10 Tips for Flying with Children (5 for parents, 5 for non-parents)

I think I’ve been on perhaps one, maybe two flights where there weren’t any children on-board. You are bound to encounter tiny humans as a wanderer-of-the-world, and as parents, you’re probably going to want to travel with your children. It’s good for them! They should absolutely be exposed to cultures and spaces which are different from their own.

Keep in mind that all of the tips for are conditional upon you and your family’s needs. Don’t give your kids an iPad loaded with seizure inducing games if they have epilepsy, and don’t give them strawberries if they’re allergic to them. If you’re the childless traveler, these tips are just ways to be considerate. Sometimes you will not be able to choose the considerate option, and that’s okay. Take what resonates, and here we go!

As the Childless Party:

1. Be prepared. Noise cancelling headphones may or may not totally drown out a screaming baby or a fussing child, but they’ll certainly help.
2. Don’t go for the mac and cheese in flight meal option. That’s for kids and vegetarians.
3. If you happen to be in line for the bathroom in front of a child, let them and their parents go first. Kids have tiny bladders, and if they happen to have an accident your flight will get infinitely worse.
4. If there is a child whose misbehaviour is directly affecting you (chair kicking, for example), address the parents in a polite and friendly manner. If the parents refuse to do anything about their child’s behaviour, speak with a flight attendant. It’s not your job to parent other peoples’ children (even if the actual parents refuse to do it), and you will no longer be the sympathetic party if you lose your temper at a child.
5. Unless they’re outright abusive, don’t judge the parents for tactics they’re using to keep their children in line. They’re trying to get through this flight as best they can.

As Parents and Guardians

1. If you need a leash, use one. I personally hate it when I see people with leashes on children, backpacks variants or no, but it is far better to be safe than sorry, especially in a busy airport.
2. You already know this, but bring sani-wipes.
3. If your child doesn’t want to sleep, just let them stay up until they fall asleep naturally. This will mean either you or your partner have to stay up to make sure they stay in their seat, or trust that your child is well behaved enough not to wander off. You cannot force your child to sleep, and attempting will make you look at best ridiculous and at worst like a terrible person when you inevitably lose your temper.
4. Make sure the snacks on hand for the duration of your trip, airport to airport. Sugar and caffeine free are best; your kids will be restless enough, you don’t need to go around adding stimulants to an already active child. Walking with them up and down the aisles can help to alleviate some of that restlessness for both of you.
5. Treat flights as a bit of a fun, educational, bonding day. You want your kids to enjoy travelling, and you want them to learn how to behave in an airport and how to make their way around the world. Have them be part of the process by asking them what time it is, how much time until the plane departs, down which hallway do they think the plane will depart. Play guessing games, like where they think other people are going. Ask them why they think they’re going there. This will keep them entertained, off the iPad for as long as possible, and will develop their critical thinking and investigative skills.

BONUS TIP FOR EVERYONE!

Try to have fun! The airport is a place where everyone is worrying about something, be it themselves, their flight, a business transaction, a family member, or whatever else. Be kind, be patient, and be forgiving.

Wash your hands, wear a mask, and stay safe gentle reader.