16 mo old on a plane - are we crazy?

[GrammyJudy]

Any advice as to how to keep a very active 16 mo old occupied on a plane for 3 hours? Would it be better to get connecting flights so he can run off energy part way? We are not gettimng him his own seat

 

[smacky1]

Flying with a young child is never easy, especially an active one. Ive done it a few times with my son and it was never fun. I dont think connecting flights makes it easier. It just prolongs the day and increases your chances of having a meltdown from being over tired. Also, having a flight delayed is not fun when you are traveling alone, but with a child its a nightmare. The more stops you have the better chance you have of getting delayed. I say bring lots of activities...stickers, markers, finger puppets, snacks, movies and hope for the best. When flying to Orlando there are usually a lot of families and most people are very understanding. If you have to, get up and walk them around the plane or bring them into the bathroom for a little while (as long are there is no one waiting).

 

[backyardponder]

You can take a child under 2 years old on a plane without a ticket. If the plane is full, however, the child will be on your lap for the entire flight You might want to pay for the child's ticket.

 

[bumbershoot]

From my experience with a 17 month old...the only "crazy" part is not getting him a seat. That age...heavy, squirmy, curious. If they fall asleep in your arms, unless you are nice and tall and the child can sleep through anything, you will be very uncomfortable holding him so still he doesn't wake up prematurely (I'm 5'3" and got to sit with my feet on tiptoes for a good hour so my lap stayed flat and not tilted down at the knees). My arms were sore for days from keeping him from grabbing the seats in front of me, etc etc.

Get the seat. Because you don't know how he'll react until it's way too late.

 

[taitai]

The only crazy thing is not getting your child his own seat. Especially an active toddler. Once a child is strapped into a car seat, they tend to go to a little zen place where they know they cannot move around and are more willing to play quietly. If he is on your lap, he is going to want to move around and squirm and the space allocated to one adult is tiny. Trying to manage with a squirmy toddler is going to be very difficult. Buy a seat. Do not think there will be an extra one on the plane for you...flights are all full these days, especially to Orlando.

Do not connect. The best flights with kids are direct. There is no need to prolong the experience any longer than absolutely necessary.

 

[crashbb]

Do not connect. The best flights with kids are direct. There is no need to prolong the experience any longer than absolutely necessary.

I know what you mean, but just to be clear, what you are actually suggesting is a NON STOP flight. DIRECT flights can still have a stop in a third city - you just usually have one flight number/plane (and sometimes don't get off of planes).

People have run into trouble before (they booked a DIRECT flight and then found out that they had a stop), so I wanted to make it clear.

 

[klynn]

Any advice as to how to keep a very active 16 mo old occupied on a plane for 3 hours? Would it be better to get connecting flights so he can run off energy part way? We are not gettimng him his own seat

A very active 16mo old needs his own airplane seat with his own car seat. That is something familiar to him and I think the trip will be more easy for him.

 

[Microcell]

You can take a child under 2 years old on a plane without a ticket. If the plane is full, however, the child will be on your lap for the entire flight You might want to pay for the child's ticket.

And let me tell you, if they fall asleep in your lap before the plane takes off they make you wake them up and put them in the seat you purchased for them!

I have flown with my DS often as a little baby and just plenty of stimuli for them is the best way to go, and ear drops before descent.. sweet oil is what our Pediatrician told us to use. We didn't one year and my poor boy was in so much pain!

 

[Hannathy]

I have flown many times with my kids without buying them a seat, it isn't the horror story some on here like to promote. We never had any trouble. Just take lots of little toys to play with, haaving some new things helps. They don't have to be expensive, things like matchbox or unopened happy meal toys. take books to look at etc. Try to fly around nap time or at night so they might sleep. Watch toys that make noise they will seem much louder on the plane and may bother other folks. Don't expect to do anything on the flight but entertain the little one. Take along snacks and ones that take a long time to eat like snack mix so they can play with the components ie the pretzels and cheerios etc.

Dum Dum lollipops are good for ears and take up very little room. Remember a sippy cup for the drink they will give you!

Have fun, you can do it!

 

[DebbieB]

I would not intentionally take a connecting flight. It increases the odds of having long delays. If your first flight is late departing, you could miss the connection. There is always stress with connections. I took a connecting flight to Orlando on Saturday. We left on time but when we got to Atlanta, we sat on the taxiway for a long time waiting for our gate to open. We had to run to our second gate and got there just in time to board.

