some things i learnt about flying with kids.

and i am by no means a seasoned traveller as much as i would love to be…

here goes…

1. You are always going to need less clothes than you think…even if its -10 outside, the terminal will be a balmy 20+ degrees. Your kids are gonna shed those layers and guess who is gonna carry them?

2. Its something when you qualify for the 'groups' check in when its just you and your kids you are checking in. 

3. You need to watch what you say to your 8 year old about the whole process of security at airports because they are going to repeat it out loud when you reach security. 

4. Resist, resist, resisit the urge to scream 'lady do i look like i have time to be a terrorist?!!" at the bored security officer asking you a long list of questions while your two year old swings off your arm and has a melt down about their 'mookie' going through the scanners. 

5. The departure gate is a-l-w-a-y-s miles away. 

6. Your kids will humiliate you on those moving walkways. All. the. time. 

7. Always order the in flight meals….even if they are rubbish it gives the kids something to do…and actually all aeroplane food tastes of plastic. 

8. Prepare yourself to look longingly and whistfully at your neighbour passenger who has kicked their shoes off and is reading their novel…..

9. Also prepare yourself for the looks of horror on the faces of said passengers when they realise they are sitting near to what…1,2,3,4…how many children!!!

10. Remember how cool it was to sit next to the window? yep? good 'cos you won't experience that again till you fly without your kids. 

11. Nursing and those crappy little,cylindrical lap belt thingys that babies have to wear….really don't work well together. You are trying to fill baby's tummy and the squeezy belt is trying to empty it. 

12. Whatever your kid wants on the flight you can be assured that its on the floor, under their seat, just out of reach.

13. Your husband trying to teach a Swiss baggage handler how to fold a phil and ted buggy whilst you and your children wait on the tarmac about six feet away from the large jet engine..is probably a recipe for disaster of some kind. 

14. It would he helpful to have all your kids tied to the same bit of rope, like those climbers on Everest. 

15. You can get your kids bottles of water, juice and 3 bottles of nurofen and calpol through the strict 'no fluids at all' rules at Geneva security but walk through the scanners with a vaseline tub in your back pocket and they almost strip you down. 

 

teamjames