How to ease DH fear of flying?

[lovesdumbo]

Well he's not really afraid to fly just afraid to let his kids fly. I try to tell him its safer than getting in a car (we would never drive to Disney) but he says people do survive car crashes. He doesn't like the lack of control. He doesn't think its worth the risk of dying just to go to Disney. He has agreed to let me buy airfare and we'll just loose the money if hes too worried come January. I think he watches too much news. He's just waiting for another terrorist attack. I tell him we can't let them win and he agrees but doesn't like the price of "loosing".

He also thinks we'll be bored going for 5 long nights. He went with me for 3 days in 93. I've been back without him 7 times. I'm hoping a trip with his kids will convert him.

Any advise? I know not to talk about it too much.

 

[mcnuss]

For people whose fears are "irrational" (not trying to imply that he is, just that the fear is..), I am not sure you can do a thing about it. I think part of this is that he is not convinced he wants to go to Disney, so when he does his personal risk/reward analysis, the risk seems too high. Perhaps if you got the video and other promo materials to get him excited, that would help? It sure worked on my DH who did not want to cruise, but who would now jump back on that ship at the drop of a hat.

Good luck!

 

[Memaw2Wm]

My DH is not happy about flying to Disney either ... but he's agreed to go (couldn't resist our granddaughter's pleas) and I've booked the trip.

I told him I booked our vacation, but I don't intend to discuss it anymore with him. I'll make all the plans (we're just going for a 4 day weekend in January) and just remind him of that we're going the week before we leave. Figure there's no point in "tormenting" him ... his fears regarding the dangers of flying aren't very rational, but neither is my fear of heights, LOL!

 

[Mermaid02]

I leave a week from today and I admit I'm nervous about flying. I have however stopped watching so much news. And if I hear any "terrorist talk" I turn it right off! It has helped immensely. I am not talking about my nerves because my children are already nervous and if they see me nervous it will only be worse.

 

[house_of_princesses]

Perhaps if you got the video and other promo materials to get him excited, that would help?

I wouldn't show HIM, I'd show the children!! How could dad refuse the pleas of his cherubim, wanting to visit WDW! If that isn't enough incentive, I don't know what is!

 

[NotUrsula]

Just pray that neither of the little darlings ask him the $60K question that my friend got when he took a couple of first-time-flyer children to WDW. As the plane began to climb, the little boy turned to him, and in all seriousness, loudly asked:

"Are we going to see God now?"

The child wasn't frightened, he just had been told that God lived in Heaven, and that Heaven was up in the sky. However, my friend said that judging from the collective gasp from the other passengers, some people thought he was asking if they were going to die.

 

[Aisling]

As the plane began to climb, the little boy turned to him, and in all seriousness, loudly asked: "Are we going to see God now?"

ROFL! I can imagine what would happen to my stomach if I heard someone say this on a plane!

Thank goodness for Xanax!

 

[skiwee1]

I say give him some Xanax! I hate to fly too but not because of terrorists. They are my least worries. I'm always afraid a wing will fall off or something! My doctor gives me Xanax and it works wonders for me. Speaking of kids, my 4 y/o DD was talking the other day about flying to my mother. She told her that there are pillows on the plane. My mother asked if they were used for sleeping. DD said no, they are for you to cover you face when we are going to crash! Ack! I don't know where she gets this from as I never talk about not liking flying. If anything I tell her how exciting it is to be to WDW in two hours as opposed to 3 days when we normally drive.

 

[drcmk]

I used to be pretty nervous about flying and what always helped me was flying with someone who was more nervous than me so I had to be the brave one! If you are flying with children, it will easily take up all of your attention to keep them occupied and keep them from feeling scared. My strategy is usually to put my fears aside by trying to help someone else.

I am afraid to fly--or at least I am afraid that once I get on the plane (haven't flown in over two years) that I will panic a little. But knowing that I don't want my kids to see me that way will help me control myself.

We are flying, despite fears because we want badly to go to Disney, because driving is an extremely unpleasant option for us and because, as you said, the likelihood of actual danger during the flight is really very small.

 

[off2disney]

My SIL is afraid to fly, and makes on bones about it, and you aren't convincing him otherwise. They go to Disney yearly, but they drive from the Mississippi Gulf Coast. You can give him all the statistics about air crashes vs. car crashes, and his reply is "Everybody has to go sometime -- I just don't want to be up there when it's the pilot's time!" And he wonders why they had to name the main building "the TERMINAL".