Flying with toddler, tips, suggestions?

[Anonymous]

OP, I flew with my kid as a lap child until she was 2 and never had any problems. I brought tons of stickers and sticker books, snacks, and the iPad. I did offer to buy my row-mates a drink, but I always got the "don't be silly!" response. She was always kind of lulled by the roar of the plane and sat quietly, even though she is/was a very active kid.

For some reason, people on this board are obsessed with buying a seat for babies/toddlers on planes. They will tell you how dangerous it is, but you will have a hard time finding documented cases or direct anecdotal evidence of lap kids being injured in turbulence. (On the other hand, if you look for examples of babies/toddlers being injured on stairs or in cars, you will find countless examples, but I bet these posters who "warn" of the dangers of turbulence go to places with stairs and ride in cars with their kids.)

You'll be fine. Have a great trip and don't worry!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just get the extra legroom seats and call the airline the day before and make sure you get switched to a seat that has an empty one beside it. Confirm your seat assignment again when you check your bags and again at the gate. Odds are you will both get your own seat.

Good luck! I fly alone with my toddler and baby a lot and have since they were born. People have been wonderful on flights and I've had more people offer to help me if a DC gets antsy than give me the stink eye (not that I would've noticed as I'm too preoccupied with the kids).

Have you flown recently? I haven't been on flight less than full in, well, I can't remember flying on a less than full flight. And to and from Florida this time of year? I flew back from Miami on Sunday and every seat was occupied and every square inch of overhead space was taken.

I fly at least 6 or 7 times a month and I haven't seen an empty seat except for the shuttle in a long, long time.

Good idea in theory.

Agreed. I don't fly as much as you--maybe 3 times a year or so. But EVERY single flight I have taken in the last 7 years has been 100% full. I'm completely bewildered as to why the "odds are" OP will have an empty seat on her flight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like she's doing this solo? I would not even try it with a 21-month old, unless you have the most calm child known to man. Even with DH and me, which gave us another seat to play with, we could not stop our then 17-month old from getting his feet on the woman next to us (luckily we had the bulkhead). He was big, and squirmy, and hard to keep in our "space." We bought a return ticket for him on the flight back.

Get on and hope for the best, is all I can say. I'm not even sure where you are going to have room to set up snacks, ipod, etc. if the flight is full and there are two people right next to you -- there's not going to be room for the tray if your 2-year-old is in your lap, and it's going to be hard to get to your bags.

Really, do you ave to be so doom and gloom? Some women are single and have no choice but to travel alone with a toddler and others don't have the available cash to buy another ticket. She asked for tips and suggestions, not every negative thought you could think of.

Just another reason to have a husband before you have children.

Unless you marry a deadbeat like we read so much about on here, then you are much better off flying (and living) alone.

Op here - Thank u and true... I am much happier alone.... Fwiw I got laid off a couple months ago and have been unable to find work. I am traveling so that my dd can visit with my family some of which she hasn't met yet. Funds are tight and I thought it would be a good opportunity to go and visit. Wow, I have never read so much judgement, rude and ignorant comments before in my life. I wanted to get tips on flying alone with my toddler and could never dream up such responses. Thanks everyone...

Why do you care more about your daughter "seeing family" than about her safety? Are they really that selfish?

[Anonymous]

I flew at christmas with my 24 months old on my lap (I know, I cheated, but he'd JUST turned 2 and I was not paying $800 for his seat.). Anyway, we had a 3.5 hour flight, then another 50 minute flight, and it was fine. We made a goody baggie of small new toys from the target $1 bin to play with. Another lifesaver were stickers! DS loved sticking them on the backs of the seats in front of us. We also used the iPad, but we honestly used it a lot more on the way home. My child is definitely a wiggler, but he's also VERY into mommy, and he would have wanted to sit on my lap most of the time anyway. Honestly, it was much harder flying with him a year ago when he was 1 and leaming to walk than when he was 2. Good luck! It'll be great!

[Anonymous]

People may dismiss the safety piece all they want, but the truth is flying with a 21 month yo can be difficult for you, the child and the people around you. Flying with a younger child (more easily contained) is usually much easier.

[Anonymous]

Ipad. M&M's.

[Anonymous]

OP, you will be fine. I flew solo with twins at 20 mos to visit family. I had to purchase one extra seat, but held the other twin on my lap. The hardest part was getting on and off the plane since DD was delayed walking and had to be carried. My fellow passengers were more than happy to assist. Also dealt with a 4 hr. delay with that trip. Just gotta role with it sometimes.

