Am terrified of flying. How do I keep it together on flight with kids?

[Birdly]

We're off on our first family trip on a plane next week - a four-hour flight to the Canaries. I've always been nervous of flying and I don't want to pass it on to the kids (4 and 3), so I'd be grateful for any tips on how I can control my fear and still look after them.

DH is coming, of course, and he'll be a fab positive influence - but I'm sure it will take two of us to keep them happy on the journey!

Thanks

I'm sure concentrating on the kids birdly will take 99% of your fear away - you won't have time to feel scared

That's sort of what I'm hoping for, Tickle! Thanks

I am absolutely terrified of flying, completely go into panic mode. Last time I tried a short flight to Dublin the children were with me and I was much better than I had been previously. Partly because they take your mind off it and partly because you just have to seem ok so you feel ok (well, kind of!). Do let us know how you get on. It's a couple of years since I did my last flight and I'm considering trying again this year. Really hate being scared of it.

Another flying phobic here.

Its true, the kids really do take your mind off it.
With the amount of times you'll be up and down to the toilet, you'll have taken off and landed without you knowing

We're going to Spain in May but taking along a friend and her dd.
So my friend, dh and myself will all have a child on our knees plus my 4yr old dd.
I really dont think I'll have one milli second to worry about flying

Could you ask your GP for some diazepam/n? A friend who was cacking herself about flying was prescribed some of these to help her through.

Thanks for your responses and suggestions. Will post when I get back, to let you know the highs and lows!

Nbg - yes, am sure I'll spend most of the trip in the loo. What with my own bladder and the kids', we'll inevitably be frequent visitors!

Have you phoned your local airports to see if any of them offer fear of flying courses? Ours used to but its a small one. They are tremendously successful, usually run by psychologists/therapists and very practical - will teach you strategies which you can use and they end in a short flight where you support each other in practicing them - thought, as psychologist must find out if our local airport does them now, so I can tell people!Its a very common fear and very treatable.Lots of phobias are.

Sorry didn't realise how soon you were going - try looking into it for next time.

I'm following this thread with interest as my husband has a fear of flying, we're flying in August and my main concen is that it doesn't get passed on to the kids.

We're going down the route of thinking of asking his mum for some diazepam.

Hope your trip goes ok. Looking forward to hearing how you got on!

SK

Praline - yes, I've heard of these courses, and I probably ought to get round to doing one. Might well give it a go next time. Thanks for the info.

2sugars/Spiritual Knot - I think diazepam can make you very drowsy, so maybe not ideal for when you're looking after kids, carrying luggage etc.

Am off to the chemist later and hoping to find some travel sickness tablets with just a hint of drowsiness about them, to take the edge off it.

Will let you know how I get on. Thanks for all your help.

Going to the toilet!!! I dont move at all I dont even take my belt off once
I listen to my ipod and read with the children constantly

Its very embarrassing actually because DH is a pilot

Spiritualknot, my gp was happy to prescribe diazepam to me for fear of flying, I didn't even ask for it he suggested it.

Birdly if you don't fancy diazepam, my friend swears by Kalms.

Hi - am reporting back after surviving the flights!

I still found the time leading up to the flight quite stressful, and the take-off very frightening, but once we were in the air I was totally absorbed in looking after the kids and far too busy to feel any fear of flying.

Unfortunately, the return flight was very stressful indeed, as we couldn't keep our DS (3) happy and contented. The person in front of him complained about him kicking the seat (he wasn't kicking the seat, he was sitting on the floor and had rocked back into it with his head a couple of times without me realising), so I was upset about that. From there on in it was just a bit of a wrestling match, as DH and I took turns to try to keep him entertained and as far away from the bloke in front as possible. I've never been so glad to get off a plane, but not for the reasons I imagined!

Thanks again for all your help. x