Flying with Kids
For what it’s worth, a few things I learned on our just-completed adventure flying across the country and back with our two little ones:
- Even if your two-year-old is religious about pooping once a day, he will find the resources to grant you a bonus once he notices he’s on an airplane. The severity of this surprise poop will be in proportion to how difficult it is at that moment to get to the airplane bathroom.
- It’s not smart to play Chad Vader in front of your preschooler, because he’ll pick up on the one or two salty phrases in it and debut them just when the the nice man sharing his row tries to engage him.
- It is smart to bring an extra pair of pants in case your three-year-old has an accident, but even smarter to bring an extra shirt too in case he has a mishap of a different variety and your husband is unable to procure a barf bag in time. Sadly, I am not smarter.
- Those folks who clean airplanes between flights are probably underpaid.
- If you let your three-year-old pick out a replacement T-shirt at an airport store during your layover, he may well insist on the one that says “Friends don’t let friends vote Democrat.”
- It won’t matter, though, because he’ll refuse to wear the shirt you just blew $15 on because it doesn’t say Red Sox.
- After enough legs of a plane journey, even M&Ms completely lose their bribery power.
- All inconveniences of plane travel with little kids are counterbalanced by the fabulous Travelmate by Go Go Babyz. I’ve said it before: Worth every penny.
Posted by MommaSteph.
November 7th, 2007 at 1:48 pm
We just flew with the girls to Florida and back two weekends ago, so I feel your pain. I think your experience was actually worse, though, as we had no accidents. : ( I am sorry about that! We just had a lot of crying and fidgeting the whole time.
Anyway, when we got home, my Dh and I looked at each other and said, “Next trip is just you and me!!!!” : )
November 7th, 2007 at 2:20 pm
You crack me up Steph, great post! LOL
November 7th, 2007 at 2:21 pm
Just thought I’d post this link, looks like a great product! http://www.trunki.co.uk/
November 7th, 2007 at 2:50 pm
Loved it!!!
November 7th, 2007 at 3:02 pm
And did you know that not all airplanes actually have those flip-down changing tables in the bathroom. I found this out on a flight from Chicago to San Francisco… that is a long time without a diaper change. And the advice from the flight attendant?? Just change him in your seat. All I can say is good thing we didn’t have an explosive poop to worry about. I’m sure everyone on board would have appreciated that.
November 7th, 2007 at 5:52 pm
What a great post!
And…um…now I’m really nervous for our trip to Germany next month!
They’d darn well better have a changing table in our transatlantic plane!
November 7th, 2007 at 6:33 pm
You know what else?
It is guaranteed that your 2-year old will not sleep the whole 3.5 hours, until you are taxiing to the gate at your destination.
November 8th, 2007 at 12:04 am
HAHAH! Brilliant post. I want that “Democrat” t-shirt for my kid! Oh my what eyebrows that would raise around San Fran!!