When I seeparents traveling with their kids, it looks like so much fun.
But travel is stressful enough when youre alonehow do they pull it off with little ones?
you might forget about traveling because youre rooted and you dont want to disrupt their schedule.
Huffman said:
Kids are more resilient than we often give them credit for.
It is often our insecurities or worries than they reflect back to us.
If you do react, theyll start to cry and whimper.
It is the same concept with travel.
If you make a big deal about it, they tend to act up.
That being said, babies and toddlers are going to cry no matter what, he added.
If You Need a Passport, Apply Early
First, the practical stuff.
It can take 6 to 8 weeks to process, so give yourself plenty of time.
TheDepartment of Transportation explains:
All children must present a valid U.S. passport for international air travel.
This rule applies regardless of age, including infants and newborns.
That seems easy enough, but were talking air travel here, so nothing is quite that simple.
Each airport has their own rules for what kind of identification you do need.
Southwest, for example, requires a copy of your childs birth certificate when you check-in.
So double-check to check your airlines policy before you book your ticket.
But lets say your little one is past the lap age.
Or maybe you just want to book a seat for your toddler, anyway.
In most cases, youll pay full adult price for a domestic ticket.
Your arms arent capable of holding your child securely, especially during unexpected turbulence.
Its the smart and right thing to do so that everyone in your family arrives safely at your destination.
If you toss out the evil stares, have a little sympathy for the parents and the kids.
This means the pressure can actually be pretty painful for them, which explains the crying.
Lee suggests feeding or nursing during takeoff and descent to help with ear discomfort.
The sucking and swallowing motion will help reduce the pressure on their eardrums.
During the trip,Aha!
Parenting suggestswalking around on the flight while you’ve got the option to:
Prevention is key.
That way, shell be ready to sit and watch a movie for the final stretch.
You might even consider splitting up the flight.
They take it so much better, and its worth every penny of the extra hotel night.
For flying, this might mean a long layover, but it could be worth it.
Similarly, experts say you should encourage your child to get their energy out before you even board.
If the airporthas a play area for kids, you might want to make a pit stop.
Parenting suggests:
The job of a toddler is to explore her world.
You really do need to plan activities in advance for a toddler on a plane.
Screens are wonderful to keep your child entertained, but dont count on that being enough.
Some flights have kids meals available for purchase, but again, research your options before you book.
JetBlue, for instance, doesnt offer kids meals, but they have free snacks for kids.
And then theres the bathroom.
Virgin America, unsurprisingly, has one of the better policies.
The Benadryl Question
Finally, theres the question of knocking your kid out with medicine.
Should you give your kid Benadryl or other antihistamines so theyll fall asleep?
The consensus seems to be its probably not harmful, but it might not be that effective either.
And there is some reason to believe it can actually make things worse.
Capitalizing on this effect, DPH is used to treat insomnia in adults.
However,
according to the NIH
, DPH should not be used to cause sleepiness in children.
Again, a little preparation can go a long way.
