Anonymous wrote: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.

Exactly! Plus, flying at naptime, while it may have sounded like a good idea, is quite the opposite -- as I'm sure OP has now realized. An overtired child is trouble.

Lots of fun, new things to play with + a fresh, well-rested child may give you a better experience on your next trip OP.

DD is 4 now, but started flying internationally regularly a year ago. Before a flight, I let her run (figuratively) out her energy while waiting for the connecting flight. We will go from one terminal to the next while she hops around from one imaginary thing to the next, she "rides" on my carryon bag (my fave, makes life so much easier for me). I bring the iPad, video games, books, snacks, and she can eat whatever she wants. I also try to do a super early or late fall so that she sleeps one leg. People in the airport have commented that she has a lot of energy, but on that second flight, I'm always told that she's such an angel and so quiet. I figure its better that she tire herself out in the terminal.

Anonymous wrote:Second bendaryl

Unless your kids react with hyperactivity to it which a large percentage of kids do.


We just had a flight with our three (we do snacks, games, books, and movies during flights) and a Grandmom on the flight with her two adult daughters and their five kids goes -"who needs the benadryl?" and immediately dispensed to all five kids the clear liquid. WELL, what happened on that flight turned EPIC. They were all seated in the front and we were in the middle. Those kids were trying to climb over the seats, down aisles, SCREAMING, fighting, hitting, YELLING. My husband looked at me and was like OMG those are the worse children I have ever seen. The problem was they were having an adverse reaction to the Benadryl. And it was ugly.

So make sure your kids don't experience the hyperactivity side effect first.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We flew red eyes cross country. I loathe people like you on planes. I kept my toddler/preschooler quiet for the sake of others, I fail to understand why other people can't do the same. It wasn't easy for me. I don't have a docile, compliant kid. And PS, my kid was a toddler and a preschooler before the invention of the iPad. So you have zero excuse, OP.

Well pin a rose on your nose. My normally quiet, and very well behaved, 3 year old had a stomach ache, due to constipation, on a recent flight. He was miserable and he cried. What are your suggestions, oh smug one?

Not the pp but why would you bring a sick child on an airplane? Didn't you know he was severely constipated before the flight? Did it ever occur to you to do something about your child's constipation before confining him in an airplane?!

Seriously, what were you thinking?! You caused your child undue suffering for no reason.

Anonymous wrote:Just say no. Sternly. "You're making bad choices"???
Why are people so afraid of discipline?

THis was my thought. If it were a ten month old I'd be like yeah, what can be done? But if your almost three year old doesn't listen to "stop it!" and "no" then I'm guessing the daily discipline isn't great anyway. "You're making bad choices!" LOL!

And for those who say I'm unreasonable, I flew a TON as a kid due to my dad's job, and the majority of parents in my parents circle, with whom we flew a lot, never had this issue either.

Anonymous wrote:We flew red eyes cross country. I loathe people like you on planes. I kept my toddler/preschooler quiet for the sake of others, I fail to understand why other people can't do the same. It wasn't easy for me. I don't have a docile, compliant kid. And PS, my kid was a toddler and a preschooler before the invention of the iPad. So you have zero excuse, OP.

Well pin a rose on your nose. My normally quiet, and very well behaved, 3 year old had a stomach ache, due to constipation, on a recent flight. He was miserable and he cried. What are your suggestions, oh smug one?

Anonymous wrote:We flew red eyes cross country. I loathe people like you on planes. I kept my toddler/preschooler quiet for the sake of others, I fail to understand why other people can't do the same. It wasn't easy for me. I don't have a docile, compliant kid. And PS, my kid was a toddler and a preschooler before the invention of the iPad. So you have zero excuse, OP.

You loathe OP for asking for advice so her child doesn't act out on future flights? It happened to OP on one flight and she hopes to handle it better on the next flight.

Just to clarify, you actually loathe people who try to learn from a bad experience and who go to others for advice about how to fix the problem. Is that what you're saying?

Anonymous wrote:You sound like a good parent, OP. You just had a lousy flight. Even with the best kid, there are going to be some bad days. Kids naturally have a lot of energy and can't be expected to sit still for so long and be happy about it. No version of discipline can help a kid who is bored and thinks screaming is fun. We all do our best, but some flights are going to end up like that, and isn't necessarily a reflection of your parenting.

Good luck!

Signed,
Another inconsiderate pansy parent

You sound like a good parent, OP. You just had a lousy flight. Even with the best kid, there are going to be some bad days. Kids naturally have a lot of energy and can't be expected to sit still for so long and be happy about it. No version of discipline can help a kid who is bored and thinks screaming is fun. We all do our best, but some flights are going to end up like that, and isn't necessarily a reflection of your parenting.

Good luck!

I was going to suggest benadryl too. Cozy blanket, pillow, comfy clothes like pajamas or sweats, milk, whatever his normal nap /bed routine is. And get over the restraining him thing. If he's acting inappropriately and hitting others, he gets restrained. Period.

We travel a lot and my kids never behaved like that, and they were flying since infancy. Of course, I didn't respond to kicking and hitting by saying "you're making me angry" either. No wonder they ignored you. Some of you really let your kids walk all over you.

We flew red eyes cross country. I loathe people like you on planes. I kept my toddler/preschooler quiet for the sake of others, I fail to understand why other people can't do the same. It wasn't easy for me. I don't have a docile, compliant kid. And PS, my kid was a toddler and a preschooler before the invention of the iPad. So you have zero excuse, OP.

Anonymous wrote:High-pitched screaming "for fun"? Hitting and pinching you?

You're a tool. Your kids' future teachers are just going to LOVE you, and your brat.

I have never agreed with a "hard-liner" before but I do with this one. You are raising a brat. My children, even during the worst of their terrible twos, would never hit or pinch me!!! Strangers are shooting hateful looks at your child and your child FEELS their disapproval - and, as another poster wrote, that not your child's fault - that is your fault.