2.5 year old bad behavior on airplane, WWYD?

[Anonymous]

We were flying x-country yesterday and the seatbelt sign was on the.whole.flight. We took off at 1 pm, which is naptime, but 2.5 year old DS just wouldn't nap. He was fine about the first half of the flight eating, entertained by the ipad, etc but then got restless and overtired. So he started screaming (not upset, just for fun, you know the high pitched scream I am talking about), hitting and pinching me, laughing like a maniac, etc. Stern looks and "I don't like that", "you're making me angry", "you're making bad choices", etc. didn't work (he's started mimicking me when I do that - oh joy). Neither did ignoring.

What to do in that situation? grin and bear it? We couldn't walk around the plane. I gave his hands timeouts by holding them down but I didn't like restraining him physically like that. At that age, threat of future discipline doesn't work, but we were just stuck. He hardly cried except for when I handed him over to DH to see if that would settle him down - DS was in the window, I was in the middle, and DH in the aisle, and when I handed him over to DH he cried because he "needed" to be in the window seat.

We're flying x-country again in about 6 weeks and I'd like to know how to handle it better. Hopefully on that trip we'll be able to get up and wander a bit. He's generally a great kid but the combination of overtired in confined space was just a recipe for disaster.

[Anonymous]

Plan more things to do and bring food. I took my kids on lots of cross country and international trips from the time they were little. The flight was always exhausting for me because I needed to keep them occupied. Some of my favorite tricks were to bring toys and food that I never let them eat otherwise. Examples are play doh, stickers for the plane window, sugar cereal in those one size serving containers. I think I bought a DS for my two year old for one particularly long trip.

[Anonymous]

Um, I don't feel bad about physically restraining my kid by holding her hands if she's hitting me. So I'd suggest that you need to get over that. Stern looks and "You're making me angry" is a waste of time.

Otherwise, I cut my kid a lot of slack on a flight--they can't move around, it's hard to sleep, etc. So we have lots of snacks, new toys and books, etc. Was he in his car seat or not? You might try the opposite of whatever you did to see if it helps him sleep. I also time flights so they are not at naptime, since my kid doesn't sleep well on planes, either. Ideally, we land shortly before naptime, so she can go down soon after landing.

[Anonymous]

My kid's not as old as yours so maybe my advice is useless, but I would just indulge him. If he's copying me, make funny faces, binocular eyes and donkey ears with my hands. We always bring a new toy that he's never seen on the flight, and when the melt down approaches we give it to him. Maybe you can wrap the toy.

[Anonymous]

Omg I feel PTSD from a flight w my then 2 yo in January - she actually sprawled out in the gate area and cried when the agent told us no pre boarding for families - it was hell - I learned my lesson and no more flying at nap times. She's just a kid who needs her sleep and this flight was smack dab in the middle if nap.

[Anonymous]

snacks and longer shows/movies on the ipad. i have done back and forth to Europe by myself several times when my kids were toddlers and this worked every time. It is exhausting, though.

[Anonymous]

He was overtired and felt caged and you want to punish a 2 yr old for that? He literally could not control himself.

[Anonymous]

Snacks, snacks, snacks and every little toy thing you can pack. Anything that keeps them entertained, silly faces, stories, pulling the window shade up and down, pressing the buttons on the audio, and a new toy or too (nothing big or pricey, just new). Mine never, ever sleep either - at least not until the pilot announces, "We are beginning our descent . . ." and then they conk out.

[Anonymous]

benadryl. Its nap time anyhow, the kid needs to nap.

[Anonymous]

Second bendaryl

[Anonymous]

You are going to be SO happy when he's 3+. The world just becomes so much easier!

[Anonymous]

We have travelled a lot since my kids were born (including international trips) and my kids (6 and 4) are great travelers. We have had some bad flights and also a couple of VERY bad ones. Discipline would probably work with my kids now, but at 3 discipline can backfire. In my opinion, in those instances it's time to stop thinking long-term about your child's development and just get through the flight. Yes, it's better to read books than watch Dora, but that's probably not going to score you any points. After you've shuffled through books, toys, etc. It's time to bring out the potato chips, large cookie, and videos. Silently admit to yourself that in a crowded plane, your child will win the battle. A friend suggested I bring a box of Band-Aids for my then two YO to rip through. (Messy and somewhat wasteful but easy to pick up.). I've also bought my kids a new, small toy for a particularly long flight. Don't break it out until you need to. Actually, that's another cardinal rule- don't break out food or other high value items until the usual stuff is exhausted. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

You need to tell him no and to stop. Telling him how it makes you feel...please.

You are the kind of parent that makes me so mad at kids on planes. Some parents are doing every thing they can to keep their kids quiet and you are just exploring feelings - basically doing nothing, nada, zip.

[Anonymous]

On a flight, at that age? Whatever works. I took new little toys, books, lollipops. Whenever he started looking restless, I'd pull something out. On the ground, the rules are different. On a plane, I did whatever I could to keep him quiet. Another lollipop? Sure, no problem.

[Anonymous]

Why couldn't you walk around the plane? Seat belt light? When DS gets restless we just walk a bit. He will go talk to flight attendants or whatever. Smile at people in the aisles something. But helps him with get some of his energy out.