10 tips on flying with young children

Birthday marathon part 3. 

This little girl is one lucky babe! Since her birth, it seemed to be a ritual that we travel on her birthday. Firstly because it's off peak at work and secondly, well, it's her birthday! This year seems particularly draining for me and it just doesn't seem like we've been spending enough quality family time. There's so much on the plate and the hubs has been travelling quite a bit. This has turned me into an extremely disgruntled woman what with the many changes and shifts we've been having. The introduction of Small K is a joy but regretfully, I don't seem to be enjoying him more than I should. Not spending enough time with him explains why his favourite person in the world isn't his Mother! This little boy is such an ingrate. No, seriously, I was a bit of an emotional wreck when he chooses his grandmother over me every single time! He cries when he falls and I'll pick him up. Still, he would cry. But the moment his grandma (da mil) carries him, he stops! Geez. Thanks a lot son! Doesn't help that the MIL is constantly with him whilst I work. A blessing to have her help but honestly, I yearn to stay home more often! And it certainly doesn't help too, that da MIL tells everyone how her grandson sticks to her like glue! To cover up my emotional insecurities is such a challenge. 

So this trip to Hong Kong is really quite a long awaited and much needed one. It's our second trip as a family of 4. Ya, Small K is already 18months old and we have only done 2 trips?! Anyhoots, below are some tips when it comes to flying with your little ones:

photo credit: www.usborne.com

Tip number 1: Book at a time when they will nap. We had booked the 1:40pm flight and was pretty confident that they will snooze their way on board. Excite them with every detail of the journey. 

Tip number 2: Arrive early to let the kids run around. We arrived at the airport 2 hours earlier to check in and to tire them out. We wanted them to run around and expanse their energy so they could sleep on board the plane. 

They were very happy running around. At 1220pm, Big K decided that she needed to poop. 

Tip number 3: Remember to get the kids to poop and pee before flight

Unfortunately, I wasn't wearing my watch and keeping time. Big K took longer than expected. Following that, Small K decided to poop too and Daddy had to change him. Still, I wasn't checking on the time. Suddenly, the hubs dashed out of the toilet saying he received a call saying the gate was about to close and we were the last passengers to board!!! Imagine the panic! We grabbed the two kids and our handcarry and made a mad dash to the gate! Along the way, one of the ground staff "welcomed" us and took our boarding passes to check and informed her colleagues we were on the way! Yes, we were THAT late! Gosh the whole run made me realised how unfit i am. I was panting terribly and Small K thought we were engaged in some kind of game. Needless to say, the moment the plane taxi-ed, he ko-ed! Woohoo!

Oh, so Tip number 4: Wear a watch!

Tip number 5: Prepare either their milk (if you aren't breastfeeding) / water/ snacks/ if need be, pacifier during take off. It will help to ease the pressure. 

Tip number 6: Bring extra diapers and clothes. You never know what will happen!

Tip number 7: If you are someone who is adverse to gadgets like me, bring age appropriate toys. Puzzles are good for older kids and playdoh is a must for younger ones!

Tip number 8: Have the kids sit along the same row. Monkey see monkey do. If you manage to tame one, the other will be easier. We didn't manage to get seats along the same row and on our return flight, I was seated with both kids! Gosh, so this was how flying solo with kids felt like! I highly suspect that the hubs had it all planned! But, thankfully, I managed well. In fact, I was mighty proud of myself that on our return flight, whilst both kids slept, I ate my meal in peace, watched a movie, had a baileys on the rock and even a Hagen Daz ice-cream! ahhhhh Bliss. 

Tip number 9: If you child is old enough to enjoy the in-flight entertainment, prepare a kid-sized headphone as those provided by airline might not fit plus they may not have enough to go around. Ensure you have an adaptor too. For the record, Big K only watched half of "Cat in the Hat" before turning to me for more entertainment.

Tip number 10: If you flight is a short one, you may want to consider carrying the little one instead of putting him in the bassinet so as to prevent a meltdown. This is because the moment a turbulence happens, he has to be carried out. This is extremely disturbing to both adults and child alike. 

So, there you have it, my 10 tips for flying with young children! Have a safe flight! Bon Voyage!