Worst nightmare:flying with your toddler!

Since the day my son turned 1 and started to engage, crawl and walk the thing that i dread the most is FLYING!! dont think there is anything that worries me more than the day that my travel dates arrive and I need to go back to Lebanon from Angola or vice versa!

Our journey starts with a 3 and a half flight from Beirut to Dubai, a 9 hours stop in the airport, and then off to another 8 hours in the air! oh yes the mother of all flights!

what to do on the plane with a toddler? you pray and hope that he falls asleep for the whole trip!! :)

if that doesnt work, here's things that seemed to have entertained my son and kept him on my lap for the whole trip




1- Make sure you reserve the "bassinet seat", the seat which comes in the front of the plane that provides larger foot space... a must if your baby is still on your laps (no seats before the age of 2) You will be saved if the seat next to you is free!

2- Prepare a lot of snacks, and a lot of variety! think of the bag you carry with you as that of Mary poppins! unexpected surprises need to keep coming out from there. However stay away from sugary sweets if your planning to get him to sleep! ziploc bags are perfect for both space and weight control.

3- The most amazing invention of all for travelling with a toddler thats technology oriented, The Almighty IPAD!  you can download all sorts of free games that will keep your kid busy for hours and hours, you can even download favorite videos such as episodes of Barney , Sesame Street , Pooh or whatever your kid is hooked up on, beleive me no TV Control time when you are on a plane, let them indulge!


4- If you are travelling alone, do not hesistate to ask for assistance from the hostesses, whether you need to heat up food, fill up your baby's bottle with water or even get a 2 mins bathroom break! if they are not free, am sure you will find someone reliable to hold your kid for 2 mins!

5- Try not to be seated next to other kids on the plane, as from experience, that has resulted into turning the flight into an unwanted playground!

6- Make sure you get several clothes changes for both you and your kids! you never know what they might spill on you , specially during a long long long flight! and of course wear something super comfy.

Will be coming back for more tips and tricks!

<a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Ffuntasticmommy.blogspot.com%2F&media=http%3A%2F%2Ffuntasticmommy.blogspot.com%2F" class="pin-it-button" count-layout="horizontal"><img border="0" src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/PinExt.png" title="Pin It" /></a>

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Appreciation taught by the Kambamba School Children

Image
For the past few months, and after around 7 years in Angola I can finally say that I am actually doing what i planned to when i first decided to move to Africa. Help the underprivileged, the children in these impoverished communities and through this I reach an inner satisfaction for being in this country. It all happened when i met a group of amazing inspiring women who are part of the Kambamba school project , a school which i look forward to visiting every week, and which we fundraise for in different ways in Luanda.  THE ACTUAL SCHOOL Four walls, a roof a teacher and students. This is what a basic school structure is composed off,  and this is what an expat lady’s new year resolution was transformed into, the Kambamba school project for 90 kids of the Kambamba community of Angola’s capital of Luanda. Marjan Looyeh, an expat in Luanda used to visit the poor community with a friend to teach the kids some basic English and to play with them. They g
Read more

Luanda Magic Parc of Miramar

Image
  I think it's Luanda's only outdoor play area for kids of all ages and it is definitely worth a weekly visit from you no matter where you live in Luanda. The parc located in the Miramar area has an entrance fee of only 5 dollars and is suitable for kids of all ages.     It is equipped with outdoor play area for young children- the plastic houses, slides,.. - and for older kids you can find several jumping castles and an arena for renting electric cars.   Other options for rent for 5 $ for half an hour are small bicycles and cars. If you are in Luanda and have kids please do visit this park and I am sure you will be visiting it again and again. All the toys and the park all in all are very well maintained. A large seating area for parents with a café that serves refreshments and sandwiches is also available inside the park. And if you find any other entertainment for kids in Luanda, please share and let us know :)    
Read more

In Luanda...Here's what you need to know !

Since I've been here, most of my findings about the city were done online which earned me the nickname of  "Google it" among my friends. Although the ressources are minimal, however over the years more and more sites have been emerging to help expats and locals move around the country, find something they are looking for and so on. Recently I came upon this great blog that I found through facebook, "Les marraines de Luanda", make sure to look them up, they also have a blog under the same name http://lesmarrainesdeluanda.blogspot.com/  . It's a blog written in French by several contributing expats. The various categories that it includes makes it super easy to navigate and to find exactly what you are looking for. So drop by the blog whether you are looking for a nanny, a supermarket, restaurant or some activity to do around the city. I found my son's playgroup through their blog. Also in french check www.vivreenangola.com  . A group of french expats
Read more