How do I survive a flight to Australia with a 9.5 year old and a 2.5 year old - single parent!

[iloveshoesandbags]

I am flying to Australia in May with Singapore Airlines from Heathrow and would love some advice to help keep my girls occupied. The flight out is at 10pm which should help with the sleeping.
Has anybody got some great suggestions?
thanks

I took a 2.5 yo to Australia 2 years ago. If you can, I strongly advise investing in a portable DVD player - don't rely on the the in-flight entertainment. Also lots of snacks, colouring books, stickers etc. Things that are portable and not too heavy.

I had no qualms about giving my dd a dose of Medised to get her to sleep (we had a daytime flight) but I know not everyone agrees with that.

I'm pretty sure we went with Singapore too (or maybe Cathay?) and the crew were lovely and spent a lot of the time cooing over my very blonde dd.

There are a lot of threads on MN about flying long-haul with los so a search will give you lpts more tips I'm sure.

Thanks for that, I will have a trawl through MN too.

Are you on the A380? Does the 9.5 year old like video games? If so he should be absolutely no trouble at all, the seat back entertainment system (which is also on the 744s but an old version which is often dilapidated)

The 2.5 year old should sleep on the night flights, good luck in the day...

Yes we are on the A380 and have seen the adverts but it's difficult to tell how good that stuff is. I'm hoping the little one will sleep..

The A380 is nice, you can check seat plans and comments at

seatexpert.com/seatmap/272/Singapore_Airlines_Airbus_A380-800/

Remember to pre-select your seats. I'd probably go for a 3-seat block in the back section on the lower deck, you can take a stroll upstairs for a bit of exercise.

How long is your change-over in Singapore? There are a couple of airside hotels in the airport that you can book by the hour which would be worth your while so that you could all have a shower and freshen up. I found it made a huge difference in how I felt to have showered and changed before the Sydney leg, even though I didn't have time to sleep. I didn't book a room but the hotels also have stand alone shower rooms, although a proper room would probably be easier for you with children.

I didn't realise that. We have a 5 hour stop at Singapore airport. My friend is a travel agent, I will have to get her to look into that for me.

She said we can pre-book the seats a few days before the flight. I am looking forward to the holiday. We are staying with a very close friend in Adelaide but I am nervous about the journey.

This is the first holiday with my girls since I left their father last year and I'm wondering how it will be.

She said we can pre-book the seats a few days before the flight

You should be able to book them straight away.

At least if you booked direct with Singapore you can. Personally I'd stopover in Singapore for a day or two, small and compact, plenty to do, and breaks up the journey.

The Singapore Stopover Holiday can be good value, you get free entry to the Zoo, Bird Park, etc, discounted food and a decent hotel rate (though I'd compare with other rates, but note that getting into the Zoo etc. will cost you a fair few S$)

www.singaporeair.com/saa/en_UK/content/promo/ssh/index.jsp

If you are just on a short stopover, you might wish to do the free bus tour. This takes two hours, there are two different options, the more suitable one probably would be the one with the boat trip.

Hi

We have emigrated to Oz and done the flight a few times from UK with 14 mo / 2.5 / 4 yo / 5yo kids, through Singapore with Singapore airlines. (I have done this alone with 2 kids)

Your 9 yo will be no trouble (hopefully the videogames will be working).

Your 2 year old will be tiring - but think of it as a "24 hour" experience, no more (like labour??)

I recommend

1. Prebooking seats if possible, and doing anything you can to ease getting through the airport (hang on to your buggy as long as possible) - remember, once you've escaped Heathrow, you've done one of the worst parts of the journey

1. Give a sedative on the flight, perhaps particularly in the first leg (by the second leg, everyone will be knackered anyway). Trial this beforehand e.g. in a car journey, or just at home. They will probably sleep for up to 3 hours. I have always shied away from these, but having discovered them by accident (through sea sickenss tablets which results in drowsiness) - I can throroughly recommend them!!

1. Avoid bulkhead seats - the arms don't fold up, so you can't lie out sideways and rest

1. Depending on regulations, take a bag of fruit, light snacks and bottles of water (Generally though singapore airlines are brilliant at providing food and drink in imaginative ways for kids)

1. Wear loose tracksuit type clothes, ideally old ones on the kids so you can throw them away if someone is sick (take spare clothes at least for the 2 yr old)

1. Take a little change mat

1. take a little activity bag, but also be prepared and resigned to having to do quite a lot of entertaining of the little one. Encourage lots of running around before and between flights in any spacious part of the airport

1. Don't try to sort out your body clocks on the flight. Just get through the flight and then do jet lag in the comfort of a bed on arrival!

1. Enjoy the challenge! Rest assured that once you've done a flight to Australia, any other flight will be insanely easy!

PS

The airport hotel also has a swim pool - great for tiring out kiddies.

Pack a swim costume for all in hand luggage - I'm pretty sure you can rent towels.

However - be prepared to miss out on this too - 5 hours with a few delays and airport traverses can be over quickly!

thanks for this advice - it's very welcome.