"You're going ABROAD with a toddler?" That's usually the response I hear when I tell people about our holiday plans this summer.
We've flown with her a couple of times before, but not since she was a baby - when she couldn't walk, talk (ish), run or generally go wild in the aisles of an aeroplane. But come on, how bad can it really be? (Don't answer that.)
If you're jetting off with any little toddlers in tow this summer, let us help make your journey as smooth as possible. (As smooth as flying with young children can possibly be.) After asking around for tips on how to survive air travel with toddlers, this is some of the wisdom that those in the know shared with me...
1. Denial
This should probably be how every journey abroad with young children should begin, if you ever want to leave the house for the airport. Soon enough the reality of what you're about to embark on will hit, and any hopes of a smooth journey will have vanished along with your passports and boarding passes.
2. Dress for security
Who knew that airport security had a dress code? It does when you have toddlers in tow and you need to whizz through the screening process. Ditch the belts, boots and accessories and opt for simplicity - shoes that slip on and off easily, etc. Avoid wearing anything that is likely to set off the walk-through metal detector, otherwise you'll find yourself being searched by a less-than-impressed member of staff whilst simultaneously trying to wrestle your toddler off the security belt.
3. Make friends
Usually, I avoid having to talk to fellow passengers (unless I know them of course), but when you're flying with young children, your new on-board BFF/nanny could be that lady who looks just like a Grandma and is sitting right across the aisle from you - the one who has been trying to befriend your family since the boarding queue. This is especially helpful if you're travelling alone with young children, as trying to get on and off a plane with a toddler and luggage is somewhat impossible without a helping hand from a stranger. Or so I am told.
4. Go handsfree
Anything that doesn't NEED to be carried in your hands shouldn't be. Toddler included. If you can, go for backpacks over handbags and slings over strollers, leaving your hands free for times when you need to find those passports and boarding passes (AGAIN).
5. Keep clean
Don't underestimate how many packs of baby wipes you're going to get through in one journey - pack as many as you can possibly squeeze into that handsfree backpack. Throw a bottle of hand sanitiser in there for good measure too. Not that it will help matters when your toddler is inevitably trying to lick every germ-ridden item in the airport and on the plane.
6. In-flight entertainment
Don't bother buying new toys for the journey - they'll just take up unnecessary bag space when your little one becomes fascinated by anything that you don't want them to touch. Like the hat worn by the passenger who is sitting in front of you. This is why you should totally...
7. Break the normal rules
Let them eat things you wouldn't usually let them eat. Let them have more screen time than you would do at home. Anything that keeps them entertained may just give you a small window to read a paragraph from the book that you stupidly bought along for the journey - what were you thinking?
Do you have any child-friendly travel tips you'd like to share? Or maybe you have a funny tale of family travel to tell. Get in touch at editorial@herfamily.ie
