I'm scheduled to travel to Africa and that's about 15 hours including a 4 hour stop to connect and i'll be traveling with my very active 2 year old boy, how can i make the trip easier on the both of us? This will be my first time traveling with him and i'm just worried about the tantrums which he has as well as his need to jump around all over the place, i don't want to disturb other passengers.
ask for the bulk head seat, it allows you more room and he can stand in front of the seats to stretch and play without bothering anyone. I lived in the UK when I had my boys and we flew to the US yearly, so I know how stressful it can be but usually it was never as bad as I thought it was going to be! Just tyr to relax, and bring some toys and snacks, preferably a new toy he has never seen.
I recently did a 5-hour flight with my 3-year-old and my 2-year-old (I know - not really comparable, but it's the longest flight I've done with the kids). I absolutely took a car seat for my 2-year-old, to help her sleep. I had movie DVDs, although she didn't like her headphone, but they helped some. The ipad was invaluable, as were some new and interesting toys and understanding flight attendants. Bring a sippy cup for water/ juice, etc., and that will help with the ear pressure for take-offs and landings, too.
Good luck!
Wow Africa!! Very cool! Anyway, I've only traveled across the country with my little ones but what I did was definately buy a seat so he can be strapped into his car seat. He's already used to traveling in it so that will make him feel safe and secure for a while and will buy you some time. Also what I did was buy a backpack with a ton of pockets in it. Then I bought a bunch of cheap toys like Happy meal toys,coloring books, stuffed animals, and stuff like that and put them in the different pockets. Every hour or so I would allow them to take something out of a pocket. It was like Christmas every hour!! I also bought a ton of See's suckers and in advance of takeoff, gave them to the people around me as a apology for what might to be!!
Good luck!!
We did a 22 flight with layovers in LA and Sydney with out 22 month old. We packed a lot of patience, quiet toys, manipulables, snacks, a change of clothes, a dvd player.
He slept his usual bedtime and naptime, but he wasn't going to sleep, and he wasn't going to keep contained for the total of 26 hours. We did a lot of walking up and down the aisles, and we took turns doing it.
Good luck to you and yours,
F. B.
ps - people are far more understanding than you might think.
Bring me along as a travel nanny....just kidding.....how exciting to go to Africa. I would buy a portable DVD player and bring a bunch of movies. Do you have an IPhone or IPad to download a bunch movies for when the battery dies on the DVD player? Does he have a favorite snuggle animal or blanket? I would have that handy. Maybe some special snacks that you would not normally allow him to eat. Have a great trip!
Absolutely a carseat on the plane for age 2 and rear-facing. (Note he can't kick the seat in front of him either!). You want him safe! We had the kids rear-face to 3 on a plane and then they forward-faced until age 6 in a harnessed carseat on the plane. They sleep much, much better, too, so you'll find that wonderful!! I can't imagine a 2-year-old in a plane seatbelt, undoing it and jumping all around. That would be difficult!
Th Cosco Scenera ($40) is a light seat and works great on a plane and is easy to install in rental cars, etc. too. As long as he's under 40 lbs. If not, then the Evenflo Maestro goes to 50 lbs. But it's forward-facing only.
Well I would start drinking before you got on the plane. LOL. Patience, brand new small toys , DVD player if he likes to watch them, snacks and a straight jacket, no only kidding. Try to keep to his nap schedule. I would definitely buy him a seat. If he sleeps well in carseatmwith bring it. Africa, what a great trip. Have fun.
You have a bunch of contradicting answers. Here are my thoughts.
No car seat on the plane. The kiddo will just kick the seat in front of him (or, at least, mine did). I can't imagine installing a rear-facing carseat on the plane. That said, if your kiddo really likes to sleep in their carseat, then you could try the rear-facing one. Mine were soooo tall that would have been uncomfortable on a 15-hour flight.
If you can't get a bulk head seat, go for the last row on the airplane. It's louder (which drowns out any potential crying), easier to stand up and walk around, and will be more likely to have an empty seat or two. You are also closer to the galley and can get water, napkins, etc. if you need it.
Walk around a lot, unless he's sleeping.
Videos. Snacks. Toys. Extra clothes (for you and him).
It's so stressful traveling for the first time, but the key is to try and minimise YOUR stress, then you'll be able to handle it. You'll be tempted to bring EVERYTHING - hold back a bit if you can! If you have an iPhone download some cartoons that he likes or even a movie (my daughter didn't like the screens on the plane with the headphones so the iPhone was a life saver - you can leave it on with the sound, no one can hear it above the din of the plane.) Try and get two seats on your own (the side ones) if possible - that will help a lot as well. The truth is he might very well annoy the other passengers, you have to just accept that - the more you stress about that the more stressed he'll be. But they tend to put all the kids in one section of the plane, so that's some comfort. And resign yourself to the fact that you will likely be walking up and down the aisles for most of your flight (!) - don't under estimate how exciting just being on the plane will be for him. Have a bottle or lolly pops ready to help soothe his ears - and bring a stash of food and water for him. And this sounds silly, but maybe buy him one of the little planes that they sell in the airport - my daughter (still, at 4!) loves them - and get him excited about it all - even before you get on the plane, show him the other planes etc. And definitely let him know before you put his seat belt on what is expected of him. At 2 they should still let him sit on your lap - just ask them (tell them he's only JUST turned two) - if you think that'll make it easier - and just use the tools there (eg: explain "when that little light goes off you can get up and we'll take a walk"). He'll probably surprise you - they actually find it pretty fun (with all the people and the newness of it). GOOD LUCK!!!!!
We flew home 24 hours from the Phillipines w/ our 8 and 1/2 month old (adoption thing--he's 11 now)....yes, we bought him a seat....24 hours on our lap was a bit much....and on an FAA approved seat that doubled as a car seat and a stroller... both were well worth it....SNACKS & TOYS(the quiet kind) and some books and a few , perhaps several, changes of clothes...Have a great time!
Video's will be your friend. Also, if it works out, make the second leg "bedtime." I did this recently with my 2 year old going to Ireland (16 hours travel time), and he was asking for his Pjs before the second plane took off.
Also, discuss with him how you cannot walk around planes. The more you get him to understand that he has to stay in his seatbelt, the easier it will be.
I do not recommend a car seat on the plane for a 2 year old. I do recommend getting an attachment and using his car seat as a stroller you can check at the gate, but there just isn't a lot of leg room on planes, and the time we used our car seat with my son this year, he spent the whole time kicking the seat in front of him.
Lots of snacks, extra change of clothes for everyone, and lots of patience. Pack as light as possible,
