We are heading to Hawaii for a family wedding late April, and I'm just curious if there are any other parents out there who have had to travel on a long haul flight with a toddler? Our DD will be 15.5mths when we travel...
I've thought about ensuring we have toys and activities to keep her busy but I'm interested in hearing from anyone on how to make the time pass as smoothly as possible. Just want to be prepared.
I'm a nervous flyer so I'm trying to be as organised as I can beforehand, and be prepared for every possible situation that I can think of. I guess my biggest worry is if she decides to 'lose it' while on the flight and unlike when we're out somewhere I can't just remove her from the area to calm her without disrupting other people.
I've bought some Brauer's Calm (naturopathic) drops as a suggestion by a family member, and other people have suggested just going to the GP and getting some sedation - but I don't want to do that!
I have done it a couple of times, and the best advice I can give is to take a few small toys or new books, and give them to your child at intervals throughout the flight. This way she will have something new and exciting to keep her entertained the whole flight.
I used Kalm Kids herbal tablets, they worked well for my kids, but I never had to sedate them.
me too!! we are going to japan in july and dd will be 15 months. I t will be a night time flight. So i hope she sleeps through...do you still get them to suck on something when takeoff and landing? Also are you bringing milk on the aeroplane? Im flying with qantas hopefully they can accomodate..
hey Bubbles...good to know our family isn't the only one crazy enough to do long haul travel with a toddler! lol
Our flight to Sydney is during the day but our long flight from Sydney to Honolulu is at night, so I'm hoping the day will really wear her out and then she'll sleep.
I was still going to give her milk and make sure she has something to chew (even if its a dummy) when taking off and landing to help her ears adjust.
I don't know, my anxiety is getting the better of me and suddenly I wish we weren't going! But I swing between that and being excited...my fear of heights and nerves regarding planes are just compounding this new fear of being stuck on a plane at high altitude with a screaming toddler and nowhere to go.
Little ones are pretty adaptable and so long as you just go with the flow, I'm sure she will too.
I do a lot of travel with my DS from Perth to Singapore (which isn't long haul really) but we did to Perth to Singapore to London when he was 13 months and it was a lot easier then, than it is now.
The plane tends to lull them to sleep, but I would just make sure you take books, colouring stuff etc.
Bubbles - I think they would be able to provide you with hot water and you can take formula I guess, or you could maybe take some of those long life cartons? (just remember the amount of ml's you are allowed to take on the plane through customs!) My DS has never really had to suck on anything during take off and landing unless he's had a cold or is a little blocked up.
Good luck with your flights girls....enjoy your HOLIDAY!
We flew 5 hrs at Xmas time with DS who was then 17 months. He was very excieted and a little hyperactive. He usually is at the best of times. We timed it so he would sleep for some it, which during those times was a relief, though god forbid it I needed to use the toilet. Luckily there was also enough space that we had the use of an extra seat for him to play on and on 1 leg has some 5-10 yr olds travelling behind us who was playing peekaboo with DS, that kept him entertained.
Good luck with your flight, it is hard work, just make sure you have some time to relax while on you holiday and a day or 2 after you return.
Thanks for all the advice girls...you've given me some things to think about which is great
I'll definately be taking some time out while we're away...sadly none when we get back (we get back on Mother's Day, and I'm back at work on the Monday - our flights had to be changed at the last minute as the airline changed their schedule...sigh...) so most likely I'll rock up to work looking like a total freak show but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it!
we are going for two weeks to japan and will be eating out everyday, still wondering how to order food for a toddler...can they pretty much eat everything by then? she will be 15months and we will be shopping and out pretty much the everyday....any tips????
My only advice is don't put your child into a seat of their own while you put stuff in the overhead because they then think it's their seat for the rest of the flight and ... OK, I won't say any more
Long Flight with a Toddler
- but I don't want to do that!
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Bungs them up a bit though! My DS is also a sucker for Sushi!
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