Tag Archives: airport

Mommy 101

Things I Let Fly ONLY When We Travel

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I recently took a flight with my two toddlers by myself. Sure, they’ve flown before and obviously I have too, but it’s either been me and just one baby, or me with daddy and both babies, but this last time… I was running the “zone” all by myself! There was 2 of them and only one Mommy. I did have a little anxiety going into it, from the logistics of pushing the stroller and retrieving our roller bags from the carousel and getting everything and everyone in the car, to just the thought of keeping both boys entertained and “quiet,” while sitting in a confined space with one lap child and his big brother on the plane.

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Honestly, it is so doable, and I’m sure as they get older and can carry more of their own stuff, it’ll get easier…but our first go at it, wasn’t exactly “smooth sailing.” I picked an early morning (6am) flight, we were flying from west to east and would have one stop over in Chicago. Well, what should’ve been easy enough resulted in 2 hours of sitting at the gate in SFO while maintenance checked out an issue. The plan I had counted on was flying out on time and the boys going to sleep til we hit the Windy City to change planes. That didn’t happen, instead it was endless cries and whining…and I don’t blame ’em. I was up at 3am for the early travel and getting stuck sitting in a small space going nowhere is NO FUN! Then, when we made it to our stop, the next flight was delayed and so we had to endure a much longer “break” than anticipated…another horror for a Mommy trying to pack the patience and time it just right for meals and nap time. Needless to say, we eventually made it to our destination, albeit 5 hours later than scheduled…but we all made it, in one piece.

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As I reflected on the events of that day, I realized there are so many things that I let “fly” which would never ever normally be okay. Keep reading…

  • Shoes with no Socks – Maybe it’s not a big deal, but with my busy body boys and their uber active feet, things can get pretty stinky when we’re talking sneakers sans socks! However, I was picking my battles and I wasn’t going to force socks on their feet. What can I say they preferred to be barefoot on the plane.
  • Milk Monsters – I’ve written about this before, my boys LOVE their milk… I try to limit their intake because if they drink more milk we’ll have more wet diapers, and both the amount of milk and diapers I had on hand were limited…BUT when we got stuck at the gate for a couple hours, filling their cups up with leche was the ONLY thing that’d keep them calm.
  • Candy – They’re toddlers, they really don’t need candy, but on this day, the Starburst Jelly Beans I had in my purse were lifesavers! Yes, I let them have candy, heck I even allowed a fellow mom on the flight give my kids some kind of Ice Breaker Fruit Cool Mints.
  • Screen Time – On a normal day I’d limit their use of electronic devices and tablet time – we have a Cubby, Nabi Jr. and iPad…for this day, it was a free for all. I let them use them as long as they would hold their attention. Screens on the seat backs were helpful too to help pass the in-flight time.
  • Lay on the Floor – Never would I ever let them lay on the floor and play in a public place like a (dirty) airport, but I did. During our layover, the gate areas were packed and if sitting and playing on the floor keep them content, who was I to interrupt the “quiet time.” One of mine was even sneaky enough to eat a fallen (aforementioned) jelly bean off the floor, and I didn’t even flinch! Shhhh!
  • Talk to Strangers – I do let my kids “talk to strangers” when I’m around, and they love saying “hi” to anyone they come across, and since I have 2 it’s always a double take, and one can’t do something without the other one wanting in on any subsequent attention. There was actually one “stranger” in particular though that I allowed to carry my kids for a few minutes…he was a Dad. We were in the home stretch of our travel, we got word we were actually going to board for our final destination and my babes took a liking to the guy standing near us. So much so that one stretched his arms out in the “carry” motion and I let it happen. Of course #2 couldn’t be left out so he got carried for a few seconds too. Hey, I was right there and monitoring all of it and while I would never usually allow that, I was about to be running on fumes and his gesture to appease my kids actually helped me out!
Mommy 101

Ugly Side of Air Travel with Kids

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I travel by plane with my kids, not a whole lot, but probably more than the average person. I’ve written about tips on how to travel with a baby solo, child seats on a plane, kid frequent fliers and toddler travel gear… I usually try to keep my posts positive and look at the bright side of things and offer my advice and tips on how to make your life as a Mommy (parent) easier, but when I was going through some photos from one of our last (air) travels with the kids, I realized there’s something I needed to write about…and it’s not pretty.

I’m talking about the “UGLY side of Air Travel with Kids,” and it has more to do with factors that are not in our control, than it does with anything we are doing as parents. So here goes, 3 things that are just not cool…

TSA
Transportation Security Administration aka security screening. If you think about how you packed your carry-on luggage and items, and know what you have to do to get through security it’s a pretty easy process. I can go through it with my 2 toddlers and our stroller faster than many adults who can’t figure out what “empty out all items in your pockets” means. However, since I do have toddlers and they need milk or juice or water, etc… when you travel through a checkpoint which is lacking certain security instruments, you are subject to pat downs and extra screenings in order to successfully keep all of your aforementioned items and not toss them out. When it comes to bottles and things I can open, they are able to test them easily, but if I bring a closed juice box, milk carton, etc… If I don’t open them and that checkpoint (usually smaller airports/cities) doesn’t have proper screening machinery, then you will get a full-body check.

