My wife and I are going to fly from the UK to Singapore soon, and taking our daughter (now 19 months old) with us. We already flew with her from UK to Italy, and she was more or less fine with it, but it was quite tiring for us.
But this next flight is going to be around 14 hours, and I would really welcome some advice. Things that could work? Things and choices to avoid?
Well you could be lucky and have her sleep most of the way…or maybe not. Ultimately every child is different. I’ve taken my two on nine-hour flights from UK-USA at that age and it mostly went well but…no guarantee of course.
There isn’t any perfect answer but the general theme I suggest is one of novelty. Make sure that you have plenty of “new” things for her to experience.
Even silly things like the seats, entertainment systems and meals can offer an hour or two of distraction, ditto for a walk around the plane, another half hour looking out the window etc, etc. You can soon make the time go.
One thing we did was get plenty of things to colour and we even went to Tesco and got lots of the little toys that go into party bags. Rubber snakes, compasses, spinning tops, that sort of thing. Only a few pennies each but each thing was new to them so it passed a little time and took up very little space.
But be prepared, Unless she sleeps you won’t get that same chilling-out that you did on previous flights, it may be work all the way, unless you do the childcare in shifts, in which case you might want to get one seat in another row (we did that and it worked really well)
You’re going to be exhausted! They say to have several new toys and pull them out periodically, and pack lots of treats and things for the kid to do. Looks like you got that all covered. Don’t expect to get much rest yourself, except maybe in shifts; it’s your job to keep your kid entertained!
Poor thing, I hope the pressure doesn’t bother her ears too much. I don’t even like long flights and I am a grown up girl.
You can try giving her some benadryl. Though you might want to try giving her some as a test before you fly. That might help her to sleep or remain calm, however, in some children it can ramp them up.
My ex and I flew with our little one 3-4 times and that’s what we did most of the time. We also would get a new toy or two. Hopefully you can get a seat that has a place for a small crib for her to sleep in, I know the long flight to and from Ireland had them.
First sweep the legs. Most toddlers lack coordination anyway, and once they’re down, a follow through from above should take most of the combat out of 'em. Keep away from the teeth, because a biter can ruin your day. And then…
To the OP:
I’d just reiterate what’s been said:
[ol][li]If you can, get her her own seat. Nineteen hours is a long time to sit on a lap.[/li][li]Bring plenty of snacks. Ours liked raisins.[/li][li]Toys that can be easily rotated out are also good.[/li][li]Let her get up and walk the aisle. Nineteen hours is a long time for an adult to sit down, imagine having the energy of a little kid, and not being able to get up.[/li][li]If she has a pacifier, make sure she has it for take off and landing. It will help her ears adjust tot he pressure changes.[/li]Of course, try to be considerate of your fellow passengers. Don’t let her bug them, and (if you can) keep the crying to a minimum.[/ol]
If the kid’s old enough for chewing gum, definitely bring some. The chewing helps to clear ears that get stopped up by air pressure differentials, and kids get super-cranky when their ears are stuffy.
Carry on an extra bag or purse with a variety of activities in it. Coloring books and crayons, rubber creepy-crawlies, finger puppets, edibles (careful with sugar, you don’t want to rev the kid up), and so forth. Hit dollar stores and look for eccentric cheap stuff. I wish I could still find those little sealed plastic mechanical games where you flipped a little BB around, those rocked and kept us occupied as kids for long stretches of time.
Generally, don’t break out the activities all at once, or you’ll burn her out quickly. Ration them out over time, so that by the time she’s bored and fussing, ta da! Brand new toy to play with.
Lollipops for take-off and landing. The sucking helps the ears pop.
A couple of trips to the airport before the flight - if they have an observation tower take her up there to watch. Familiarity with all the noises and smells can make a huge difference.
Pack two days before so that you and your wife can sleep the night before the flight. Your mood = child’s mood.
If at all humanly possible, plan on keeping a few bills in your pocket slated for red-caps (baggage handlers.) Hiring someone to schlep the bags for you allows you to deal cheerfully with the child.
Teach her to do knee-bends and yoga stretches - any exercise she can do in place or in the aisle. Try to bring it up before she gets squirmy - work a few exercises into each hour she’s awake.
Learn the Yo Gabba Gabba “Wiggle Dance” song. This is basically a song where the kids wiggle and squirm as hard as they can during the verse, and hold still during the chorus. Introduces the concept of “getting the wiggles out.”
If you’re stuck at the airport, play “Kid catch.” This is like tossing a ball between you and your spouse, except the child is the ball. She runs from one to the other - each parent gives her a spin or a toss in the air before setting her off back to the other parent.
Chair dance with her. Music is a big help.
Repeating for emphasis the suggestion for protein in snacks. And water to drink. Sodas and juice are acidic, and make the need to go to the bathroom painful for little kids. The sugar is not helpful either.
Tell her she’s going on an “adventure” and talk to her about the phases of the trip. The drive tot he airport, the waiting there, the plane part, the arrival and the drive to the hotel. Help ehr along the way to orient where she is in the process.
You can not have too many packets of wet wipes on hand.
Electronic devices with preloaded entertainment. iPhones, iPads, laptops, whatever.
Sesame Street has free video podcasts you can download, and I can also recommend the “family” podcasts from They Might Be Giants (both available on iTunes). And of course there are many downloadable kids’ shows for purchase. We’ve travelled with our child once a year since she was born and while videos are not a long-term distraction, anything that kills a little time is a bonus.
Some great advice here. For us, it was distractions, distractions, distractions.
Also, good nutrition is important. Keep them out of a sugar rush, which can lead to meltdowns. Fruit, whole wheat crackers, milk, etc is good fuel to keep their energy levels steady.
Take an Asian airline. They and the passengers that fly them are much more accomodating for children. Singapore Air is one of the best airlines - even in economy.
Be really careful to trade off between your wife and you. Don’t both be exhausted. Do you have someone to watch the kidlet when you arrive or just your wife and yourself? Don’t underestimate the ability of a child to need your full attention in the middle of the worst jet lag of your life.
And remember what my friend kept repeating to herself when she flew with her two toddlers, by herself, from Tokyo to Scotland, with a layover in Heathrow.
“Others have done this, and this will end.”
ETA: At 19 months, they will sort of get that airplanes are different, so showing Youtube videos of planes, having plane toys in the build up can help.