[Advice] Flying with a 2 yr old...

better stow her in the overhead compartment because the person next to you is going to be cursing his luck the whole time.

 

We just flew with our two year and our 10 month old. He has his own seat so the seat belt will be enough. Our two year old was small enough that they allowed us to hold him in our lap if we wanted to. Our 10 month old rode in our laps of course. You CAN bring a car seat aboard too (since he has his own seat), as long as it's an infant car seat and it's FAA approved.

 

Three words: portable DVD player

It has made flying with a toddler soooo much better.

 

I second the motion. My daughter is 2 1/2 and she's probably flown six or seven times. DVD player should make things more pleasant. Also, a sticker book or something like that if your kiddo likes that kind of stuff.

 

I am a pilot, lemme tell you whats gonna happen.

First, luggage.

I dunno what airline your flying but most airlines now charge 15 bucks for your first bags, per person.

Your child, since having a ticket is considered a passenger that would have to pay for luggage. So if you are packing your childs own bag and it isnt very much, try getting it in your luggage so you can avoid paying that extra 15.


Now, car seat. Really, the car seat is up to you. The seat belt will be going across the lap. If the child can handle it, then you dont need it. But I highly highly suggest bringing the car seat. Most kids like their car seats and find them comfortable. The regular seat may not be that comfortable causing the child to get noisy cranky. Thats the last thing anyone wants to listen to on the flight.

I also suggest bringing something like a portable DVD player. Or something that you know will keep the child occupied.

Stroller, You can push your stroller all the way to the plane and down the jetway. Then have it gate checked (Free). Then once you land you wait at the jetway and get the stroller back.

Its easy, just have stuff to keep your child busy and maybe even some little snacks.

Have fun.

 

1.Where are you going?
2.When are you going?
3. Are you starting in Houston?

 

airplane go bye bye.

 

My daughter had platinum status with American Airlines as a two year old so I have a lot of experience. We've also taken her Asia twice.

Car seats are good because they hold them in better. Not for safety but actually to keep them from jumping up and down on their seats. It also gives them familiarity so the should act the same way as they do in the car. I actually have a 5 pt harness that is made for airplanes because its easier to travel with than a car seat.

Ipod video with her favorite movies and some over the ear phones is the only essential I have. It will keep her entertained for at least 3 hours which is the amount of time for her to watch Finding Nemo twice.

The biggest discomfort for children and the main reason you hear them cry during take off and landing is their ears. The don't know how to pop them which makes their ears hurt. Lollipops and pacifiers are good for this since it makes them suck which helps equalize their ears. If your daughter knows how to blow their nose, you can also do that to pop their ears.

Also, make it fun for them. Build it up as an adventure with rules. Talk about how cool it will be to fly but reinforce the rules the she has to follow. No climbing, no jumping, no kicking, no screaming. My daughter has a rolling disney bag that she rolls around the airport just like all the other flyers. It makes her feel grown up.

 

I can't speak from experience, but I have heard of others who actually give their kid a small dose of kid-friendly medicine that will act as a sedative.

Remember to give them a sippy cup to drink during takeoff and landing so that their ears will pop.

In addition to a portable dvd player (with headphones!) have a plan B. Coloring books are okay, but you can't just give the crayons to the kid or they'll end up on the floor (hard to deal with on a plane).

Buy a few new books that they might like with some of their favorite cartoon characters and read them slowly to the kid on the plane. Ask the kid to point out different things in the book ("where's the airplane?") and elaborate on the book (for a picture of a duck, ask the kid "what does a duck say?").

Have non-messy snacks handy for the kid to eat.

Buy a new puppet and bring it along. Kids love puppets. Find someplace near you that sells Folkmanis puppets - they're fantastic.

 

Xanax. For you and the kid. For your peace and everyone on the plane as well.

 

Put her in a suitcase with your checked baggage.

 

When my son was little (3-4??) he was looking thru the stuff in the seat back in front of him. He pulled out the barf bag and was excited because there was a "puppet" for him to play with.

We were lucky with my younger son, he fell asleep as soon as any vehicle he was in started moving. We would fly to VA every summer to visit my Dad's lake house; he slept on the plane, in the car and every time we went out on the boat.

Snacks and drinks are a good idea, but you will need to buy the drinks past security. Take the car seat, it will help.

 

My 2 1/2 y/o daughter has more stamps in her passport than most adults.

1. dvd = good. Over the head earphone = also good.
2. bring lots of small random gadgets like cars, crayons, other crap that easily tucks away that you can produce, if needed.
3. Stickers = good.
4. bring single serve formula. Feed to 10 month old at take off/landing.
5. Bubbles are ALWAYS good to have on hand ...esp if you can find a small kind that won't easily spill. Great for sitting around in the terminal or hotel. Bubbles saved our lives on our last trip
6. Carryable snacks that don't make a huge mess = good. (eg individual packs of Teddy Grahms.) We tried those yogurt strips once ...never again.

Car seats on the plane are a pain cause they are bulky ...unless you can find one of the very few seats that are specifically made to go down the isle of an airplane. There are other devices that strap into your existing seat that let you roll it ...which is nice. But they are usually awkward.

 

We did not use a car seat. My daughter would rather sit in a regular seat like everyone else.

 

Do yourself and your fellow passengers a favor and leave the kid at home while you and your man go enjoy a nice vacation.

Also, I'm curious how old you are to have made it this far in life with never being on a plane. That's pretty crazy.

 

YOUR MOM.

^that's what you'd answer to me if I were to ask a serious question like that.

I understand that kids are all different and our experiences may not be the same.

My oldest daughter was 2 years old when we went to DisneyWorld for the first time, and traveled in her seat on SWA for the trip without a car seat. She was OK for the first time and the flight attendant peeps were cool with her and helped make her feel comfortable. We got a cheap late flight and made one stop in New Orleans, and that gave us a little bit of time to move around. For the most part, she was OK. We didn't have a DVD-player, but I think we had some books and her "blankie", and she felt at ease.

Once we got to the rent-a-car place, Alamo provided a car-seat for an extra charge, but then later on we found that we could have taken our own in the plane AND for later. You shouldn't have to use it in the plane anyway.

Also, if your daughter was raised with good discipline, they should listen to you when you say "sit down and be quiet." When my wife and I flew back from Vegas, we had some kids in front of us who were misbehaving, and I asked the parents politely to get them to settle down. I thought they were "behaving" kids when they listened to their parents' request. Their parents even said "yes, we know... they're misbehaving... thanks for that... they should know better." They were cool about it.

Don't go into this in a pessimistic way. Think happy thoughts, and everything will go your way (and your husband will enjoy his first time to Disney World, too).