The Evolution of Flight

Spring Break 2024 is a wrap and this week we discuss the changes we’ve experienced over the years traveling with our boys. Our experiences have not always been easy traveling with kids, but that’s to be expected. In this episode, we tell a few unsuccessful travel stories and reflect on our most recent trip to Texas where we felt confident enough that we’re already planning our next trip.

Listen to Episode 3

Don’t have time to listen? You can read a brief summary below.

A First Time Parent Traveling Experience

Traveling with kids can be incredibly stressful. We discuss how our flying experiences have evolved over time with our kids. First, with our oldest, I (Sarah) experienced a significant amount of anxiety around what others will think of me as I navigated entertaining and soothing a baby on the plan. It wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought, but the flight crew and airline customer service were always willing to help when they saw a need. I was most concerned with how Jackson would react when his ears began to pop on the plane due to the change in the cabin pressure. Growing up i struggled with ear pain, so much so it would take a day or two to get them back to normal. I’ve had so much trouble it’s made me lightheaded and sick to my stomach. Although, rules and regulations have changed and flight attendants can’t walk babies up and down the aisle to sooth them, our flight attendants and even passengers on the plan have always been willing to support us as new parents traveling with a baby.

Tips for First Time Parents Flying with a Baby

1. Check Carseats and use a Carseat bag – we purchased this Birdee Car Seat Travel Bag from amazon and it made carrying luggage so much easier. We were even able to fit two carseats (infant and 5-point converting).
2. Take the Stroller through to the gate and check it at the counter – Don’t feel like you have to carrying everything while you wait to board your flight, taking your stroller through gives you a place to store your items and you don’t have to carry much through the airport. Visit your airline customer service counter right when you get to your gate to get your tag. Then you can take it down the ramp and fold it where it will go in cargo. When you arrive at your destination, your stroller will be waiting when you exit the plane allowing you to load up your items (or transfer a sleeping baby) in your stroller.
3. Avoid mixing formula before security – The first few times I wasn’t sure the best way to get formula through security. This has not been researched, don’t quote me on any of it, but if you mix after your through security, they don’t test the formula, just the water. This may not be a helpful tip at all, but it was much less stressful for me.

Plane Travel with Two Kids

Adding another child to the mix adds another carseat, plane ticket, and maybe even a bigger stroller. We traveled to a few familiar places with our oldest two and found that it was best to sit in the back of the plane to be the last off so we could take our time and be closest to the bathroom and flight attendants if we had any questions/concerns. We discuss two traveling experiences that have left us a bit scarred, but we learned a few lessons along the way.

Considerations When Traveling with Two Kids

1. Seating Arrangements – Split up your seating and choose aisle and middle seats so that it’s easier to switch seats.
2. Be Tech Ready – Be sure to pack headphone splitter or bluetooth headphones that your kids can wear
3. Consider the destination – Travel places where you can easily access a carseat should your luggage not end up where you planned

Traveling with Young Kids and Toddlers

We have been fortunate in our traveling experiences to have an additional family member travel with us, but our most recent trip to Texas was our first traveling with all three boys by ourselves. We were outnumbered and we had to be prepared. It was stressful trying to anticipate all the items I thought we’d need for the plane rides, but in the end, it was more than successful, it was enjoyable. Our oldest boys had their tablets and played games or watched a movie, while the youngest watched a movie and then took a nap. We traveled early in the morning and later in the evening with the hopes that our 2-year old would nap. After some soothing and snuggles we were able to get him to sleep. I found myself on this trip laughing at how concerned I was a causing a scene when I was traveling with my first baby. The insecurities have since left me and I no longer care about what others might say.

Plane Travel Activities for Kids

I wanted to create something exciting for them on the plane. We all know that kids believe that new is always better. So I took a quick trip to the dollar store the night before our trip. I found a few backpacks and coloring books, journals, and crayons for each of them. The two older boys were responsible for carrying their own bags, which gave them a sense of responsibility. They also see mommy and daddy caring bags so they can associate carrying items as a “grown up” or big kid thing to do.

Where to Next?

Thanks for listening!

Tune in next week as we discuss getting ready for Easter and what Easter means to us!