To wonder what you do if your toddler kicks off on a plane?

[cucumberandlime]

Just thinking about this as had a horrible cinema trip with my toddler. And wondered how on earth you’d manage with running around, screaming etc on a plane?

Take lots of little surprises - i always got a couple of lego comics. a sticker book, a small lego set, a couple of story books etc I dealt with mine by helping them with said lego, stickers etc, reading quietly to them, and supplying snacks. No seat kicking was allowed.I would have held on to their feet if necessary.

@ponyprincess she hasn’t generally been a problem but then thinking about it we haven’t had long car journeys with her and her brother together for ages … it tends to be when they are together the trouble starts (and sitting in separate areas of the plane won’t work, it’s like they sense one another and then she’d just be even more determinedly try to escape to get to him.)

@Honeyhonay but I mean how do you ‘not accept it’, genuine question? That’s the thing; I left the cinema, you can’t exactly leave a plane 🤦🏼‍♀️ (tempting though!)

If you can, I would try to get them used to sitting for progressively longer periods, maybe not in the cinema but on buses and the like? I was lucky, my DS was a fab traveller from the start and it wasn't anything I did to get right, he was just calm and easy to entertain. My niece and nephew have been more difficult and I remember hearing that a couple on the plane had been so snotty to DSis and BIL: "We never had to drug our child on a plane". Well, whoopy do for you. I vowed that I would never be so unhelpful and annoying to a struggling parent, especially in a contained situation where you can't give up and get off!

Don't be despondent and give up, it's just something you need to work on now and again. Probably by the time your child is four/five, they'll have settled down and be more engaged with distracting stuff. Especially once they start school and have carpet time and need to be able to sit and focus on something for longer periods. You will get there, it just takes time and a bit of practice.

I was at the cinema yesterday and there was a toddler making a lot of noise the whole time. Do not do what that parent did which was repeatedly say we will leabe if you don’t stop. And then just stayed anyway

We had this on our last holiday, toddler screaming because she was exhausted and angry because she wasnt allowed to roam around by herself. Got her to calm down by singing to her and got my eldest involved in the singing too. When we landed the lady in front turned round and i braced, expecting a negative comment. But she was lovely. Said she enjoyed our singing and what lovely, well behaved kids we had. I think a lot of people are more understanding than you expect

My first and only flight was with a 3 Yr old and 1 Yr old.....after that we drove to Europe with Eurocamp🤣 you can stop when you like, nobody giving you dirty looks when toddler accidentally kicks/bangs chair in front, any squabbles are contained in your own little bubble and gentle parenting can go out the window! Even went when had a third and he was only 4 months, much less stressful😌

Sweets, crisps, too much screen time, sticking to short-haul & hopeing for the best. If all else fails, just hold tight and ignore the screaming. There's not much else you can do, if the seat belt sign is on, leaving the seat is not an option.

This.

My little one was 3 flight back from Majora.
Incredibly delayed due to someone being arrested off the incoming flight.

We didn't take off til midnight so he was sooooo over tired over stimulated I have never known anything like it.

Anyway despite best efforts all round he screamed for over 2 hours.

Everyone around was tutting and giving side eye it was dreadful I wanted to jump out the window!

He's 7 now. UK holidays every since.

The thought of doing that again brings me out in a sweat.

Xx

You prepare them for the trip, read books and watch shows of what happens on the airplane before you go so they know what to expect. You explain they must sit nicely on the plane. You make it exciting and interesting but not overwhelming or scary.

You go prepared, you take snacks, toys, sticker books and games and books and (shock) an iPad loaded with their favourite shows, and headphones. Run off any energy in the airport, there's usually little play areas.

If they kick off you distract and de-escalate. You do not let them run around obviously..

I find the more you do it the more likely they are to behave, they understand what's happening and what is expected.

Yes we went to the Isle of Wight.

The ferry was great for DS.

We all enjoyed it !
Unlike flying which waa a bloody nightmare.
X

Hooray !
I wish all parents were as considerate as you.

Well it's basically parenting, giving your 100%. Any kind of distraction tactics you can think of. Play acting, reading a book, pointing stuff out, making faces etc etc.

Bribe them with food, sweets, and stickers. Honestly, we’ve travelled loads and kids are usually great… men in their 40s? Now they are a different species of man spreading and knees in the back of your chair combined with hammering the touch screen.

🙄.
It’s not ‘inconsiderate’ to have children out in public. We’ve paid for their seat, just as you’ve paid for yours.
We have travelled since ours were all 3 months old, as their grandparents live abroad. They’re a lot better behaved than some adults. A lot nicer people than a lot of adults too.

I didn't take my DD abroad on a plane, till she was 11 yrs old. Financal reasons, school holidays time being too pricey.

Gonna get flamed no doubt, but I wish other parents wouldnt take babies/toddlers on the plane, even if the holiday is affordable.

Was unlucky to be sat in front of a toddler on the plane home last month. Constantly crying, screaming and kicking my seat back. Parents kept murmuring to the toddler to be 🙊 be quiet , but had nothing to keep him amused.

Sometimes she’s fine but she won’t be with siblings around. And I can’t really have a holiday just us!

She eats quite poorly tbh, not fussed by food at all.

Children are allowed to exist in public and aren’t confined to the UK because you don’t want them around you.

pretend its someone elses ? but in all serious not sure really depends on the time

I don’t take mine on planes for holidays (although that’s absolutely fine too), I take them so that they can have a relationship with their family. We don’t all live in the same country as our families!

Had a screaming DD who was 2 on our first holiday. Screamed for 30 minutes coming to land. On the floor couldn’t get her in her seat. They gave me an extender in the end and I strapped her to me. It was awful and I got really upset. I really empathise now and don’t judge. I was sat on my own with her too and couldn’t get any help

I avoided it by never taking a toddler on a plane 🤣 they’re not that age for long. It just never appealed to me to go abroad with children that age, and never had any other reason to need to do it. We’ve had lots of amazing holidays abroad since, when they were 3 and 6 onwards.

Would he still do that aged 7?!

Maybe next summer when she’s four or never

We used to wrap up a few small things as presents eg crayons, stickers. Then when they are struggling you can get one out and that fills 10 minutes and resets things. Would also recommend CBeebies mag or similar for filling time.

It's usually not as bad as you think. I flew on my own with DD1 - 4 and DD2 6 months for a family wedding, I was dreading it but was actually fine - was only 90 mins though. And a 4 hour when DD1 was 3, with DH. As others have said, plenty of snacks, tablet with programmes downloaded, a couple small toys they have never seen before, ideally wrapped so there is the excitement of unwrapping.
Ultimately if they cry, they cry, most people are sympathetic as long as they can see you are trying your best.

The only time I ever got annoyed was when a 5/6 year old kicked my seat for the entire flight, with no attempts from parents to try to stop. After 2 hours I cracked and asked them politely if they could please try to stop her as i had a bad back, and I got an earful.

I wouldn't do more than 4 hours until youngest is 9/10 though. That seems to be the limit for my 2.