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And the reason it’s “ugly” is because on our last trip, Daddy got the pat down – and as you can see in the photo – it’s not pretty, to have an innocent kid watch as some stranger puts their hands on Mom/Dad! My 2-year old toddler didn’t quite understand why Daddy was holding his arms out, and started to worry about what was happening..then my baby even proceeded to hold out his arms in the same manner as if he too would be subjected to a pat down as well. As a Mom, it was more than uncomfortable.. and certainly not a “picture” that evokes a happy travel memory.

Grumpy Passengers
It’s like a given that there will always be someone on a plane who dreads the thought of a loud child being anywhere within earshot when they sit down. I understand it can be unpleasant, especially if it’s a long flight, but if it’s bad for you, it’s even worse for me. The last thing I’d want is for my child to be the most vocal human on the plane. I do not enjoy a squirmy baby who isn’t happy to be all cooped up and confined in a small space, but hey, we all need to get to where we’re going, right? Please believe, as a parent I do my best to pack all the snacks, distractions and permissible toys to get us through the flight with little or no incident.

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No, I’m not going to pack a “goodie bag,” to give to all the surrounding passengers to apologize for possible “bad” behavior by my child, and really I shouldn’t be made to feel bad about it before it even happens, IF it ever even happens! Every single person on this planet was a child before they became an adult…so I’m pretty certain that every single person in this world has been or done something to annoy another person at some point in their childhood/lifetime. My child has just as much of a right to be on the plane as you do, and there’s no need for you to give me the side eye, talk under your breath or be hostile toward my family. Children are like sponges and they see your “ugly” behavior and as an “adult” you should be better able to control yourself than a small child who is learning all the wonders of the world.

Limited Resources
There are only so many diapers, bottles and toys you can pack for a plane trip. As a Mom I do my absolute best to plan ahead, and pack a little extra in my bag to make sure I have all my bases covered for the trip. Yes, that includes additional provisions for unforeseen delays and changes. However, during our trip over the holidays, what should have been a 8 hour trip turned in a 24-hour journey to get to our destination. You can bet I was stressed about running out of diapers and milk. Sure, the airline staff can bring out soda and pretzels to pacify some of the adults in the crowd, but that’s not going to work for a 1 and 2 year old. Complicating my situation is that in the airport we were at, all the airport shops had closed and chances are slim that even if they were open that they’d carry the diapers and milk I needed. Luckily we made it without incident and stretched our resources to the max…BUT, I’m not gonna lie…there’s no fear like that of running out of diapers, wipes and milk!

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Mommy 101

My Kids are Frequent Fliers…

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My kids are frequent fliers…literally! Well, maybe I should rephrase that to my “kid” is a frequent flier and I mean that in the “true” sense of the word. Raef is 2 now, so that means he gets his own seat on the plane. It means instead of having to cover the cost of 2 adult tickets – when we fly as a family, we have to pay for 3. It means that he is now an official card carrying member of his own frequent flier accounts.

It’s probably not a huge concern for most parents, and the idea of making a child a “frequent flier,” might even sound a little odd to some, but the truth is, I am all about stretching every dollar and always getting the most for my bucks! You may say we don’t fly enough or it’s too much of a hassle… Well, I’ll tell you this, if you’re not accumulating points for yourself (or  your child), when you fly, you’re potentially missing out.

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One of the best things about many of these frequent flier programs these days is that points/miles no longer expire. Some of them still do require account activity once a year, or you lose em, but for the most part…they’ll stay intact. As I look into the new year, I have no idea how many flights we’ll take, or if I’ll be using the same airline every time, but you know what…I’d rather collect the credits and not use them, than not get them and wish I had. Another great thing I want to point out is that a few of the frequent flier programs now also have like “family” sharing options. I know JetBlue does this…

So, if you’re jet-setting with your tot, it might just be something to think about. I’m gonna milk it with my remaining “lap child” until he turns 2 next summer…then he’ll be getting his own frequent flier accounts too!

Mommy 101

Air Travel With Baby…By Yourself!

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Traveling with a baby is easier than you might think (if you’ve never done it), especially if they’re still immobile! ha!! Seriously though, I remember Raef’s first plane ride. I was worried if we’d have enough food, would he cry, what about the recycled cabin air and close proximity to random strangers who carry germs!?! I did my online research, asked around…stressed about how to pack and what to pack, would I have enough of everything he’d need? His first flight was international from Miami to the Dominican Republic, when he hit the 2 month old mark (yes, he needed a passport), and it was roughly a 2 hour flight.

It was definitely a good thing for his first flight that Mommy and Daddy were both present, and it was probably even better for me to get a first-hand process overview, with an extra pair of hands available, for check-in, going through TSA Security and also getting the car seat and stroller to our destination in one piece! Planning and organization are key – I think that really applies to anything you do as a parent. Things you can do ahead of time include calculating how much formula/food you will need, think about bottles, containers and other baby aides that will make your trip easier. Call your hotel ahead of time, inquire about refrigerators, cribs, laundry facilities, etc… Another good thing to know is where are the grocery and drugstores in the area you’ll be staying in. For our trip to DR we’d be on a resort and I had to bring all the formula, diaper and wipes with me..the last thing I wanted to do was try and hunt these things down when I got there or pay crazy prices at the hotel gift shop, not even knowing if they’d carry what we’d need..so yeah, I brought all my own stuff!

