She adds that anticipating the needs and wants of your child before you get on the plane is key.
“Allow your child to bring along a small carry-on bag or backpack with their favorite blanket, stuffed animal or other lovie,” Kelley says. “And packing a few of the child's favorite healthy snacks, such as cereal bars, fruit snacks, nuts and dry cereal will help curb the onset of the unexpected hungries.”
In Kelley’s experience, most families are just as well behaved as childless passengers.
“I have not had any bad experiences with children on my flights,” she says. “The most memorable flights are the ones on which the children are so very polite and excited about the adventure of flying and going on a vacation, or in some cases, returning home.”
What to do when you’re the ‘bad parent’
As for the other passengers, travel expert Carl Winston says parents need to remember that other customers do have a right to travel in peace.
Winston, director of the School of Tourism and Hospitality at San Diego State University, says an out-of-control child can be likened to the drunk guy next to you in a restaurant, hollering for his next beer at the top of his lungs.
Tips for Parenting on Flights
- Allow your child to bring their favorite toy or blanket, but not an entire backpack full of "favorite" items
- Pack a few of your kids' favorite healthy snacks to curb any unexpected hunger
- Remove your child's shoes on the plane to reduce the impact of unintended kicks to the seat in front
- Be nice to the flight attendant—you never know when you'll have an immediate need for apple juice
- Re-seal the sippy cup after the cabin pressure has stabilized
What, you mean the person next to me doesn’t want to listen to my kid have a meltdown because we’re all out of Goldfish crackers? Really?
“The provider does have an obligation to protect all their guests,” says Winston. And while he doesn’t advocate kicking a child off the plane for a minor infraction, he does point out that kids of any age shouldn’t be allowed to run amuck.
And that, he adds, is the responsibility of the parent.
I couldn’t agree more. I know I didn’t like it when someone let their kid kick my seat for hours or let them play with the seat-back tray until I got whiplash.
That’s why I remove my daughter’s shoes (unshod feet equal less impact on the seat), and make sure she’s well-stocked with treats and trinkets purchased solely for the flight and unveiled one-by-one to alleviate boredom.
My secret weapon? Chocolate. The M&M may be small, but man, it sure is mighty.
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