 

[maxiesmom]

Don't expect to do anything on the flight but entertain the little one.

I think this is a key point. Your whole flight will be spent keeping your little one entertained, and making sure they are not bothering others on the plane. Do you really think you will be able (and comfortable!) to hold your child and keep them entertained for 3 hours?

 

[bumbershoot]

I have flown many times with my kids without buying them a seat, it isn't the horror story some on here like to promote.

Dum Dum lollipops are good for ears and take up very little room. Remember a sippy cup for the drink they will give you!

Have fun, you can do it!

Ya know...you say that after several people have stated quite clearly that they have, indeed, had problems. I'm not promoting anything but the fact that some kids are difficult, and you won't know what kind of kid you'll have until you are ON that flight. A difficult kid can be good on a subsequent flight, a kid whose ears are OK can be dramatically in pain next flight, a good kid getting there can be an absolute demon going home.

And it is painful to deal with the demon-child when you only have your lap as a spot for him.

As for dumdums, they have corn syrup, and in our opinion most kids shouldn't have that as it turns them into raving and hyper beasts (I know my son does, and I've watched it happen with other kids as they are eating things with corn syrup and HFCS in them, like uncrustables...it's just that not all parents whose kids react have realized it yet, preferring to call it something else).

So if one needs lollipops, get the organic, natural sugar natural coloring, Trader Joes ones instead!

 

[elump1]

I did a 1 1/2 hour flight (that was totally full) with a three year old in a seat and my 15 month old in my lap this summer. We survived, but it was tough. There is not very much room for the little one in your lap, especially when they start squirming. I brought lots of snacks and activites and also played a movie on my laptop (as quietly as possible) in front of my 3-year-old. Luckily once the seat belt sign was turned off I was able to put the little one in between me and my 3 year old so we had a little more room that way. It is definitely doable; my advice would be to take plenty of things to entertain them. Ears were not a problem for us thank goodness. I also got to the airport early so once we were at our gate we were able to eat, go to the restroom/change diaper, and run around a little before the flight. I agree that a nonstop flight would be the way to go. If at all possible, I would get a seat for the child because I do think mine would have been more comfortable in her car seat. But if that is not a possibility, the other can be done as long as you are prepared! On our return flight, she fell asleep which was much easier. With kids, you never know which way it will go!

 

[laughinplace199]

Flying with a young child is never easy, especially an active one. Ive done it a few times with my son and it was never fun. I dont think connecting flights makes it easier. It just prolongs the day and increases your chances of having a meltdown from being over tired. Also, having a flight delayed is not fun when you are traveling alone, but with a child its a nightmare. The more stops you have the better chance you have of getting delayed. I say bring lots of activities...stickers, markers, finger puppets, snacks, movies and hope for the best. When flying to Orlando there are usually a lot of families and most people are very understanding. If you have to, get up and walk them around the plane or bring them into the bathroom for a little while (as long are there is no one waiting).

From my experience with a 17 month old...the only "crazy" part is not getting him a seat. That age...heavy, squirmy, curious. If they fall asleep in your arms, unless you are nice and tall and the child can sleep through anything, you will be very uncomfortable holding him so still he doesn't wake up prematurely (I'm 5'3" and got to sit with my feet on tiptoes for a good hour so my lap stayed flat and not tilted down at the knees). My arms were sore for days from keeping him from grabbing the seats in front of me, etc etc.

Get the seat. Because you don't know how he'll react until it's way too late.

What they said.

 

[maxiesmom]

I did a 1 1/2 hour flight (that was totally full) with a three year old in a seat and my 15 month old in my lap this summer. We survived, but it was tough. There is not very much room for the little one in your lap, especially when they start squirming. I brought lots of snacks and activites and also played a movie on my laptop (as quietly as possible) in front of my 3-year-old. Luckily once the seat belt sign was turned off I was able to put the little one in between me and my 3 year old so we had a little more room that way. It is definitely doable;

Not trying to start a fightbut I wanted to point out that some airlines will not let you use a DVD player without headphones. I know that Delta/Northwest does not. And if you do and someone complains, you may be asked to shut the DVD off. Ymmv, of course. But don't depend on DVDs to entertain really little ones.

