Starmoo Home  Blog How to travel with a child?
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How to travel with a child? |
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As an adult when you are traveling you have to worry about saving money and not losing your bags, so if you have children to worry about too, your vacation can get totally spoiled. You do not want to be in the same situation as Gerald and Julie Kulesza, who were kicked off an AirTran Airways plane after their 3-year daughter Elly simply wouldn't stop crying and refused to stay in her seat as the plane was ready to depart. They missed their flight, their bags went without them, and the airline was not very helpful in getting them to their home - since they were ejected from the plane, they were also banned from flying on the same airline for 24 hours. AP9 Simple Escapes has a few excellent suggestions for folks who are traveling with young ones:
- Prepare them before departure. If the kids are old enough to understand what's going on around them, inform them that the pilot and crew need them to be well-behaved in order to fly the plane properly. Offer them rewards -- an extra snack, a trip to the zoo, whatever -- if they promise to behave, then remind them of those rewards if they start to act up.
- Make them comfortable. For most infants and toddlers, airports and airplanes represent a whole new world of sights, sounds and
 people, and many youngsters don't react calmly in such busy environments. Fortunately, a variety of child restraint systems, i.e., car seats, are approved for use on planes, so check with the airline, then bring the kid's regular car seat on board. The familiar seating can help reduce fidgeting and, in some cases, promote sleep.
- Keep them amused. From dolls to pacifiers to small games to books, their favorite diversions can distract and entertain kids for hours (ideally). Pack the carry-on luggage with their most popular toys and games (and, of course, an adequate supply of snacks, juice, diapers and any medications they may need). Just be prepared to substitute distractions at a moment's notice, since that's how quickly attention spans can shift.
- Act like a parent. It's the responsibility of the parents -- not the flight attendants, the pilots or other passengers -- to control their children on an airplane. If that means disciplining them in front of a planeload of strangers, so be it. While physical abuse should never be part of a parent's arsenal, a stern lecture -- or even gently but effectively restraining a child in his or her seat, if necessary -- can be useful tactics for controlling a wayward child. And remember: As every other passenger will attest, a parent's most important priority when flying with children is to keep the little ones under control.
- Finally, be prepared for delays. Flights can get delayed for any number of reasons and you can get stuck in a plane for much longer than you prepared for.
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