How to Stay Sane When Flying with Littles

I just returned from a long awaited family  vacation. Of course, I was thrilled to get away. But honestly, I was beyond anxious about flying with my 4 year old and 10 month old. Leading up to the trip I read all the blog posts I could find about how to survive flying with kids. I’m certainly not a seasoned traveler but y’all… I survived!! And it wasn’t nearly as scary as I worked it up to be in my mind. Here are my takeaways…

1. Forget the screen time limit. I spend every other day of my life monitoring screen time. But on the plane? Have at it, kid. Watch PJ Masks for 3 straight hours if you want.

2. Bust out the novelty snacks. Like screen time, I monitor this like a hawk on the daily. But I am not beyond bribing with the “good stuff” if that means you will chill and be a pleasant human for the next few hours.

3. Sit near other parents of littles. When you board the plane, find other parents and sit near them. Then when their toddler is fussy you can offer smiles of solidarity to one another. You’re in this flight together.

4. Sit near the restroom. This one is pretty obvious. Am I right?

5. Be prepared with plenty of toys and activities. While my 4 year old was  preoccupied with the ipad, my husband and I were entertaining the 10 month old constantly (who refused to nap). This meant changing activities every few minutes. We read Brown Bear, Brown Bear 17 times, knocked over empty cups repeatedly, played peek-a-boo, played with favorite toys, and what felt like a hundred other little things.

Lastly and most important: give yourself grace. Even though the flight may feel like it will never end, it does, I promise. More than likely, many people on that plane have been in your shoes at one time. Many others will be in that position in the future. If something crazy happens, it will be a great story to laugh at when your kids are grown. It WILL BE okay!