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Original poster

Travelling to USA with 2.5 year old next week. Any tips?

35 replies

winestein · 26/05/2007 14:38

I am taking:

New toys/books of the kind he likes
Old toys/books that he loves
His blankie
Phenargen if it all goes horribly wrong

I have only ever flown once myself - to Glasgow in December . I hated hated hated it and the pain in my ears was incredible. I drank rather a lot of wine on the return flight and that helped, along with not sitting near a window, but my ears still hurt.

Questions are:
Am I taking the right stuff for him or is there anything else that is good to take to keep a toddler amused?
Are airline staff usually good with rambunctious toddlers?
How can I help DS with the whole painful ear thing? I think he is too young to give him something to suck (?)

Thanks!

OP posts:
Original poster
winestein · 26/05/2007 14:47

anyone?

OP posts:
Ivor · 26/05/2007 14:50

To relieve ear pressure try giving your DS something to drink or suck on, if he takes a dummy that will work. The sucking motion helps to equalise the pressure in the inner and outer ear. Try taking some boiled sweets for yourself.
Good luck and enjoy your trip.

CarGirl · 26/05/2007 14:51

my best advice is don't have hot drinks yourselves - too dangerous (I got scalded!)

Original poster
winestein · 26/05/2007 14:53

He's never really had a dummy, but I'm sure I could get one to see if he will. Perhaps one of those drinks things with straws might do the same too (adds to list)

I dont; plan on having hot drinks cargirl - wine all the way for me!

OP posts:
tombley · 26/05/2007 14:56

DO you have one of those non- spill cups that are quite hard work to get the drink out? Is it the sucking action that helps.

When I fly with my two children I buy some cheap stocking filler type toys, notepads, crayons, small books etc. I never show them before the flight has taken off and I wrap them up individually like little presents. I give them out PRN (as required) You can include things like little packs of wrapped raisin as well, it's surprising the effect of a bit of wrapping paper.

tombley · 26/05/2007 15:00

BTW I am aware that the wrapping thing makes me sound like a loon of the first order who will stop at nothing to make her Precious Little Darlings happy.

I'm not all, my advice is the result of some very bitter experience.

Original poster
winestein · 26/05/2007 15:07

No, no, this is exactly the type of advice I was after Tombley!! Wrapping paper it is! so far I have some mini pots of playdough, a bag of playmobil figures & spares (off Ebay - £3.50!) and some odds and sods - as you say, stocking filler type stuff. Soon to be gift wrapped!!

So, if you're a loon, so am I!

I am lacking a sucky-cup though. I am right in thinking a lollipop would be An Extremely Bad Idea aren't I?

OP posts:
tombley · 26/05/2007 15:21

I would have one ready in my bag, just in case.
I bought a little magnetic iron filings thing drawing wipe clean board thing in woolies for about £3 and that was great for the whole holiday.
BTW not all flights make your ears hurt. I have been to NYC and don't remember an ear issue with DD who was only 8 months at the time. Now Majorca last year with DS who was 16 months was a different story.

Original poster
winestein · 26/05/2007 15:35

The wipe clean drawing board sounds a great idea. I thought about getting some crayons as he loves drawing, but I decided he would spend most of the trip dropping them and then screaming because he had dropped them and then drawing on the newly painted walls of Bro and SIL - the board would solve that one!

I really do hope that we get a non-ear-thing flight then, as they vary!

Can't toddlers suck the ball off the lollipop stick and then choke?

Do you know if you are allowed to take your own food onto airplanes, such as grapes and bananas btw?

OP posts:
tombley · 26/05/2007 15:45

It was usually ok to take food to eat on the plane as long as you don't take them off the plane the other end. US immigration is very strict and the officers are very serious people, they will ask you if you have any food in your bags and you must answer no. Expect to be treated as a terrorist and you may then be pleasantly surprised.
However I last flew just before the security crisis last year when they stopped people bringing on water etc. I know the rules have relaxed a bit but not sure how much. (You wouldn't be suspected of hiding explosive materials in a bunch of grapes would you?)
Think the lolly would be ok while you are supervising him so closely. I am ultra paranoid about lollies (someone we know ds died because of lolly in throat) but if it was only for landing it should be ok.

