Part I
In November 2023, our family of 6 went to Disney. Here is how it went.
Let me preface this by saying that three of my children are 5 and under. The youngest being 10 months at the time.
We live in the northeast and decided to fly to Florida, for us this made more sense than what could have been a very tiresome, frustrating drive. Our flight was scheduled to be 2 hours and 45 minutes, not too bad.
In preparation for this trip, some of the things I packed in our diaper bag were….
- Headphones, and extra headphones. I have young boys who are always destroying things. Whether by dropping it, chewing on it, or using it as some tool in their latest game. The more comfortable the headphones the more likely they are to keep them on. My 2-year-old was not used to wearing headphones at home, and during the flight opted to watch his shows without sound, because the headphones were simply too much.
- Food. Water bottles (Buy water at the airport) I packed snacks on snacks on snacks. There was food for the baby, the older children, myself, and my husband. You never know what could happen and stall the flight. Quick access to food is essential.
- Change of Clothes. Everyone had a change of clothes in our carry on. From my husband down, Thank God, we did not need them. But nothing would be worse than having to stay in wet, soiled clothing because of an accident, or some type of spillage.
- Chargers, and Electronics, because…you already know.
- Hand sanitizer, wipes, diapers, empty bags (for trash or dirty clothes).
- Toys. I purchased toys for this trip. I wanted to have items that were new to my children, in hopes that it would keep their attention longer. Be careful about what toys you choose. I bought some random toys from Amazon that I thought were interesting, and they were. But they were not quiet. And my boys knew how to make the most noise with them. Needless to say I had to take the toy a way, and give them something else. (toy pictured to the left)
- Air tags. I do not travel far without them. I do my best to not disclose to my children where they are, even when on their person. Things happen quickly and it’s just a little extra piece of mind.
Moving on. I find that if I keep up with my children’s normal routine, and stick to it closely before traveling, they deal with the chaos of traveling better. In addition, when we are in the airport, we do not give our children any screen time. Screen time begins once we are settled in our seats and preparing for take-off. My children tire of screen time and become restless. Also be sure to download some of their favorite shows, or movies. If there is no internet, they still will have something to watch.
For this trip we were able to send the majority of our luggage to Florida ahead of us with a Grandparent, this was a game changer. The only things we had to worry about were our children, and the items we carried on the plane with us.
We also decided not to bring a stroller on the plane. Strollers do gate check, free of charge, however we chose to use a hip carrier. It was perfect. We had no issues. The baby was happy to be in my arms and to nap when he needed too. Your back will thank you for using a hip carrier. Carrying a baby for an extended amount of time is difficult.
We caught an early morning flight, hoping to miss long lines, and spend less time in the airport. And this time we hit it right on the nose. By the time we arrived, went through security, and used the bathroom, we only had about a 45-minute wait. Just enough time for the babies to explore and let out some of that energy.
Things were went very well. This did not curb my anxiety. It is normal to be anxious when traveling with littles. I was worried that someone would be annoyed with my kid for crying, screaming, or doing anything to loudly. Or that one of my children would become sick, or in pain from the altitude. Not to mention this was the first flight for half of my children.
Well then, we are delayed. We made it onto the landing strip, only to have to circle back around to the gate. We waited for about an hour, before being cleared for take-off. This hour was tough, the children were eating, and watching shows, playing with the toys. I was exhausted from getting up early and mommying so hard! They were behaving, but all I could think of was the added hour to our travel time. I was imagining the worst. Waiting for the other shoe to drop.
But instead of freaking out, I quieted my thoughts and took a deep breath. My husband gave me a reassuring thumbs up from the seat across the aisle, away from the chaos of the kids. Just roll with it, is what I thought. And as I began to relax, and enjoy the flight, my babies began to fall asleep one by one, tired from all the excitement. I was grateful. Most of the drama had been within my mind, and the flight ended without one temper tantrum, and only one poopy diaper.
My advice to anyone traveling with children, is to be prepared but also know that you can never plan for everything. And that is okay. Engage your children on what is happening, how the airplane works, why it’s important to stay in your seat etc. The more they understand the better. And for the littles who simply cannot understand, keep them comfortable and just do your best. Children adapt quickly, and the reward for getting out, and traveling together, far outweighs any of the hiccups along the way.
But be sure you mind your children, because nobody has time for that ;/