Wheels Up With A Toddler

/ Mary, Mother of the Light Academy/

You approach the gate and you get those stares.  You can feel them because they’re piercing.  You’re the dreaded passenger with a toddler. 

There’s a 50/50 chance for everyone onboard - this flight will be quiet and peaceful, or exhaustion will rear its ugly head and you’ll have a screaming, crying toddler. 

And sure, as parents we might feel like we have occasional superpowers, but flying with a toddler has defeated even the most heroic.  That said, listen up, because while it may seem hopeless, parents have more control over their flying fate than they think.

Preparedness is critical.  You’ve got to think through what your schedule looks like for the day of the flight.  And let’s be honest, the best toddler in this case is a quiet one.  

WEAR THEM OUT
Before your flight, try to tucker your toddler out so that they want to nap during the flight.  This might mean skipping a nap, but your fellow passengers will thank you.  If your toddler has their own little suitcase, just walking through the airport might call for a nap on its own.

ENTERTAINMENT
Entertainment is king on a flight and since not all screen time is created equal make sure you’ve got a portable DVD player or tablet locked and loaded with the classics – Apps, games, television shows and movies. These devices are great for travel because they’re generally small and slim making them easy to fit in a carry on. Possibly even more important than the device are headphones.  Do not be that person who has their tablet on full volume on a flight without headphones.  

SNACKS
It doesn’t matter how long the flight is, thirty minutes or thirty hours, your toddler will get hungry.  Snacks are a must.  Try to keep these as healthy as possible.  Try to avoid things your toddler doesn’t generally eat because adverse reactions to too many sweets or fried food when you’re on a plan is NO BUENO.

COMFORT OBJECT
Finally, the last pro-trip for traveling with a toddler, is to bring either a pillow or blanky from home. First and foremost, it’s comforting. Flying is scary and we all process fear in different ways.  This sense of home may also instigate nap time.

Flying with children, especially for the first time, can be stressful.Remember, your children look at your behavior to help decipher the world around them.If they see you are stressed out in a situation, they will mimic what they see.If you’re flying for the first time with your child, make sure you’re paying extra close attention to their behavior.New experiences often need extra attention.