Travelling with Small Children (part 1)
People often tell us we are brave for flying with three children. Given that my family lives in another country, we don't have much choice. The children have all flown several times - the girls had been to different countries before they were three months old!
Airlines nowadays seem to have astrange concept of travelling with families. They don't let you preboard to secure a carseat, thus causing a backup in the boarding process as I try to get kids sitting still and a carseat strapped in. This is fun. There's nothing like leaning over two seats with two kids trying to do up seatbelts and poking me at the same time as I mud-wrestle the other seat into the space.
I also very much enjoy trying to walk down the plane aisle when the seats are already filled. For reasons completely unknown to me, we ALWAYS end up sitting at the back of the plane. This would make sense, I guess, if they boarded from the back forward. But they don't, so invariably I end up trying to carry a carseat and three backpacks down the aisle without bashing anyone in the head while shuffling at least two children along with my foot. This whole thing is made even more fun when your two year old suddenly sits down in the middle and refuses to move. Believe it or not, it is possible to carry a 2 year old, his carseat, and three backpacks with only minor damage to your fellow passengers.
Once seated, I do have to say I very much LOVE the passengers in the row ahead of us who lean their seats back (leaving the children in carseats NO PLACE to put their feet) and then glare at me when he kicks the seat. Honestly, people, he's not kicking your seat on purpose. You leaned your seat back, and now the seatback is right against the edge of his carseat. If he hadn't pulled his feet up, they would have been amputated at the knee. So give me a break. Put your damn seat upright and it won't be an issue, I promise!!
We thought we were very clever having S potty trained. What a mistake! It completely backfired on us once on an airplane!! He is in the classic "BATHROOM INSPECTOR" stage and loudly insisted every 10 minutes that "I NEED GO PEE, MOMMA!". Every time I would hush him and tell him "Dude, you just went!", he'd get louder and louder. I'm sure the people around us thought I was a horrible mother not taking my child to the bathroom, but hey, what can you do?
Which reminds me.... just a word of caution.... it is NOT a good idea to spend ANY amount of time in an airplane bathroom with your 2 year old who is trying to poop and smells terrible when there is turbulence, no fresh air blowing in there, and you're dealing with the after effects of too much beach party the night before. Not good at all. I seriously wondered at one point what the flight attendants would do if I went bursting out of the one bathroom and into the other to vomit. **Note to self - wine and air travel with small children does not mix!!**
Airlines nowadays seem to have astrange concept of travelling with families. They don't let you preboard to secure a carseat, thus causing a backup in the boarding process as I try to get kids sitting still and a carseat strapped in. This is fun. There's nothing like leaning over two seats with two kids trying to do up seatbelts and poking me at the same time as I mud-wrestle the other seat into the space.
I also very much enjoy trying to walk down the plane aisle when the seats are already filled. For reasons completely unknown to me, we ALWAYS end up sitting at the back of the plane. This would make sense, I guess, if they boarded from the back forward. But they don't, so invariably I end up trying to carry a carseat and three backpacks down the aisle without bashing anyone in the head while shuffling at least two children along with my foot. This whole thing is made even more fun when your two year old suddenly sits down in the middle and refuses to move. Believe it or not, it is possible to carry a 2 year old, his carseat, and three backpacks with only minor damage to your fellow passengers.
Once seated, I do have to say I very much LOVE the passengers in the row ahead of us who lean their seats back (leaving the children in carseats NO PLACE to put their feet) and then glare at me when he kicks the seat. Honestly, people, he's not kicking your seat on purpose. You leaned your seat back, and now the seatback is right against the edge of his carseat. If he hadn't pulled his feet up, they would have been amputated at the knee. So give me a break. Put your damn seat upright and it won't be an issue, I promise!!
We thought we were very clever having S potty trained. What a mistake! It completely backfired on us once on an airplane!! He is in the classic "BATHROOM INSPECTOR" stage and loudly insisted every 10 minutes that "I NEED GO PEE, MOMMA!". Every time I would hush him and tell him "Dude, you just went!", he'd get louder and louder. I'm sure the people around us thought I was a horrible mother not taking my child to the bathroom, but hey, what can you do?
Which reminds me.... just a word of caution.... it is NOT a good idea to spend ANY amount of time in an airplane bathroom with your 2 year old who is trying to poop and smells terrible when there is turbulence, no fresh air blowing in there, and you're dealing with the after effects of too much beach party the night before. Not good at all. I seriously wondered at one point what the flight attendants would do if I went bursting out of the one bathroom and into the other to vomit. **Note to self - wine and air travel with small children does not mix!!**
posted by KB at 8:26 AM
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