Original poster
winestein · 26/05/2007 15:56

Thanks Tombley - and thanks for the tip about the immigration officers... quite likely I could have made an arse of myself!

OP posts:
tombley · 26/05/2007 16:06

Have a great trip

SofiaAmes · 28/05/2007 16:37

Change of clothes for him (and at least a clean top for yourself). I had my ds throw up all over me 1/2 hour into an 11 hour flight once. Bring a sippee cup for him and you.

Original poster
winestein · 31/05/2007 21:40

Oh woah... great tip there Sofia - I admit I would have forgotten about myself and the puking is possible.

Picked up one of those magnetic iron filing drawing boards Tombley

3 sleeps and counting (and I haven't packed yet)

Bring it on!

OP posts:
Califrau · 31/05/2007 21:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
winestein · 31/05/2007 22:28

Seriously Califrau? They book in a child passenger and then forget? At what point do you check this "manifest" thing?

(Although he does generally happily eat anything so we might be ok)

OP posts:
Califrau · 31/05/2007 22:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Malaleche · 31/05/2007 22:36

You need a previously unseen toy or entertainment for each half hour of flight time. I am also going to get a portable DVD player for dd1 3.8 yo and take a couple of her fav films and headphones.

Original poster
winestein · 31/05/2007 22:50

I should be ok Califrau, although it is evident that that was not the case for you. on your behalf as that is so crap!

Malaleche - I have presents for each hour of flight plus boxes of raisins and emergency chocolate coins (chocolate is the holy grail of foodstuffs to him so I think these shiny things will keep him engrossed and semi-obedient/trance-like) plus the triple emergency phenargen (I will be taking some - will prob take it myself after the first hour!!)

I keep rallying myself but am dreading it

OP posts:
AttilaTheMeerkat · 01/06/2007 07:29

Fill in the visa wavier forms well ahead of time; you do not want to be filling in forms whilst you are waiting in line!.

Do not also rely on the airline to provide food that your child will eat. I have been on flights where the childrens' meals have run
out!. Take some foodstuff of your own along for the journey. Often as well childrens' meals are served only a short time before the adults meals arrive.

BTW I have never been asked by the immigration officials whether I've had any food on me. What you cannot bring into the US though is any fruit, meat or dairy produce. If you happened to have a chocolate bar in your handbag they will allow that.

Original poster
winestein · 01/06/2007 13:48

Attila - excuse my ignorance, but WHAT VISA WAIVER FORMS? [panic] [headless chicken] [cluck]

Rest assured, I will have a whole bag full of snacks and goodies for his royal gut-on-legs and thanks for that clarification on food allowed.

OP posts:
stealthsquiggle · 01/06/2007 13:57

Visa waiver forms you will be given on the 'plane or at check in (can't remember now). Be aware - US immigration take pedantry to a new level when it comes to these forms. Fill them in really carefully (i.e. ideally not with toddler's "help") and if you make a mistake ask the cabin crew for another one - otherwise you risk being sent to the back of the queue and/or shouted at...

Palmwoods · 01/06/2007 14:01

I've survived 6 longhaul flights (to Australia - sheer madness) with dd who is now amost 3. The following things really helped:

portable DVD player - get him used to wearing headphones before you go though. dd hated wearing them so accordingly had the volume tured up!

medised - for mild sedation

snacks - i got lots of the 'organix' range stuff because it is low in sugar. i divided them up into little packs in zip lock bags and just gave them to her at different times. they were kind of little party bags! i also put a little cheapie toy in them as a surprise. these were a real hit.

mini magnadoodle - you can get them from tesco for about £3.00. they are great for drawing on and the pen doesn't get lost like taking crayons.

one little bucket of play-doh

tombley have just read your response - great minds think alike!

I flew back with a newborn last time, this was a great amusement/distraction for dd - although i think this would be a rather extreme measure for you to take!

Original poster
winestein · 01/06/2007 14:24

Thanks for the tip Stealth. If they don't accept forms with evidence of toddler help I shall have to do mine in the toilet

Palmwood - 6 flights to Australia with a 3 year old New Zealand for us next year, but by then he will be 3 so perhaps a portable DVD will be good. DS lurves headphones so I won't have a prob there. I have all the stuff you have mentioned for the flight, so I feel like a pro now

OP posts:
benandalex · 01/06/2007 14:29

laptop or portable dvd player ?