 

[bavaria]

Customers who bring personal audio and video equipment onboard may only use these items with headsets

http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6722,1036,00.html

Since maxiesmom is being polite, I will say it - please have some respect and consideration for your fellow passengers. The airlines do have a policy about using headphones. (And yes, now I know that some parents will claim that having their seatmates listen to the tinny sound of some children's program is better than listening to the child scream, but those are not the only two absolutes here. Nor do I think that if it were turned the other way and an adult were watching an adult film with adult language would those same parents appreciate it if no headphones were used)

But back to the primary topic at hand! Remember, empty seats on an airplane are extremely rare these days as load factors are at the highest levels ever in America. Don't count on an empty seat.

Not all children and not all parents are the same, and no two experiences will be alike. Some do very well, others do not.

There are a lot of inexperienced flyers here, who may well already be stressed or worried, and adding a lap child to the equation can well make it worse.

Seat pitch varies significantly from about 31 inches to 34 inches; even with the larger seat pitch there isn't much room for anything in an economy seat.

 

[maxiesmom]

And if the person sitting in front of you decides to recline their seat, you will have even less room.

 

[deedeetoo]

We traveled a couple times when my daughter was this young and we timed the flights to be at nap time. We bought a seat and brought her car seat. As soon as she was buckled in, she fell asleep.

 

[TinkerBelle_325]

Any advice as to how to keep a very active 16 mo old occupied on a plane for 3 hours? Would it be better to get connecting flights so he can run off energy part way? We are not gettimng him his own seat

As most have said, it *can* be a challenge to travel with a 16 month old. Everyone has experienced a flight with a misbehaving child, but what most seem to forget is that they have experienced many flights with well behaving children as well. We tend to notice the bad and not the good

That being said, it is your child and you know them best. I would *suggest* getting a seat and taking a non stop flight as both will ease the challenge.

Ya know...you say that after several people have stated quite clearly that they have, indeed, had problems. I'm not promoting anything but the fact that some kids are difficult, and you won't know what kind of kid you'll have until you are ON that flight. A difficult kid can be good on a subsequent flight, a kid whose ears are OK can be dramatically in pain next flight, a good kid getting there can be an absolute demon going home.

And it is painful to deal with the demon-child when you only have your lap as a spot for him.

As for dumdums, they have corn syrup, and in our opinion most kids shouldn't have that as it turns them into raving and hyper beasts (I know my son does, and I've watched it happen with other kids as they are eating things with corn syrup and HFCS in them, like uncrustables...it's just that not all parents whose kids react have realized it yet, preferring to call it something else).

So if one needs lollipops, get the organic, natural sugar natural coloring, Trader Joes ones instead!

I never quite understand responses like this. There were multiple posters who had bad experiences and several who were telling the OP the nightmare scenarios, is it so hard to believe that this poster had a good experience and feels that there is a bit of over-cautioning occuring here? Yup!

The poster was simply offering their experiences and suggestions to the OP.

And what on earth does your personal agenda against corn syrup have to do with what the OP asked? Just because you feel that all children have adverse reactions to HFCS doesn't mean they do.

I know what you mean, but just to be clear, what you are actually suggesting is a NON STOP flight. DIRECT flights can still have a stop in a third city - you just usually have one flight number/plane (and sometimes don't get off of planes).

People have run into trouble before (they booked a DIRECT flight and then found out that they had a stop), so I wanted to make it clear.

I think this is a great distinction to make! Many people assume that direct means no stops and get frustrated when they realized what they thought would be a 3 hour flight turns into a 5 or 6 hour one. In fact, direct flights can be WORSE than connecting as you rarely leave the plane when it lands so you don't have the opportunity to walk around and stretch.

 

[Lewisc]

are we crazy?

Any advice as to how to keep a very active 16 mo old occupied on a plane for 3 hours? Would it be better to get connecting flights so he can run off energy part way? We are not gettimng him his own seat

We don't know your kid but your post doesn't sound encouraging. Yes, some parents are crazy bringing their kids on an airplane. You have to decide if your child is too young to fly. I wouldn't suggest a connecting flight. Take off and landing can be an issue (ear pain) even for adults.

Don't even think of bringing a DVD player without headphones. It's rude and many airlines have rules against it.