We flew more frequently before we had to pay for 2 extra seats and were seasoned business travelers before becoming parents. Allow lots of time so you are not feeling rushed and stressed. The more relaxed you are (or pretend to be) the more relaxed DC will be. Change DC's diaper right before boarding the plane. Have an extra change of clothes for each of you in your diaper bag or carry-on. As you go through security, if you have milk in a sippy, just alert TSA. You can bring liquids for children. Download the Toddler Lock app on your smart phone (if you have one). DC can make colorful shapes and lines appear without doing any harm to your phone.

[Anonymous]

Pretzels. It makes them thirsty and want to drink on take off and landing to clear those ears.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just get the extra legroom seats and call the airline the day before and make sure you get switched to a seat that has an empty one beside it. Confirm your seat assignment again when you check your bags and again at the gate. Odds are you will both get your own seat.

Good luck! I fly alone with my toddler and baby a lot and have since they were born. People have been wonderful on flights and I've had more people offer to help me if a DC gets antsy than give me the stink eye (not that I would've noticed as I'm too preoccupied with the kids).

Jet Blue:
let people with lap babies or family members simply sit wherever they felt like
did not provide relief to me or move people around directly to accommodate all for lap baby issues
a large lap baby was passed to my seatmate-kicked me and had feet on my tray table kicking that-prior was kicking seat back or the feet were flailing over the aisle [in thewse positions I got hit in the head]

The flight crew did nothing but did miraculously appear when I moved to a more expensive but vacant seat. Holding my coffee in the air against the window. Laptop hastily placed vertical between me and the window. Some other airlines do move people for free upgrades prior to take off if there are large lap baby or customer of size issues.

[Anonymous]

...and the moral to this story is after the press last year Jet Blue allows anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just get the extra legroom seats and call the airline the day before and make sure you get switched to a seat that has an empty one beside it. Confirm your seat assignment again when you check your bags and again at the gate. Odds are you will both get your own seat.

Good luck! I fly alone with my toddler and baby a lot and have since they were born. People have been wonderful on flights and I've had more people offer to help me if a DC gets antsy than give me the stink eye (not that I would've noticed as I'm too preoccupied with the kids).

Jet Blue:
let people with lap babies or family members simply sit wherever they felt like
did not provide relief to me or move people around directly to accommodate all for lap baby issues
a large lap baby was passed to my seatmate-kicked me and had feet on my tray table kicking that-prior was kicking seat back or the feet were flailing over the aisle [in thewse positions I got hit in the head]

The flight crew did nothing but did miraculously appear when I moved to a more expensive but vacant seat. Holding my coffee in the air against the window. Laptop hastily placed vertical between me and the window. Some other airlines do move people for free upgrades prior to take off if there are large lap baby or customer of size issues.

Good to know. I'm flying Jetblue (alone, no kids) in a few months to the west coast, so it will be a 6 hour flight. I would have said something (to the baby's parent) about the baby kicking and feet on your tray table.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just get the extra legroom seats and call the airline the day before and make sure you get switched to a seat that has an empty one beside it. Confirm your seat assignment again when you check your bags and again at the gate. Odds are you will both get your own seat.

Good luck! I fly alone with my toddler and baby a lot and have since they were born. People have been wonderful on flights and I've had more people offer to help me if a DC gets antsy than give me the stink eye (not that I would've noticed as I'm too preoccupied with the kids).

Jet Blue:
let people with lap babies or family members simply sit wherever they felt like
did not provide relief to me or move people around directly to accommodate all for lap baby issues
a large lap baby was passed to my seatmate-kicked me and had feet on my tray table kicking that-prior was kicking seat back or the feet were flailing over the aisle [in thewse positions I got hit in the head]

The flight crew did nothing but did miraculously appear when I moved to a more expensive but vacant seat. Holding my coffee in the air against the window. Laptop hastily placed vertical between me and the window. Some other airlines do move people for free upgrades prior to take off if there are large lap baby or customer of size issues.

Good to know. I'm flying Jetblue (alone, no kids) in a few months to the west coast, so it will be a 6 hour flight. I would have said something (to the baby's parent) about the baby kicking and feet on your tray table.

Book an aisle seat. If you have a wheelie carryon it can be difficult to get an overhead in economy on airlines that allow any family with children preferential boarding. I've been on southwest where people lay across seats and a family with a lap baby, kid, 2 adults got 2 rows of 3. 6 seats and 3 tickets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just get the extra legroom seats and call the airline the day before and make sure you get switched to a seat that has an empty one beside it. Confirm your seat assignment again when you check your bags and again at the gate. Odds are you will both get your own seat.

Good luck! I fly alone with my toddler and baby a lot and have since they were born. People have been wonderful on flights and I've had more people offer to help me if a DC gets antsy than give me the stink eye (not that I would've noticed as I'm too preoccupied with the kids).

