to now be freaked out travelling on plane?

[ninenicknames]

So, just read the thread about OP's 2.5 year old having a tantrum on the plane & everyone being awful.

I am due to take my 2.9 DS on a 2.5hr flight next month on my own, lone parent so no back up.

I am now totally SHITTING myself (no offence to the original OP)

I don't handle confrontation well at all & the thought of my DS going nuclear & everyone having a go at me is now giving me a panic attack.

Seriously considering not going if this is how public react? Or do I strap him down physically & then get reported to SS!?!?!!

Literally. Don't know what to do?

Cakeninja what a lovely man !

I fly fairly frequently with my easily bored and tantrum prone 2 year old. My advice is to only reveal toys/treats/distractions one at a time. You don't want to burn through the whole lot in the first half hour. Also, save a very prized treat (smarties here) for emergencies. When my DD is cranking up for a huge tantrum, usually near the end of the flight, thats when the smarties come out. Works a treat. Good luck, you'll be fine

2.5 hour flight is nothing. It will be over before you know it. Promise!

By the time it takes off and you get time to explain what's happening to DS (take your time!), let him watch a bit of something or play games on the iPad, have some food etc, it will be time to start your descent and you can explain that too! What can we see out the window etc.

And remember, the chances of you seeing anyone on that plane ever again are very small. Who cares what they say/think. You do your best and that's all anyone can ask.

Enjoy your trip!

You could always just bellow "mind your own business!" repeatedly at people who stick their oar in as my ex H did on a lengthy bus journey one time. It's one of my best memories of him. He was sat behind us with our DS while I struggled with dd and the booing and hissing from other bus users. He realised what was happening as I was nearly in tears and asked me what was going on so I told him and pointed out one particularly spiteful and judgemental woman. He looked at her and said calmly "you can see she's having a hard time, why don't you just mind your own business" she tried to continue moaning but every time she opened her mouth he again said "mind your own business!" increasing the volume. She got off the bus a few stops later and no one else said a word after that.

I also fly a lot, and my idea of hell is other people's children BUT I can honestly promise that I am always really really nice and chat to them on planes (and buses, and supermarket queues, and all those other places where mystical MNers find random people shrieking at small people)

The only time I roll eyes is when the children are older, and just being PITAs. I'm generally flying between the UK and Italy, and the PITA kids, I have to say, are very rarely the British ones. That old chestnut about foreigners loving children more than we do gets a teensy bit more irritating when those same children are 9 and kicking your chair while their sister puts the tray up and down for 3 hours whilst spitting dinner over the seat at your own child!

Have a lovely holiday!
Dd is older now, but yes, stickers, books, new toy. All good.

A 2.5hr flight is nothing - by the time you've taken off, had the snack trolley pass by a couple of times, gone to the loo etc you'll be descending. I've been flying solo with my son since he was 4 months. I don't give treats - no raisins or chocolate that could melt or drop on floor/get all over seat. No colouring - pens that roll on floor and get lost. Keep it simple - my son is now 4 and has the iPad for takeoff. I download CBeebies programmes and there are a few games. He has breakfast if appropriate (our flight leaves at 630am). Then he goes to sleep - I always take his blanket and a favourite toy.

We've now done 10hr flights with him and he just sticks his headphones on and watches the films and then sleeps.

I have flown a lot with both of mine since they were just a couple of months old. The worst I have had was some sighing and looks, when we had really epic tantrums. Most people are helpful and understanding - and mostly kids behave as well. Especially almost 3-year olds who can be bribed with iPads. Honestly.

Later - I also fly to Italy and totally concur! My in-laws think I'm a harsh mother because I discipline my son, not treat him like a little prince.

My top tips: be prepared for hurting ears. So things to suck, practice roaring like a lion, and be sure your seats have sick bags. The pressure can change from the moment the doors shut until they open again.
The other tip is to make sure they do lots of walking and running around before getting on the plane, so sitting still is easier.

