long flights and young children - any advice?
- Thread starter lyra_k
- Start date
spanglechick
High Empress of Dressing Up
End of! <cue Jerry springer hand gesture...>1927 said:
Well, no - sadly babies are allowed on planes, so if you don't want to pay extra you'll have to cope with it. Try feeling a little lurve for your fellow man
And that, surely, is...
end of...
1927
Funnier than he thinks he is.
spanglechick said:End of! <cue Jerry springer hand gesture...>
Well, no - sadly babies are allowed on planes, so if you don't want to pay extra you'll have to cope with it. Try feeling a little lurve for your fellow man
And that, surely, is...
end of...
What happened to the parents of misbehaving brats have a bit of "lurve" for their fellow man!
spanglechick
High Empress of Dressing Up
You really think parents on long haul flights aren't doing everything in their power to keep their kids quiet? Do you know many toddlers?1927 said:
1927
Funnier than he thinks he is.
spanglechick said:You really think parents on long haul flights aren't doing everything in their power to keep their kids quiet? Do you know many toddlers?
Thats not the point tho,if they cant guarantee their silence dont take them in the first place.
Have you ever sat on a plane next to a bawling baby that didnt shut up for more than ten minutes in every hour,all the way from London to Dallas?
When you can answer yes I may have a bit more time for your argument,if the answer is yes by the way you are obviously the most tolerant person on this planet!
spanglechick
High Empress of Dressing Up
Yup - although not to dallas, if that discounts my experience. I've flown a lot of long haul, there are invariably babies, and sometimes they've been terribly upset. No one thinks, "great! a baby crying for twelve hours non-stop" - but some people have a little compassion and empathy and realise that :1927 said:
a) it's unavoidable
b) they were kids once too (I don't have kids myself FWIW)
and c) to be crying that much the poor little sod is clearly desperately unhappy / distressed - and so i feel sad for it.
spanglechick
High Empress of Dressing Up
I meant "sadly for you", but, you know, whatever...1927 said:
spanglechick
High Empress of Dressing Up
Considering the clearly stated position of the OP, your total lack of compassion and empathy amaze me...1927 said:
1927
Funnier than he thinks he is.
spanglechick said:Considering the clearly stated position of the OP, your total lack of compassion and empathy amaze me...
I have every empathy and compassion for the kids but dont think its fair on them or anyone who has to listen to them. Its the parents I have the prob with.
spanglechick
High Empress of Dressing Up
that's what i meant - she hasn't seen haer family in two years - they haven't seen the baby - maybe family means less to you, but i'd say that's not exactly a frivolous reason to get on the plane...1927 said:
1927
Funnier than he thinks he is.
spanglechick said:
The reason for getting on the plane is hardly an issue is it? If by getting on the plane you are gonn acause your baby/child distress and suffering i wouldnt have thought there was any justifiable reason for getting on the plane save one of life/death!
Johnny Canuck3
Well-Known Member
1927 said:
Do you have any idea of the family's circumstances?
What if they're going to a funeral, and there's no one to look after the kid? What if they're relocating due to a new job? What if they're taking the kid to a medical specialist?
Bob_the_lost
Elsewhere
Sweeties are a must, was on a flight from Canada to the UK and was near a little kid who really wasn't having fun. Asked the mum if it was ok to give the poor bloke a fox mint and he was mercifully silent for a few hours...
Babies and toddlers don't take well to flying imo. If you want to know if the antihistamines work try them out the week preceeding. Then take them with you just incase it gets bad.
Babies and toddlers don't take well to flying imo. If you want to know if the antihistamines work try them out the week preceeding. Then take them with you just incase it gets bad.
spanglechick
High Empress of Dressing Up
Bob_the_lost said:
toddler on a sugar rush Bob_the_lost
Elsewhere
Toddler on a screaming fit was worse.spanglechick said:
He did quieten down during the eating of sweet period, and he was quieter afterwards. (except for the vomitting incident, which is unrelated to my actions)
43mhz
doh!
My handy toddler tip is get a seat near the front and when they appear to be getting bored or restless, hold them up, so their head is above the seat rest and they can see all the other passengers looking back at them..
edited to say: its like an attention overdose from all the passengers
edited to say: its like an attention overdose from all the passengers
AnnO'Neemus
Is so vanilla
Y'know how aeroplanes used to have smoking/non-smoking sections? I really wish they had child/child-free sections.
When I check-in I always *not* to be seated next to or preferably anywhere near any babies or children.
Drug them. Knock them out with Calpol or whatever it takes.
When I check-in I always *not* to be seated next to or preferably anywhere near any babies or children.
Drug them. Knock them out with Calpol or whatever it takes.
sheothebudworths
Up the bum - no babies!!!
Ignoring all the peculiar children-should-be-seen-and-not-heard stuff here (Are we not ALL entitled to travel ffs! 
), I reckon it's handy to have a steady stream of small things to keep them occupied that you can keep producing throughout the journey. And I mean new things (or old ones if you know they'll work for at least a short period of time).
