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It’s funny how life changes your perception of certain events over time. Before I had kids, I loved traveling alone. (Heck, who am I kidding? I still do.) I would snuggle into my window seat, get my reading material out, and get set for a few hours on an easy flight. My only hope then was that a screaming, puking baby wasn’t anywhere near me. You see, before I had kids, I only thought I was a patient person. But kids change you. They prepare you to come face to face with the worst version of yourself, and therefore, you grow as a person through it.
Flying now with my family looks a little different than how it used to. I was so afraid to take that first flight with my kids. The first time they flew, they were 5 and 2. I was scared for real, y’all. I was so afraid of being *that* person on the plane. You know the ones – the parents who other perceive as not doing anything to soothe their crying child because the child just won’t shut up.
Newsflash people: kids can’t regulate their emotions like we can.
That first trip, and every single one since has went pretty darn well. We come prepared, ready for anything and these tips below are going to help you get the same results.
TSA Pre-Check
If you’re planning on flying domestically and you hate going through security, this is what you need to do. All you have to do is apply here, make an appointment to be fingerprinted and interviewed, and a couple weeks later, you’ll receive your Known Traveler ID number in the mail. Now, when you schedule your flights, be sure to include this number on your ticket.
Having this Transportation Security Administration number allows you to go through security easily. This line is always shorter and you don’t have to remove your shoes, belts, or jackets. Also, kids 12 and under can go in the TSA Pre-Check line without having a Known Traveler ID. It’s something like $85 per adult, but it’s totally worth the convenience. It also lasts for 5 years, so if you travel a lot, it’s absolutely worth it to get it.
Pack a variety of snacks and activities for ride
I’m a snacker, so naturally my kids are too. I always pack all sorts of snacks for them – healthy/not healthy. Whatever it is that they like, we pack it. I also make sure to pack a few bribery snacks. You know the ones – the snacks that you only reserve for special occasions, family photo sessions, and dyer situations. Consider this one of those times. However – and this is important – do NOT let the kids know you have that special snack unless it is absolutely necessary. Because once you use it, it’s out there. It’s gone. That tactic will no longer work.
We also have a rule that no snacks will be given out until the plane is in the air. I typically take empty travel sippy cups or water bottles and fill them up with water in the airport after we’ve gone through security. You can bring water flavor packets or enhancers if you like, but having something for the kiddos to sip on while the plane is climbing during takeoff is always a good idea – you just never know how their ears are going to react to the pressure changes.
Explore the airport while you’re waiting to board
Don’t let those tablet batteries diminish while you’re waiting to get on the plane! Also, you’ll want to get all of those wiggles out pre-flight. Some airports even have playgrounds where kids can play beforehand (thank you Jesus!), but if not, going on the moving sidewalks and walking around the terminals works great too. Just me sure to stay out of business travelers’ way – they tend to not be excited to be there in the first place and seeing kids running around is likely to set them off.
Take advantage of early boarding
The earlier you can get on board the plane, the better. No, really. It seems like you would want to wait until the last possible moment to strap your kid into a seat, but in actuality, you don’t. Early seating is definitely the way to go. This will allow you to pick your ideal seat (if flying on Southwest Airlines or another airline where you don’t have a dedicated seat), get all of your snacks, toys, and activities out and ready to go, and then the rest of your belonging stowed in the overhead container. The more organized you are on the plane, the less time you’ll spend panicking about finding that stupid giraffe toy they love or the red coloring book they simply have to color in before anything else.
Prepare yourself for the worst, hope for the best, and just breathe
I was on a flight before and there was a kid – probably about 2 years old – absolutely freaking out on the plane. It was a late flight, he was definitely way past his bedtime, and he wasn’t comfortable. He had reached his breaking point and nothing his parents did to soothe him worked. The kid was miserable. The parents were defeated.
I remember getting off of that plane and seeing the other passengers glaring at the family. I couldn’t believe it. Didn’t these people understand that the parents tried everything they could? They were not bad parents by any means, their son had simply hit his breaking point and there was nothing they could do to rectify the situation except strap him into his carseat and drive home (at least I’m guessing that’s what they did).
I’ve been there. I’ve had to let my kid scream it out in the car while I cried all the way home. You can’t do that on an airplane. On an airplane there’s added pressure. People judge. People are mean. ANd there’s nothing you can do but pray that the plane lands soon.
Just know that you are doing your best. Have patience and give grace to others and their negative attitudes towards you. And if all else fails, buying the people around your seats an adult beverage can’t hurt.
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