I've only ever had a problem with a small DC on a flight once. If it is their first flight and they are toddlers lots of new stuff for them to look at, experience etc so you waste some time like that. Also have food for them - feeding them (nothing too messy) takes up some time. (although that played a part in my horrible experience)
DD1 just under 2 so on my knee (iirc we did have a seat for her but she had to be on my knee for take off and landing ). Someone was late on the plane - delayed it. They lurched up the aisle and sat in the seat in front -stinking of booze. Because of them we missed our take off slot and had to wait on the runway for 40-50 mins with the seat belt sign on and all the entertainment etc stored away. We had to be ready for take off as soon as they could fit us in.
DD bored, hungry and getting ratty wanted to get off my knee etc started having a tantrum. I was almost in tears. The guy who delayed us was obviously pissed off and turned round and slurred something to me I couldn't understand (not in English, slurred and dd was being loud next to my ear!). A couple of other passengers turned on him (not in English) but obviously telling him it was his fault and not to be a twat! Gave me some sympathetic looks...which made me feel a lot better!
Once we had taken off and could get stuff out etc she calmed down, ate her sandwich and fell asleep.

I am one of those interfering busybodies who smile at people with babies - you know the ones who get moaned about on mumsnet frequently - and if you're sitting next to me or anyone like me you and your child will be treated with great kindness and I'm more likely to have a sharp word with any moaners on your behalf.

It'll be fine, honestly, and even if it isn't, it's 2.5 hours out of your life to endure and you'll never see those people again. Not worth cancelling a holiday for!

We've flown with our DD, now 3, a lot, usually long-haul. Some flights have been fine, some she has screamed like a banshee due to overtiredness. I remember one overnight flight where she woke up and screamed for an hour as she was so overtired. Helpfully, she's the sort of child that cuddling doesn't help when she's in that state, it just makes her thrash out. So she eventually settled after an hour. I was exhausted and fed up and embarrassed. There were tuts and sighs, but that was it. And when she settled a nice guy in the seat behind leant forward, put his hand on my arm and said "well done, now get some rest too". That meant a lot.

More recently we had a flight back from Canada, DD was fine, but a child somewhere was screaming for hours. Literally hours. I had no idea where they were and I was stuck between husband and sleeping DD or I would have gone to see if they needed any help. Most people understand. Those who don't are dicks. You have as much right to be there as they do.

Totally in ore of some of your stories!

Wow

Ok - pound land we go, trunki we buy, and full speed ahead I can do this!

Thank you, thank you all for your very encouraging words, tips & stories.

And yes, I am a Londoner, and I am 100% NOT your typical one. I smile & I make eye contact

Happy weekend all

My sons are all grown up now BUT when my two oldest were 4 and 2 we flew to Majorca. They were brilliant, we just had fun the whole journey. The worst bit was when we arrived in Palma lol.....all on the transfer coach and the rep announced the hotels that the coach would drop off at....ours was last and took nearly as long as the flight lol. Ended up letting the littlest son stick all the stickers, from the book he had taken, onto me!!!

On a different note - a couple of years ago we flew to our favourite place, Rhodes. Myself, DH and youngest DS (then about 16). The family behind us were struggling with their children. The eldest one kicked my seat over and over again. I just got up and peeped over. There was a mum and dad and three children. A baby in dads arms and a toddler on mums knee. In the middle, behind my seat, was a little lad of about 5. He was the seat kicker!! His Mum started to cry and apologise and said he had Autisim. Told her not to cry and I spent the last 2 hours of the flight passing him sweets, paper, crayons etc etc. Felt so sad that I had been annoyed by it all at first - especially as I am a Mum. I had a big map of Rhodes that we had got the year before so I gave it to him and told him how fantastic the island was. Showed him where the funfair was and the go kart track etc etc/

Please dont cancel your trip - if anybody moans - so what - you probably will never have to see those people again. In my experience your child will feed off your emotions. Just enjoy every minute - they are only little for such a short time xx

Just enjoy every minute - they are only little for such a short time xx

The above - so true

I can't stress how much to you that it be fine.

We're just off a super long haul flight (24+ hours), and the planes were full of babies and young children. Full of them. Some of them were good as gold. Some of them cried. Nobody, but nobody gave a noticeably tiny little shit.

The vast majority of people don't care. OK, it's not great sitting next to a crying child, but most people just accept it.

