Anonymous wrote:Taking the kids to HI, which seemed like a great idea when we booked it but now that I am really thinking through our 18 hours worth of return travel, it may not have been our best call. Nonetheless, it's booked and we're committed, so please hit me with all your best tips ... 12 is a bit of a fragile flower and 10 has a short attention span, but they're generally pretty decent travelers if I throw enough snacks at them, not that we've attempted something of this magnitude previously.

Anonymous wrote:Don’t give melatonin- they will be groggy and out of it! You don’t want them unaware in a public space.

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Anonymous wrote:As the OP, good lord, did this ever take a turn.

For the record: we always fly in the same configuration. DH + kids are on one side of the aisle, I am across from DH on the other side of the same aisle. He and I both like aisle seats, kids switch out for the window depending on flight, and he and I can switch if needed. Kids don't like sitting next to strangers just because they are shy, so it works for all. Never crossed my mind not to sit together as a family!

I've been doing red eyes mostly with my kids since they were 2 years old. On the very rare occasions they were not assigned next to me/us, we told the FA and we were able to all sit together. It can't really happen these days with having to buy seats anyway. I don't understand people who are okay with their kids sitting far away. I wouldn't want my dh sitting far away either: The point is to travel together. In any case I'd just make sure to bring new books and download some shows/movies they might like. Sometimes my kids can sleep a lot, sometimes they can't, but they always have something to do.

Anonymous wrote:As the OP, good lord, did this ever take a turn.

For the record: we always fly in the same configuration. DH + kids are on one side of the aisle, I am across from DH on the other side of the same aisle. He and I both like aisle seats, kids switch out for the window depending on flight, and he and I can switch if needed. Kids don't like sitting next to strangers just because they are shy, so it works for all. Never crossed my mind not to sit together as a family!

Anonymous wrote:How do you know in advance if you'll have a screen in seat option v's your own device?

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Anonymous wrote:Maybe sit a few rows away from them so you can see them but they can't see you. My kids will complain at me nonstop if I'm near them but will behave like perfect angels if I'm not right there as their punching bag ready to hear every complaint big or small they may have.

That is really sad to me. Do you know kids sometimes get moles red on planes sitting next to strangers? I work in the industry. Not common, but it happens.

More likely of course is that they will just need something. They are small children and should not have to navigate such a long flight alone, because they annoy you. No wonder kids nowadays have high rates of depression and anxiety .

It is a family vacation, for the good parts and the bad parts. Selfish people make bad parents.

I'm not worried about that at all given my kids ages. My kids did perfectly well with us sitting a few rows behind. I feel more sorry for the kid who would freak out and be overcome with anxiety that they can't be separated for a flight. Your kids are depressed and anxious due to your overbearing helicopter nature.

And we all know your "work in the industry" means you're not remotely close to being in the front line as a pilot or flight attendant. You work in some back office anywhere counting widgets.

Except I review police reports from in-flight infractions.

True stories of kids (or adults witnesses) who report strangers touching kids in the seat next to them. So I think my intel might be a little more frontline than yours. And I am trying to protect kids here.

Bullshit. I don't believe you for a second helicopter mommy.

I don't read in-flight reports, but considering how grown men touched me when I was metro-ing to school as a kid, I can fully believe it. If you want to let your kids sit away from you, that's fine... but you need to have a little conversation first about that kind of event unfolding, and what to do about it.

It also happened to me, as a teen, on a train.

People don’t want to know about the dark underside of society, and children suffer as a result.

Pedophiles take planes. Children left to their own devices in public (like in the internet) are vulnerable

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Anonymous wrote:Maybe sit a few rows away from them so you can see them but they can't see you. My kids will complain at me nonstop if I'm near them but will behave like perfect angels if I'm not right there as their punching bag ready to hear every complaint big or small they may have.

That is really sad to me. Do you know kids sometimes get moles red on planes sitting next to strangers? I work in the industry. Not common, but it happens.

More likely of course is that they will just need something. They are small children and should not have to navigate such a long flight alone, because they annoy you. No wonder kids nowadays have high rates of depression and anxiety .

It is a family vacation, for the good parts and the bad parts. Selfish people make bad parents.

I'm not worried about that at all given my kids ages. My kids did perfectly well with us sitting a few rows behind. I feel more sorry for the kid who would freak out and be overcome with anxiety that they can't be separated for a flight. Your kids are depressed and anxious due to your overbearing helicopter nature.

And we all know your "work in the industry" means you're not remotely close to being in the front line as a pilot or flight attendant. You work in some back office anywhere counting widgets.

Except I review police reports from in-flight infractions.

True stories of kids (or adults witnesses) who report strangers touching kids in the seat next to them. So I think my intel might be a little more frontline than yours. And I am trying to protect kids here.

Bullshit. I don't believe you for a second helicopter mommy.

Sorry to shatter your view of the world we live in. But it won’t change because you find it too upsetting to see reality.

Pony up some facts, then. And they better not be about unaccompanied minors traveling alone which isn't what I'm talking about. Or young women. I'll wait.

I did pony up facts. Sorry but I don’t plan to share the children’s names, ages and flight numbers.

No, you didn't, at all. Unaccompanied minors are not what we're talking about here. But go on, let's see how many kids were molested on a plane with their parents sitting right nearby.

Not the person you are arguing with but I remember reading about this story

https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/delta-airlines-drunk-passenger-mother-daughter-b2385310.html

So I guess sitting with your parents won't protect you.

Maybe not, but people are more likely to take the parent seriously. There are plenty of crazy people on planes these days. It's like the pandemic made everyone forget how to act on a plane.

And you think this story demonstrates that? Ok.

Ok

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Anonymous wrote:I love how everyone thinks it is helicopter parenting to book your kids sitting with you on a red-eye flight or any other flight.

Jesus. if you hate your kids, don't take them on the trip.

But when you book your kids and then the airline moves them you need to learn to roll with the punches and not believe the hysterical PP that they will definitely be molested. Your kids won't be better off by your illogical anxiety ridden parenting. If you can't handle it, don't travel.

PP neither said the problem is huge nor that it will “definitely” happen. In fact, he said it is uncommon.

When you have to stoop to false hyperbole, that is a sign that you are losing the argument.

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Anonymous wrote:I love how everyone thinks it is helicopter parenting to book your kids sitting with you on a red-eye flight or any other flight.

Jesus. if you hate your kids, don't take them on the trip.

But when you book your kids and then the airline moves them you need to learn to roll with the punches and not believe the hysterical PP that they will definitely be molested. Your kids won't be better off by your illogical anxiety ridden parenting. If you can't handle it, don't travel.