Whatever the mode of transport, travelling with children is often no picnic. The long-haul flight (five hours or more) offers up a special brand of hell, a smorgasbord of meltdowns, impromptu maladies and indiscriminate peevishness. I don’t blame them. Being caged like the class gerbil for hours can be tedious. They can’t seem to help to upchuck on you and whining. A carefully plotted parental playbook can help.
Food and Drink
It’s a mistake to assume that your flight will provide meals and snacks, even an international one. Preparing for the lowest rung of service means that lacklustre offerings will have less of an impact on your family’s well-being. So, plot your nourishment carefully.
Have a cache of easy-to-transport snacks (granola bars, nuts and dried fruit, single serving chips, squeezable apple sauce, grapes, carrots and cheese sticks). Put all of these items inside a gallon size zip-lock bag to stay organized and contain spillage.
Remember that juice and milk cannot be brought through security (and may not be available on board). Buy them once you have passed through the Transportation Security Administration’s checkpoint and pour contents into sippy cups and bottles before boarding the flight. Make sure to account for flight delays with sustenance.
Germ Warfare
Studies by the Federal Aviation Administration have shown that viruses can lurk on airline surfaces for up to seven days. You can try by stuffing your carry-on with germ-avoidance products. Portable anti-bacterial wipes are mandatory. Use them to disinfect tray tables, armrests and seat belts. Avoid direct contact with the bathroom sink, the toilet flushes and door handles by using either a paper towel or tissue paper.
Entertainment
Expecting your child to sleep for the majority of a long-haul flight? That may happen. But woe to the parents whose master plan for a 10-hour flight features one colouring book. Nourishment aside, keeping children occupied should be a priority. Of course, the iPad is an opiate for kids of all ages. So don’t offer it up until you really need it. For little ones, kick off the trip with interactive entertainment: reusable sticker books, Kid O Glow in the Dark Magnatab (children “draw” with a stylus over magnetic beads to create images) and mess-free activity sets like Crayola Color Wonder and Melissa and Doug Water Wow! Reveal Pads.
Bribery Material
Stockpile a few items that your child covets and use them as high-altitude bargaining chips. The ability to reach into your bag and produce a tantrum-busting object a small toy, a colouring book with fruit-scented pencils, stickers, a new app or movie that you had conveniently downloaded on your phone, a homemade I.O.U. coupon for a visit to Dave & Buster’s is a powerful weapon. Often better than a toy is forbidden foods. Doughnuts, chocolate and whatever treats you routinely ban from the cupboard can miraculously defuse an escalating situation.
The Multitasking Diaper Bag
For the youngest travellers, a well-stocked diaper bag is a must. Checklist: Diapers (plan for the flight plus two hours); wipes (plus plastic bags to store the soiled ones); pacifiers (extras for when the first three are lost); two outfit changes (because accidents happen); formula or breast milk kept cool with portable ice packs; sippy cups; a changing pad; bottles; waterproof bibs; blankets and teething gear.
Portable baby books and toys the kind with push buttons, lift-the-flap, touch-and-feel and nesting elements should be stuffed in a gallon-size food storage bag. To house all of these things, make sure the diaper bag is durable with multiple compartments to maximize efficiency. Look for one with insulated exterior pockets (Ju-Ju Be has one) to keep bottles hot or cold. In addition to the diaper bag, parents will need a carryall for their own gear. For men, a sturdy backpack is ideal. For women, the roomy and thoughtfully proportioned Bartaile Nylux C12 has adjustable straps that can be worn as a backpack, crossbody or tote.
Flight 001’s Seat Pak can be suspended from a tray table hook for easy access to bribery material. To encourage sleep, bring an eye mask for children to block out the cabin light.
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