Anything you know/think she'd usually enjoy (or see as a treat even) - crayons, small toys, jigsaws - we took a set of tiny wooden bricks on a long haul flight that were a great success - a new book etc. and then maybe some favourite foods.....a picnic even......just ANYTHING to a) keep them entertained and b) reward them for/blackmail them into behaving well!
Oh and a sweet or two for take off and landing as has already been suggested is a good idea - my son didn't seem bothered at all by the air pressure, but it could just have been that his mind was taken off it by the sweets iykwim!
Luckily, ime, other passengers are actually fairly tolerant of small children - they'll usually be at least a couple of people nearby who take it upon themselves to play 'Boo!' for a bit or whatever
and actually, you'll hopefully find that she copes with it a LOT better than you'd imagine (I was also VERY worried - but it was fine). 
), I reckon it's handy to have a steady stream of small things to keep them occupied that you can keep producing throughout the journey. And I mean new things (or old ones if you know they'll work for at least a short period of time).Anything you know/think she'd usually enjoy (or see as a treat even) - crayons, small toys, jigsaws - we took a set of tiny wooden bricks on a long haul flight that were a great success - a new book etc. and then maybe some favourite foods.....a picnic even......just ANYTHING to a) keep them entertained and b) reward them for/blackmail them into behaving well!
Oh and a sweet or two for take off and landing as has already been suggested is a good idea - my son didn't seem bothered at all by the air pressure, but it could just have been that his mind was taken off it by the sweets iykwim!
Luckily, ime, other passengers are actually fairly tolerant of small children - they'll usually be at least a couple of people nearby who take it upon themselves to play 'Boo!' for a bit or whatever
and actually, you'll hopefully find that she copes with it a LOT better than you'd imagine (I was also VERY worried - but it was fine).
sheothebudworths
Up the bum - no babies!!!
AnnO'Neemus said:
(I'm assuming you missed out an 'ask' there
)Problem solved then eh?
sheothebudworths said:
Yep, my mum said the same thing!
I went to the dollar store yesterday and spent $52! Everything from coloured pipecleaners to a REALLY tacky shiny fairy skirt and wand to a horse with long hair and a hairbrush!
Most of it tiny enough to fit in one bag (I hope). And lots of sugar-free cookies so she can gets treats without a sugar rush.I don't blame people for finding a constantly-screaming baby irritating on a long flight, but ya know, that's life - people with children need to travel too, for all kinds of reasons, so suck it up.
Finding a happy-but-restless toddler irritating though, or objecting to them running up and down the aisles a bit every once in awhile, well go fuck yourself, and when you have kids and are getting on the plane, just remember that the cat's arse-faced old bat giving you filthy looks used to be YOU!
_angel_
.
You're braver than me. I wouldn't dare go on a plane with my two.
I have taken my eldest on a plane when he was much younger and he was eerily good. But he's different now.
Long coach/train trips are probably as stressful too. I dunno, just take lots and lots and lots of toys/ drinks/ food. I'd even go as far as buying a new toy that will occupy her for hours..
I have taken my eldest on a plane when he was much younger and he was eerily good. But he's different now.
Long coach/train trips are probably as stressful too. I dunno, just take lots and lots and lots of toys/ drinks/ food. I'd even go as far as buying a new toy that will occupy her for hours..
Bob_the_lost
Elsewhere
You do have some sucky sweets for the kid don't you lyra? They are the best ones imo for pressure changes and the sugar rush will be worth the risk. (Take them, you don't have to hand them over if it's not a problem).
sheothebudworths
Up the bum - no babies!!!
I guess though that lyra's daughter might still be a bit young to have mastered the art of sucking hard sweets (without the risk of her just trying to neck em and choking I mean ), in which case a bottle/dummy/breast/anything else sucky, might have to do?
), in which case a bottle/dummy/breast/anything else sucky, might have to do?
Juice Terry
rama lama fa fa fa
I don't have a problem with children on planes, what I do have a problem with is parents who expect their offspring to travel for free and get extra space into the bargain as well, eg bulk head seats.
If I want extra space on a flight, business class or economy plus, I have to pay for it. They should provide special mother/father/baby seats with extra room that cost more. The parents and kids are less stressed cos they have the extra room and there is less disturbance of other passengers. Everyones a winner (apart from the parents wallets ).
If I want extra space on a flight, business class or economy plus, I have to pay for it. They should provide special mother/father/baby seats with extra room that cost more. The parents and kids are less stressed cos they have the extra room and there is less disturbance of other passengers. Everyones a winner (apart from the parents wallets
).Juice Terry said:
They don't travel for free (I wish!). You either have to buy a ticket for them (not a seat, a ticket - often about 10% of the adult fare) and have them sitting on your lap, or you have to buy a seat at full price for them like everyone else.
Juice Terry said:
Anyone can request the bulkhead seats at check-in, and it's pretty much first-come, first-served. My brother oftens gets one because he's 6'4", another friend requests them because she's claustrophobic. I'll just be one of the (no-doubt) many who are asking for them, and chances are we won't get them.
