How to make flying with kids less of a hassle

Ah children, the apple of our eyes and joy ... only at home that is, right? Nope, not anymore! Parents are always in search for fun things to do with their children at home but avoid traveling with their kids for fear of the unknown. Traveling with children during the summer months as with any other time of the year shouldn’t be so complicated, hey our parents had us and we were little monsters without all these insane electronics to keep kids calm (electronics will not be mentioned in this article, so forget about it). Traveling with children can bring a set of hassles, it’s not the fear of flying, it’s the fear of a tiny human being throwing a tantrum at 30,000 feet in the air in front of 100+ passengers. Fear not parents, traveling with your children shouldn’t be exhausting, it should be a great time to bond and enjoy time away from home.
The best start to planning a trip is to be creative and flexible with your itinerary. Keep in mind that preplanned tours and packages aren’t great to be added to your itinerary since you never know how things will turn out half way through the tour you planned. So keeping it flexible and easy going is best. Here are some tips to ensure that you have the least hassle free trip with your little ones:

Booking your flight
You know your child best, booking a flight depends on the temperament of your child or children, a non-stop flight or layover largely depends on how your children deal with tight and confined areas. The length of the flight and temperament are important factors; the best flights for children to be a little more at ease are direct flights as well as night flights, they’re less crowded and calmer. Transit flights are also good because it gives a chance for kids to stretch their legs, change scenery and get a little more excited to get on a big plane again. One of the hassles of transit flights is lugging your carry-ons from one flight to another, moving from one terminal to another and making sure that you’re not late catching the next flight out. Keep in mind to have a little more than two hours in between flights to ensure that you don’t miss your next flight out.

Inflight
Many airlines provide inflight entertainment to keep kids preoccupied, there are movies and shows on display and kids packages are also given just before takeoff. These include coloring books and crayons, as well as some crafts to keep them busy for a while.
Unless you have a baby with you, there is no need to worry about meals. You can request special meals for your children if they’re picky eaters or have dietary needs, make sure that you request that ahead online or through an agent.
- Arrive at the airport early to assign good seats.
- Arrive at the airport early to pass through security at ease at least an hour before your flight takes off, your kids will definitely want to roam around the airport a bit.
- Have your kids carry small backpacks with a story book, coloring notepad, crayons and a toy or two.
- Have a small bag of healthy snacks and juice boxes just in case they’re picky before takeoff.
- Avoid sweets!
- Always keep your children informed of your plans in order to ease off any anxiety that might occur preflight, on flight or when landed. This way they stay excited and on the target.
- Pack double clothes for your baby, baby wipes, disposable bibs, diapers and disposable bags for diapers and dirty clothes.
- Never apologize to fellow passengers if your baby is crying and throwing a tantrum on the plane, the pressure can cause intense ear pain, just keep doing what you do best to calm him or her down.

Upon arrival
After long hours between airports and airplanes, you and your kids are tired, antsy and in need of a shower and a clean set of clothes. Taking it easy on the first day is important, it gives you a chance to reenergize and relax. Instead of booking tours and hopping on buses or trains, take a stroll around your hotel, check out the beach if you’re staying at a beach resort, talk to your concierge and explore parks nearby, convenient stores and pharmacies (just in case).

Vacation time
Keep it simple, keep it light and don’t force every single activity on your kids, the purpose of your vacation is to have fun and relax. Engage with your older children, have them give their opinion to your suggestions and give them a chance to choose, they’ll feel appreciated. Another tip would be to not do too much yet don’t do too little either, have enough time to spend outdoors as well as just a bit to relax back at the hotel and take a break between outings, naps are your best friend. Naturally you’ll eat out on vacation, get a heads up of the restaurants that your kids would like, it’s best to keep it casual. Many hotels and resorts have kids’ activity clubs, that’s a great chance to get that spa appointment you need or that bike ride in the park nearby.
Vacations are less of “no, no, no” and more of “let’s go and have some fun today!” kind of mood, focus on enjoying your time wherever you’re headed, live the moment and do whatever it takes to have a memorable time.

[email protected]