeseeable problems (getting sick just before the flight, or just me letting myself get stressed over kids being kids). I hope it all goes well!


How do I occupy a 14 month old boy on his first airplane flight?
Q. My 14 month old grandson will be flying for about 3 hours at a time. (roundtrip). I would like to put together a fun pak for him to have on the plane to help with fussiness. He will not have his own seat, so he will be on a parents lap. What kind of things would work best for this situation?
Thanks

A. Definately make sure that you have a bottle or dummy for your grandson for take off and landing as the sudden increase and decrease of altitude and cabin pressure is quite harsh on their little ears.

Perhaps pop together a little gift pack.. sticker books, crayons, paper, toys, snacks ect ect. And reward him every so often, if he start to get restless, let him know that he has been a good boy and if he keeps being a good boy then he may get another present.

This way you are keeping him entertained with one thing at a time, he wont get bored of everything so quickly if he is given each item separetly, it also encourages good behaviour.
Perhaps wrap the treats, so its more exciting for him to open!

Also, when you check in for your flight, with a smile kindly ask the ground staff if there is any possibility of being placed in a row of seats where there maybe a spare seat. Unless the flight is full, this should not be a problem. Even though you have not purchased a seat for the infant, as long as he is on the lap of a parent for take off and landing there is no reason as to why he cant be in a spare seat through out the flight!

One last thing, many airlines have inflight entertainment devices that can be hired for the flight, these generally have cartoons for children on them and movies for all ages - just incase he gets sick of it!!

Hope this helps a little!!

Happy and Safe flying!





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