When my son was 20 months old, we flew as a family to Florida. We had an uneventful flight, with my sweet and chubby baby napping in my arms during our time in the air, and my daughter, then a toddler, snuggled between her dad and me in our row of seats. We had a great trip -- full of sand, sea, and sun. But our smooth trip turned turbulent when we checked in at the airport for the flight home.
The agent checking us in wanted to see our 20-month-old's birth certificate. Since most airlines -- including the one we were flying -- allow kids under two to fly for free as "lap-held infants" we hadn't paid for a seat for him. Now she wanted proof that he was, in fact, under 2.
My husband and I looked at each other blankly. It had never occurred to us to bring his birth certificate along.
I explained that to the agent and told her that if she checked, she'd see we had just flown with him to Florida a week before and had no issues in regards to a question of his age.
The woman didn't bend.
"Either we see proof of age, or you'll need to buy him a full-price ticket," she said. I asked for a manager.
The manager didn't bend either.
By then I was angry and upset. I don't remember everything that was said, but suffice it to say it ended when the manager told me "If you don't calm down, ma'am, you won't be able to fly either."
With that, my husband plunked down our credit card and we paid for a very expensive ticket for our son to fly home with us.
To add insult to injury, the flight attendant made me hold my baby on the departure and landing because she said he was "too small to fly alone in his seat."
A week later we were reimbursed -- after I emailed proof of age to the airline.
But lesson learned: Always carry proof of identity and age for your kids in case there are any questions at the airport or elsewhere on your travels.
That's just one of the tips to keep in mind when traveling with toddlers. We asked Jourdan Card, the publisher of Macaroni Kid Centreville - South Riding, Va., and a frequent flyer with two young kiddos in tow, to offer her advice on how to travel with toddlers. Here is what Jourdan told us:
1. Don’t overpack your carry-on
This is hard. You want to be prepared, but lugging too much stuff through the airport can be exhausting. My rule of thumb is always one extra outfit per kid and an extra shirt for mom/dad. Then I calculate the travel time and pack for one diaper per hour. I also bring several extra pacifiers – because once those things fall under an airplane seat, you definitely don’t want to stick it back in your baby’s mouth. And of course don't forget snacks, bottles/formula, and any necessary medicine and comfort items.
2. Conquer security like a boss
Seriously, don’t get to the head of the security line frazzled and unprepared. Wear as little extra clothing as possible because scarves, sweaters, sunglasses, and belts all have to come off. My travel attire is always leggings, shirt, tennis shoes. Always. Before you get in line, pull out your laptop, tablets, and any other mobile devices. Do not stand in line and do this. Many airports are now making you take out food in addition to liquids. The best thing to do is store everything in a plastic zip-top bag so you can pull it out and make it easy for TSA agents to see.
3. The multi-bag system
I rarely let my kids, now ages 6 and 4, carry their own bag – because inevitably I end up carrying it for them. Instead, I carry one decent-sized backpack with everyone’s stuff to keep my hands free. Then when we get on the plane I pull out cheap reusable grocery bags and put each kids' stuff in it. This allows you to keep things separate – especially if the baby can’t have a big sibling’s snack. And it allows the kids to feel like they have some control over their items.
4. Bring kid-sized headphones
Many airlines have little TVs in the seat backs and will give you free earbuds. While this is really nice, the earbuds are big and will constantly fall out of your kid's ears. Bring some kid-sized headphones to use with either the airplane TV or their own electronic device (which you made sure was fully charged before getting on the plane, right?). This will help kids hear their show without having Mickey Mouse at max volume disturbing nearby passengers.
5. Be prepared for some dirty looks ...
... but don’t sweat it! Kids and babies have a right to fly! If you have an older kid, talk to them about the process and “rules” of the airplane. For younger kids, try to be as calm as possible to keep them calm as well. If all else fails, be prepared with some bribes – candy and iPads work wonders in our family – and remember that rather than being annoyed, many people on the flight are actually feeling empathy for you.
On the road again...
But what about car travel? Long car trips can be tedious and claustrophobic – especially to a toddler who just wants to get out and work off her squirmies! Here are five tips on making car trips bearable for your toddler – and the rest of the family from Kyrie Collins, the Macaroni Kid publisher for Highlands Ranch-Parker-Castle Rock-Lone Tree, Colo.:
1. Build in play time
Long car rides are hard for kids with a lot of energy. When you stop to get gas, find a nearby park and go play for just 30 minutes. While the kids are running around, prepare a plate of food for each of them to eat when it's time to get back on the road (sandwiches, goldfish crackers, grapes, string cheese, and trail mix are all kid-friendly with less mess). If you can't locate a park, head to a fast food restaurant with a play area. You eat while they play, and then purchase their food on the way out.
We usually pack our boys' scooters and helmets because they don't take up much room. We find an empty parking lot and they ride around while I stretch and move my own body, then make meals for all of us.
2. Pack a box o'fun
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Visit a craft store and/or an educational toy store and hit the clearance section before your big trip.
We fill a small clear tote box with things like new Color Wonder books, a Summer Bridge activities book for each kid, Make-Your-Own-Bookmark kits, a How-To-Draw-Monsters book and blank notepads, and few other inexpensive activities.
The box sits on our counter for about a week and every time my kids walk by, they get excited all over again.
They always spend the first day of the road trip working from the box and rarely even ask for "screen time."
3. Leave at bedtime
If you have someone to share the driving or are a night owl, leave at night if possible. Get the kids ready for bed and in their pajamas and load them up in the car. Once it's dark, most kids will fall asleep and you can get several hours of driving time in without a single "When are we going to be there?"
4. Bring baby wipes and plastic zipper bags
Drips, spills, messy hands, messy faces, hot and sweaty bodies ... you will use baby wipes! Plastic zipper bags also come in handy to hold snacks, protect electronics from water, keep toiletries from leaking, and more.
5. Use the bathroom every time you stop
This seems obvious, but many kids insist they don't have to go when you stop to get gas, only to desperately need a bathroom 30 minutes later. This is why our parents told us, "Just try because we don't know when the next chance will be." and why we say it to our kids too.
Thanks to Jourdan and Kyrie for those awesome tips! Their advice shows that whether traveling by plane or car, with a little more planning on my part, I can reduce the stress of travel and create happy memories with my kids -- all without sacrificing my own sanity at the airline counter on the way.