Jet Blue:
let people with lap babies or family members simply sit wherever they felt like
did not provide relief to me or move people around directly to accommodate all for lap baby issues
a large lap baby was passed to my seatmate-kicked me and had feet on my tray table kicking that-prior was kicking seat back or the feet were flailing over the aisle [in thewse positions I got hit in the head]

The flight crew did nothing but did miraculously appear when I moved to a more expensive but vacant seat. Holding my coffee in the air against the window. Laptop hastily placed vertical between me and the window. Some other airlines do move people for free upgrades prior to take off if there are large lap baby or customer of size issues.

Good to know. I'm flying Jetblue (alone, no kids) in a few months to the west coast, so it will be a 6 hour flight. I would have said something (to the baby's parent) about the baby kicking and feet on your tray table.

Book an aisle seat. If you have a wheelie carryon it can be difficult to get an overhead in economy on airlines that allow any family with children preferential boarding. I've been on southwest where people lay across seats and a family with a lap baby, kid, 2 adults got 2 rows of 3. 6 seats and 3 tickets.

Thanks, I've already booked my seat though (window seat--I've lived in Virginia for 7 years now, but feel like California is "Home" and can't wait to see it from the window!).

[Anonymous]

We will be flying to Morocco next month with our three year old and 16 month old twins as lap babies. I have to say I'm nervious about the flight but its an overnighter so I am hoping the kids sleep for most of it. I don't plan on being comfortable or it being easy. That said I am grateful that we booked with the Moroccan airline and most of the travelers will be Moroccan (I know this from experience taking our daughter as a lap baby at 17 months). And as this thread would indicate Americans hate flying with kids on the same plane as them, not so with other cultures, who tend to be more understanding and helpful with the kids. I think that the negative nellies have to realize that as miserable as you may be to have a kid sit next to you or behind you on a flight the parents are suffering way more, so before you spread your nastiness to the parents, take a deep breath and appreciate the fact that when the flight ends your experience with that kid ends as well. Bring things you know your kid enjoys, ignore the nasty looks and hope that you get seated next to a kindly grandmother figure or a foreigner from a culture that actually likes children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We will be flying to Morocco next month with our three year old and 16 month old twins as lap babies. I have to say I'm nervious about the flight but its an overnighter so I am hoping the kids sleep for most of it. I don't plan on being comfortable or it being easy. That said I am grateful that we booked with the Moroccan airline and most of the travelers will be Moroccan (I know this from experience taking our daughter as a lap baby at 17 months). And as this thread would indicate Americans hate flying with kids on the same plane as them, not so with other cultures, who tend to be more understanding and helpful with the kids. I think that the negative nellies have to realize that as miserable as you may be to have a kid sit next to you or behind you on a flight the parents are suffering way more, so before you spread your nastiness to the parents, take a deep breath and appreciate the fact that when the flight ends your experience with that kid ends as well. Bring things you know your kid enjoys, ignore the nasty looks and hope that you get seated next to a kindly grandmother figure or a foreigner from a culture that actually likes children.

I have never been to Morocco, so I can't really speak to Moroccan travelers' views on flying with children.

However, I think (at least in this country) flying has become such an ordeal that nastiness abounds in air travel and not just in respect to flying with children. Flights get more expensive every time you turn around. Getting to the airport on time can be a nightmare because of traffic. Luggage is awful these days. It is great for the airlines to charge per bag, but an annoyance to everyone who needs to take a bag that is not carry-on size. Getting through security (I'm all in favor of security, don't get me wrong) can be such a long process that I've actually missed flights at Dulles. Please tell me how my mascara is more of a security threat than TSA's plan to allow "short" knives on planes. After surviving security, then there is the push to get on the plane to get the available overhead space -- not pleasant at all. Then, unless you flying in first class, the seats are closer together than ever. I've booked seats on flights for my family many times -- only to get to the airport to find the airline has changed one seat. Why?

And if you survive all that, people can be grumpy, unhappy and annoyed. And the flight hasn't left yet. People here (at DCUM) tend to have kids and my observation is that many parents will cut some slack to other parents on a number of issues. But even the most patient of parents can be annoyed to find herself seated next to a large 21 month old who is not interested in "sitting" on a parent's lap for the flight. Some kids are just not good candidates for lap kids.

And while many here dispute the additional safety (and expense) of using a car seat on the flight, sometimes being in a familiar seat can be comforting to an anxious child. Of course, the comforting factor is often unknown until you get on the flight. Keep in mind that FAA regs require coffee pots to be stowed and locked during take off, landing and turbulence. Your 18 month old, not so much.

I think many Americans are unhappy about flying overall. Having an unruly toddler sitting on a lap next to you can add to that unhappiness. Not all lap children cause passengers near them to be unhappy, but a number of them do.