In a perfect world traveling with your children would be easy, but unfortunately, it isn’t always the case. However, there are a few ways a parent can make a trip on an airplane more bearable for you, your fellow passengers as well are your children. Here are a few simple tips that can minimize your headaches and make your trip with your children much smoother.
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Make Your Expectations Known Ahead of Time
It may not be realistic to expect the children to adhere to every little detail but it is important that they know how you expect them to behave. Some of it may not stick but if you’re adamant about how they should behave while on the airplane, things will go much smoother for you and for the passengers as well. Also, have a plan in place should they get separated from you, who they should approach and who they should avoid. An emergency plan like this is a perfect solution for these situations.
Ask for Patience from Your Fellow Travelers
It’s important to let the people around you know that you will be doing your best to maintain your children’s best behavior. Once again, this may not always work out perfectly but often times informing your surrounding passengers of your intentions will allow them to be a bit more patient in the event your children start acting up knowing that you are doing your best to prevent that from happening.
Feed Your Children Before Getting on the Plane
Whether it’s a short trip or a long trip, children fare much better when they’re not hungry. A hungry child can be a cranky child and this is the last thing that you want on a plane trip.
Let Your Children Play Prior to Boarding the Plane
If the child has a great deal of pent-up energy, that energy is going to come out and the worst place that can happen is on a plane. That’s why it’s best to let them get all that energy out of their system before getting on the airplane. If the airport has a playground, take your children to the playground. Let them run up and down the escalators and expend their energy so that they will be more relaxed when they are in-flight.
Books and Games
If your children love to read, bring age-appropriate books for them to occupy their time. Also, compact games are an excellent way to captivate your child’s attention and keep their behavior in check while on the airplane.
Pack Your Car Seat
Unless you have a car seat awaiting you, you’ll need to take yours. To protect it, get a large duffel bag or a hard suitcase to protect it from damage in its transportation
Traveling with your children may not be ideal but by planning ahead you can make the experience much more pleasant. By following these simple tips, your children can be well prepared for the flight ahead and the experience will be less taxing on you as well as the fellow occupants of the airplane.