On his first trip, everything went fine, he didn’t cry at all on landing and takeoff or through the entire flight! We did make sure we had a bottle ready to go to feed him, but if I remember correctly, he was sleeping both ways or had a pacifier, and he was fine, no air pressure issues at all. We did take our stroller to the gate and check it, but before doing so, we placed both the base and car seat in a huge stroller travel bag I purchased prior to the trip…I mean if you pay that much for it – we have the Orbit Baby Travel System, you want to keep it “nice” and make sure all parts are there upon arrival!

Now to the point of my story…air travel with a baby, by yourself, isn’t hard at all. On subsequent trips with Raef when it was just me, this is what I did:

  • Give yourself plenty of time! I can’t stress this enough, get to the airport early…that way there’s no need to rush!
  • Check in my bag and stroller. Keep your carry-on items to a minimum, bring only what you need. All that amounts to basically a diaper bag. Bring several diapers (minimum 6) and extra formula (whatever you think you’ll need plus 2 extra bottles worth, unless of course you breastfeed. TSA doesn’t open ready-to-feed formula or your bottles, but do keep them easily accessible since they do “test” them before letting you through, so you will have to take them outside of the bag..actually put them in a bin before you go through the scanner.
  • Wear the baby. I ended up using the Baby Bjorn carrier to walk through security and get on the plane, my stroller (at the time) was 2 pieces, it was much easier to get it checked in at the counter, rather than struggle to somehow hold the baby, fold it up and get it in a bag at the gate.
  • Check to see if you can be assigned a seat with an “open” seat next to it. Baby will have to stay in your lap for take off and landing, but it’s nice to have the extra room if you can get it. I think it’s made a world of difference for flights where we went coast to coast, giving the baby a place to lay/nap, stretch out and play. In all my experiences we’ve always had an understanding person in our row and I’ve never had any issues. I think we fear the horror stories and as a parent you are going to be way more embarrassed and sensitive to every noise and movement the baby makes, but really…people understand, after all, they were all babies at one time too! 😉
  • Bring a few toys, maybe new ones or one that hasn’t been played with in a while. Also if baby has a security blanket make sure that is nearby!
  • Make sure the baby is nursing or feeding at takeoff and landing…something to suck on like a pacifier also works!
  • Order and ship formula, diapers, etc.. to your destination ahead of time if you can. That way you won’t have to spend time shopping for the items once you arrive.
  • Consider using ready to feed formula and needing only nipples and collars to top each bottle (Evenflo brand fits perfect) or perhaps the Playtex drop-in liners.

Now, I’m not going to lie, there was a flight where I was “that Mom.” After our first flight to Dominican Republic, I flew solo with Raef on several cross-country flights, but then on our last flight when I was entering my 3rd trimester with Isaiah and Raef was now 9 months old…there was drama on the return to Florida from California. It was like as soon as we had gotten to San Francisco, he started teething on his outer teeth – we had no issues with his front top and bottom, but these were a different story. So actually the whole trip he wasn’t quite himself…he wouldn’t eat, take a pacifier and had vomited a few times, so I was VERY uneasy about the return..not to mention my belly was kinda on the big side by now! Needless to say, he cried, okay screamed and couldn’t sleep for most of the near 6 hour flight back to Florida. We had a open seat next to us, but he just wanted to be held. He was over tired and his gums hurt…pobrecito! In hindsight I don’t know why I didn’t think to get some Baby Tylenol, to give to him, I think I was in an anti-meds mode because my pediatrician had told me not to give him anything – but she was referring to Benedryl I had inquired about to make him drowsy for no specific reason other than we’d be flying. I did have some other teething remedies, like the teething tablets, but they weren’t working. Thankfully, we did make it home with no major incident, although I did have to endure a couple annoyed glares and unsolicited comments, but people just want to be “helpful.” I tried to explain that he was teething, that his behavior was only intensified by being stuck on a plane, but he was just as uncomfortable the day before while we were firmly on the ground. Ah yes, you will always inevitably run into strangers who want to tell you what is bothering your child, that the air pressure is making them act that way or that you should do this or that…just grin and look the other way! The moral of this part of my story, keep some ibuprofen handy (among other things), just in case.

Ultimately, you know your baby best and you need to do what will work for you. As they get older and more mobile it becomes more of a challenge because they’ll want to crawl or walk to explore and it’s much harder to get them to stay still. Another thing you can do is try to get them tired before boarding, maybe walk around or let them get some energy out…not sit stuck in the stroller at the gate..waiting…that won’t help when it comes time to sit before take off.  Think about the times of day you’ve scheduled your flights, try to find what will work when baby is least fussy! I say focus on the great things about traveling with a lap infant is you get to cuddle with your cutie the entire flight and time goes by A LOT faster!