Anyone who gets visibly arsey only makes themselves look like a cringey, embarrassing idiot. And 2.5 hours is nothing!

I used to travel regularly on my own with 3 young children, baby and twin toddlers and I can honestly say that people were amazing every time. Holding the baby while I collapsed the pram, chatting to the toddlers. One lady once bought me a coffee and sent it to my seat!!! There are honestly many more nice people than horrible people! Please don't cancel, go and enjoy your trip and I'm sure you will be pleasantly surprised

I've been flying with my ds midhaul once every 6 weeks or so since he was 6 weeks old. It's fine. Ignore the miseries. I've found that people are more helpful than they are mean.

I have flown a few times alone with mine.one of the DC is severely autistic. and yes we had tantrums on board. rhino skin. what can they do? open the door and kick you out? no.

second the advice of food and some small toys. I tend to get mine a kids magazine - there are small toys and tons of stickers inside which keeps them busy.

The most badly behaved kids I've seen on a flight were young teenagers who were sitting apart from their parents. They were so rude to the cabin crew that I had some words with them.

My kids are older now but I always take a loaded iPad and new activities/books so when they open their bags it's exciting.

Those awful sticky lollies that I never give my DC at any other time are my top tip for flights. Helps with ears popping on take off and landing. Normal snack rules go out the window when travelling and I bring a little bag of favourite treats like Haribo and mini boxes of Smarties.

As others have suggested, poundland tat is the way to go. Also, Tiger have some great little novelties like small magnetic jigsaw puzzles, chalk board, finger lights etc that have all proven to be good flight entertainment for my DC.

I can agree with previous posters that the majority of toddlers are ok on 2.5 hour flights. Unfortunately my toddler is not one of them. First trip we did I googled 'toys for toddlers on planes' to death. Best advice was to take one toy for every ten minutes (yes really, and be grateful if it lasts longer). As PP said, give one out at a time. Wrap a few up. Mix up old toys with some new ones - maybe take the old ones out of circulation a while before the trip. As a PP said run through the airport process (checkin, security, boarding). I made the mistake of not doing this with DS when he was 2.1 and he erupted when he couldn't just rock up and get on the plane. It could be worth explaining whete the luggage goes and when the buggy will come back. At 2.1 my DS decided the security guy was stealing his and refused to let go. Picture a howling toddler body hugging a buggy, wrenching it back and screaming 'don't take it! Don't take it! Mine! Mine!'. There are books about getting a flight and I acted it out with toys before the next time. I also went to my regional airport next time rather than the international (let's shut security for a hour) one.

So, our toy list:

• comic - choose carefully ahead of the trip to get the best tat with the most entertainment value. Hide one for the way back do there is something new.
• stickers. Most comics have them in but bring some others too. Put them on the window (they are low tack normally so easy to remove) or on the sick bag.
• figures (dino, animal etc). In a little bag eg. A ziplock. Take cheap charity shop stuff that you don't mind losing between seats.
• a magic slate. Pound land do them or they are sometimes on the front of comics. An unexpected hit for us.
• stickees - moshi monster type things that have a little suction cup.
• a couple of books
• a colouring book with pencils you don't mind losing
• a plastic spring. For some reason DS likes playing with this. Other people suggest a roll of masking tape to unwind but that didn't float his boat
• a pound shop my little pony
• a mini bag (an old vanity case from business class days into case ha ha!) with pockets holding small toys and snacks for him to unpack in one go
• food food food - everyone is worse when they are hungry and you never know when you will be delayed and in what circumstances
• a couple of cars. Again there is the dropping dilemma but they buy us 20 mins with my DS

We also have a trunki. DS refuses to sit on it. I still prefer it to a rucksack though as the clam shell design means you can open it and see what is there rather than rummaging. Also take spare clothes, nappies, muslin for emergency clean ups, wipes.

Definitely go. At the worst it will be character forming

I'm sure it'll be fine but also be mentally prepared with a good reply should you get someone being horrible. Maybe get cabin crew involved.

The nice stories on this thread just made me almost cry. We're taking 3 kids under 7 on a plane next week and I was a bit nervous :)

People have mostly always been nice when we have flown with wee ones before though.