Long haul flight and i am desperate

[MarieBaker]

Hello,

I am about to return to New York from the UK with my 2 year old and 4month old baby boys. The flight over was an utter nightmare.. The toddler is a horrible traveller despite many flights since he was a baby. He is a great sleeper at home but we are pretty rigid about his routine any deviations tends to lead to meltdowns. I thought this flight would be better, he was old enough to be excited and we talked lots about the flight etc. i did everything people suggest, changed into pjs, followed bedtime routine, full tummy, i had a bag full of toys and distractions and an ipad!! Once he got overtired he just lost it and started yelling he wanted to go home or go outside. Then started screaming. The lowest point was about four hours into the flight when my DH and I were hiding in the galley, each trying to comfort a screaming child, when another passenger came up and asked the staff if "they couldn't do something about those kids". He helpfully suggested giving them some milk. My DH just about lost it and I burst i to tears. I can't describe how awful it was, for him too, he was a mess. Of course the toddler fell asleep just before they switched the lights on for the descent. The return trip is a day flight but getting to London means we miss his nap and by the time the flight takes off he will be exhausted. I tried Piriton syrup last night to make sure it did not have any adverse effects but it seemed to have no effect at all. He now activiely dislikes the idea of getting on the plane I don't know what to do. Any advice welcomed.

Only- this too shall pass.

DS1, 11 months, required absolutely full-on, all singing, all dancing entertainment from us for the 7 hour flight from Brisbane to Tokyo, where we made the fatal error of breaking the journey (so he got a night's sleep). We set off again at noon on day 2 for the 12 hour flight to London. He screamed. The. Entire. Way. To add insult, the 9 month old half English, half Japanese baby of the couple next to us slept pretty much the entire way. Thankfully the return journey was merely very hard work, but not close to tear inducing.

I had sleepless nights when, aged 4 and 2 (DS2 had arrived by then) had to be flown Brisbane to London, 3 years later. We carefully picked the flight so we'd spend 4 hours from London to Brunei, had a 3 hour run-around in the almost empty airport there, 4 hours to Dubai during which they slept. DH and I tag teamed sitting on the floor in the foot well of our 4 seater so the boys could lie down, whilst the other parent found the one empty seat on the plane, nearby and tried to get some sleep themselves. The aircrew allowed this, even letting them land asleep with seatbelts loosely around their middles! We woke them for an hour in Dubai to see the terminal, then the 7 hours to London was not exactly the breeze- I recall saying to DH 'Hooray, nearly there!' as we overflew Romania and only had 4 hours to go! .

Last year we flew them back to Oz on holiday and I can assure you that a 10 and 12 year old with back-of-seat entertainment are no trouble whatsoever

That is a lovely reply. Fingers crossed

Phenergan is often talked about on here. I haven't done it but people to talk about it but test it first because it can have the opposite effect on some children.

and be prepared with some witty one liners if anyone dares comment again!

Good luck

Drugs!

Not long ago I read on here about some one having a large bag of earplugs and handing them out to all the other passengers around them!

It might be worth talking to a gp about trying phenergan. Otherwise all you can do is tell your DS exactly what is going to happen and what you expect from him and cross your fingers that he understands some of it, have more new toys and always remember that you will probably never meet any of the other passengers again.

Good Luck.

No advice really, I'm taking my DS on his first flight in October. He will be 10 months old and the flight is 12 hours direct to Hong Kong....scared now!

I know it's easier said than done, but just apologise once to any fellow passengers nearby then forget them and concentrate on your kids. If it makes you feel better, my mum says she doesn't mind kids being a pain as she just feels grateful she doesn't have to sort them out!

At least if you've had a horrible journey out there it can't get any worse on the way back (optimistic).

I think apologies to other passengers will go a long way to alleviating their annoyance.

No advice just wanted to give you my sympathy as when I have recounted my tales of flying woe I have been met with other mothers who describe their own toddlers dream behaviour on flights!

We took DD (2) to Oz last xmas to visit elderly relatives, was an absolute nightmare and I have sworn never again (or as long as it takes the memory of this time to fade.) She screamed the place down from London to Dubai out of sheer overtiredness then on the 14 hour Mebourne flight we did manage to get her off for 5 hours. We too tried it all - ncluding drugs but nothing seemed to work. I am just looking forward to the future as described by Tansie - good luck OP!

hahahhaa, and yet I'm the only one MN who ever moans about kids having horrendous jetlag.

Thanks everyone for the replies. Just to let you know the return was MUCH better! We tried the piriton in some juice but he spilled it over himself twice at which point we gave up. Lots of sticker books and ipad apps later he finally fell asleep on my lap just before the descent. I was able to wriggle out and put a belt around him and he slept through the landing. He screamed all the way through immigration but I dont really blame him! Jet lagged today but okay...

Can I tell you that Phenergan doesn't work for some children. I was given some by my DDs doctor when she was around 14 months old for a 10 hour flight.
It was like someone had given her speed. 10 hours of DD and her own little marching band up and down the aisles.
Test it first