Tips for flying with kids

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Forum -> Vacation and Traveling

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cheerios

Sun, Jul 22 2007, 12:53 am

Anyone have tips for flying with kids? The ones I know of are: make sure to bring enough games, books and snacks to occupy them; don't board too early. What else?

Ruchel

Sun, Jul 22 2007, 8:32 am

Boarding early could be good for not being caught in the rush, and is necessary if you want the bassinet.

Bring chewing gums/bottles for the take off.

Tell them in advance what will happen, and that they won't be allowed to run around.

Mitzvahmom

Sun, Jul 22 2007, 8:40 am

while I know we all detest the morning flights...

It worked really well for my kids...because it was dark outside so they would fall back to sleep on the plane... and sometimes not wake up until we got to the destination..

For the ones that did not sleeep... they had individual backpacks with one or two snacks and juice.

In your own backpack..pack snacks and more juice. Remember whatever is in the backpack, they can nosh at anytime!! The likelyhood that it makes it to the plane is unlikely. So be doubly prepared

amother

Sun, Jul 22 2007, 8:44 am

Any tips for taking a long flight with a VERY ACTIVE seven-month old?

Ruchel

Sun, Jul 22 2007, 9:17 am

bring tons of toys for him. Mine is b'h very active too, but the "strangeness" of the environment calmed her a bit... now she's not 7 but 4.5, I don't know how different it is...

yoyosma

Sun, Jul 22 2007, 12:11 pm

Bring the childs favorite foods. Lots of snacks if he/she is eating yet. Hopefully your baby will sleep, sometimes it works as if you are in a moving car and it knocks the baby out.
Use ONLY Tylenol for ear pain and under NO circumstances should you give your baby Benadryl.
I am sure some people say it was a wonder drug for them, but that is just it, a DRUG.
And for some children it produces the oposite effect, ie hyperactive and high strung.
Children are children and if you cant fly with them, dont fly at all!
I have heard too many stories of children who overdose and one who Lo Aleinu passed away from Benadryl for me to let anyone even think of it.

And no, I am not an alarmist or overreacting, I am a Mommy who thanks Hashem for her precious children.

amother

Sun, Jul 22 2007, 12:47 pm

amother wrote:

Any tips for taking a long flight with a VERY ACTIVE seven-month old?

How long?

Did you think of drugs?

amother

Sun, Jul 22 2007, 2:12 pm

No I definitely am not considering drugs-- except maybe an overdose of patience and love!

It is a 4+hour flight (not her first, but our first without Tatty...)

When I say active, I mean she crawls, cruises, loves to stand, won't sit still...

su7kids

Sun, Jul 22 2007, 2:29 pm

Oh, 4 hours is not a long flight at all. For that you don't need drugs.

I was thinking maybe like 15 hours to Australia or USA to Israel or something.

For four hours you can cope with whatever it is she wants to do!! Crawl a bit in the isles, (if no-one is in the way) play with toys, sleep, nurse, eat, etc.

boruchhashem

Sun, Jul 22 2007, 3:05 pm

I just flew to eretz yisroel with my then 9 month old, and since she is teething, and we too were traveling without totty, and by the way, stopping over for 4 hours, I had on hand the homeopathic little pills, designed especially for teething, which is supposed to calm them down. didn't b'h need to use it, just had a really tough time b4 takeoff for the second half of the trip. but b'h survived. although made sure to get a direct flight back, and have some family on board too. good luck.

Mimisinger

Sun, Jul 22 2007, 3:34 pm

Yes, I would love some help in this area also. My dh and I with out ds will be going to Israel for Sukkos - ds will be 15/16 mths then and he's already soooo active. We are so worried with holding him that whole time (we are coming from the US). As it is now, he won't stay in our laps at all.

ChavieK

Mon, Jul 23 2007, 6:56 am

Ds was 17 mo when we flew to Israel. We got lucky & got the bulkhead seat. We did the overnight flight so he slept a good amount of the time-on me. He was way too big for the bassinet, but they did put it up & he had a place to sit & play. See if travel agent can book that seat. It can be any larger area seat, but they won't give you a seat by an emergency exit with a baby.

miriamnechama

Tue, Jul 24 2007, 5:32 am

let me warn you now that any alot of airports/ airlines don't allow you to take liquids anymore onto the plane unless you bought them in duty free. ie you can't take them past security. this is because of what happened last year. for baby, this is tricky but I flew last year with ds, and they gave me trouble... he was 3 then but I had no choice but to send all my liquids in the case or have them confiscated, I ended up buying in duty free drinks for him. well it was a night flight so he slept anyways. through the whole flight. on the way from israel he was a bit bored thoughi took alot of things for him to do untill he fell asleep. I had stickers, chalk, playdough, colours, papers, books, music etc

Traveling from israel you don't have that problem with liquids. this time though I was without the boys just dh, I was still smarter and send everything through and bought in duty free.

also they only allow one piece of hand luggage, per person. I stuffed my hand bag within a carrier bag and then took it out after securyty. it could only weigh 5 kilos. again I didn't have this problem in israel, but the time before with ds they wouldn't give him hand luggage, I made a fuss and said he's a full ticket, well they finally agreed.

and also from england the case cn't weigh more than 30 kilos easch, or it won't go on the plane, have extra case with you and spread things out!!

ps I've noticed that they are not so makpid on overweight as they used to be because of hand luggage limitations... in england.

Marion

Tue, Jul 24 2007, 7:08 am

Britain is MUCH more stringent about liquids than from anywhere else, despite the horror stories you hear from the other places as well. Check your airline's website for their liquid control guidelines...it's usually under "passenger info". I know when we flew from the U.S. and Canada last summer the baby formula had to be pre-mixed in the bottle (I had thought it was better to bring just the powder and show them what it was, but I was wrong!), and the guidelines for children under 3 are different than those for older children and adults.

happymom

Tue, Jul 24 2007, 12:20 pm

dvd player lots of books and looooooots of patience Wink

willow

Tue, Jul 24 2007, 12:28 pm

If your baby needs to move a bit and he/she already can stand or walk. When the stewardess are not serving you can walk them up and down the isle. They really like that.

Raisin

Tue, Jul 24 2007, 1:03 pm

Marion wrote:

You can definately bring baby formula or milk - they will make you taste it. It is about the only liquid they will let you bring on!

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