San Francisco with a 2.5 year old and a 4 month old - feasible or insane?

[Roskva]

We're thinking of taking the children to visit the ILs in California. Dd is 2.5 years and ds is 4 months. Both sleep through the night (lucky us).

Dd doesn't stay still for more than about 30 seconds when she is awake - has anyone experience of flying long haul with a fidgety toddler? Is it hell on earth (or in the air)?

I'm also worried about sleeping patterns - how do toddlers and babies cope with jet lag, and will we end up with 2 little ones who don't sleep at night when we come back?

Also, ds's buggy is his car seat on wheels - do Virgin allow these as a buggy?

Sounds fantastic to me, but then I love travelling and have dragged my twins around the globe! And I love SF.

I've found flying long haul with toddlers easier than expected. If you do a search there is lots of good mn advice - mine love the infight TV/films. And if yours are good sleepers too I'd try and find a late night flight. If the lights are dimmed mine sleep v well.

And jet lag - I've found they have always got over it much quicker than me!

No idea about the buggy - if it can be folded up and put in the hold I don't see why not. We've been fine wiht a huge double pram.

Have fun .

Sounds great to me too. I'm just back from Australia and SE Asia although mine are older now (7, 5 and 4) but we did do it 3 years ago as well, and with 2 before that. It doesnt put me off going places at all - in some ways they seem worse on flights that are shorter (smaller planes, less food, less toys ?) Not sure about fidgety toddlers although at least they can have your 1 to 1 attention.

Like 2toddlesandme mine have always got over the jetlag better than I have. Night flights can be great depending on the times - it might sound daft but you need the flight to be long enough for them to get a decent sleep so that they dont end up tired (this just happened to us).

Cant imagine there being a problem with the buggy - most airlines seem to be really good when you fly with children - not counting buggies as part of allowance etc.

Hope it all goes well.

That's reassuring, thanks. I think the problem is really in my head - I hate flying. Yes, I know it's safer than driving, and I even used to work for an aircraft engine manufacturer, but I still hate hurtling through the air in a metal tube.

The wheels on ds's buggy detach from the seat and fold, so it makes it 2 items. Ideally I'd like to take dd's car seat, too we've got a 50 mile drive from SF and I'm not sure I trust rented car seats.

roskva I have heard only good things about car seats in hertz cars. that's the only company I can speak for but I have a friend who travels fairly frequently and she said they have always provided really good car seats for her children