To keep their little ones calm during a flight, parents are prepared to do anything. A carry-on full of fun activities, snacks, and books becomes a must for those aiming to have a tolerable journey. Even various electronic screens and devices become within limits for the sake of everyone’s sanity.
However, not all parents are as prepared, which this teenager felt inclined to share with people online. During a flight with his aunt and cousins, the kids quickly became bored without any entertainment. Naturally, they started targeting the tablet he was watching movies on. However, he repeatedly shut down their requests, making the flight tougher for everyone.
Scroll down to find the full story and a conversation with Jurga Rubinovaite, owner of Full Suitcase, one of the world's leading family travel blogs, who kindly agreed to give parents some tips on avoiding tantrums on long flights.
Having entertainment for kids on a flight is a must for a tolerable journey
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However, this mom didn't prepare it for her kids on a long flight, making the plane ride tougher for everyone
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Air travel doesn’t have to be stressful, boring, or frustrating, neither for kids nor for the rest of the passengers
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It can be difficult to sit in one place for extended periods of time even for adults, so it’s no surprise that kids get fidgety and restless during plane rides. However, air travel doesn’t have to be stressful, boring, or frustrating. All it takes is a few activities to keep them busy and engaged during those long hours in mid-air.
The founder of Full Suitcase, one of the world's leading family travel blogs, Jurga Rubinovaite, says to Bored Panda that her top tip for flying with little kids is packing coloring and sticker books. "We could keep our kids busy for hours with just some paper and twistable crayons. With bigger kids, you may want to pack digital tablets and e-books - these can be a real lifesaver at the airport as well. Audiobooks can be great for long flights as well, just don't forget the headphones."
However, she notes that providing them with screens on a plane can be a mixed blessing. "We find that too much screen time can get the kids tired and grumpy. However, we also think that parents deserve a break, and if a screen is what it takes to keep your kids happy and entertained (and you and other passengers sane), then so be it. Long flights are not the moment to start discussions about screen time. That said, with young kids, we would keep the screen as a last resort. It's not the best idea to start with screens as soon as you board the plane, especially when flying with toddlers."
According to Jurga, when it comes to tantrums or meltdowns, the best way to deal with them is to avoid them altogether. "This usually means that you, as a parent, have to be involved and do things together with your kids rather than let them entertain themselves.
You can't expect to watch several movies or quietly read a book when flying with little kids; you really have to be there for them. If children get enough attention, they will be less likely to throw tantrums. And if they do, it usually means that they are tired, so the best thing to do is try to calm them down and get them to sleep."
“No activities will work well in keeping very young children busy if you yourself are not involved as a parent"
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In her blog, she lists additional things to have, such as workbooks, a boogie board with a writing pad, one cuddly toy, or a blanket, UNO or single-player travel games, and a digital tablet. Snacks and lollipops are also musts. They found the latter to be a lifesaver that allows kids to sit quieter in their seats and prevents them from having any ear pain from the changing pressure.
She also writes that when it comes to preparing for a flight with children, less is more. “While packing for a family road trip, you can always add a few extra items; when flying with kids, take only what you really need!”
This means resisting the urge to stuff a bag full of toys. “The chances are big that your kids will take all the toys out of the bag, play with them for 2 minutes, and announce that they are bored or that they want that one toy they left at home.” They have a pretty strict one-toy per-child policy that tends to work for them pretty well.
Such a strategy saves space in the luggage, prevents any tears if a toy gets lost or broken, saves parents from having to break up fights for them, and even stimulates their creativity by playing with pretty much anything else they see, like stones, leaves, or seashells.
To make the flight more enjoyable and comfortable for the kids, she suggests dressing them in comfortable clothes (as well as having an extra set of them) and keeping their feet toasty with warm socks, as planes can get a bit chilly at times. Paper tissues, wet wipes, medication like painkillers, nose sprays, and band-aids can also come in handy when accidents happen.
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