I recently took a trip to New Jersey with both Gardner and Caitiejane. I opted to fly with both kids by myself... that's right... I flew with two kids under two... alone. My husband thought perhaps I was a glutton for punishment, crazy, and definitely hard-headed. (He might be right the hard-headed part.) It was an experience and I learned a lot, so here are my tips for traveling with two kids under the age of two.
Pack Appropriately
Kids require a lot of stuff when packing for an overnight trip. Luckily, my dad has a pack 'n' play for Gardner to sleep in. Still, I had to make sure we had a fold-able mattress, his blanket, stroller, diapers, clothes, and car seats. It is a lot to manage, but with some help I figured it out.
Refreshments
You never know when your toddler will get hungry, so being prepared with snacks is essential. Bringing your child's favorite is essential. Gardner probably ate his weight in goldfish, but it was worth it to keep him satisfied.
Entertainment
I am not typically the parent that gives my child technology to baby sit him, but in this case it is most appropriate. Gardner loves a phone, tablet, and just about any electronic device he can control to watch videos and play music. I made sure that both my phone and table were charged and ready for him to play with.
Gate Check What You Don't Need
When I arrive at the gate I make sure I get a tag for the stroller and also ask to check anything I don't need. Usually the overhead bins are full anyway, so checking my carry on is easy. At this point in the trip I had the stroller, baby car seat/carrier, and diaper bag. Lightening my load made it easier to get both kids on the plane.
Accept Help
The best thing about traveling with kids is that people often offer to help you. As I made my way down the ramp to the plane a nice gentleman behind me watched Gardner while I collapsed the stroller. He also had three kids under four, so he understood my struggle of managing it all.
On the way back I also was offered help from the flight attendants to get Gardner to leave the plane. The woman carried Caitiejane off in her car seat while I held Gardner's hand to retrieve the stroller.
Patience
I sat next to a woman on the way there that was a grandmother. She was very impressed with how the kids behaved. Gardner sat quietly in the baby car seat on the way there and I maintained my positive attitude and calm demeanor. At the end of the flight she left me with this nugget:
““Traveling with kids is not easy, but I’ve found that your demeanor is their demeanor.” ”
What great advice!
The flight back proved to be a little more challenging and I prayed hard for patience. We were delayed, and thus all my tricks that worked on the way to New Jersey stopped working about 15 minutes before we landed. I felt awful for the woman sitting in front of Gardner as I tried to subdue him from kicking violently. She was not too happy (understandably so) and I was full of apologies.
What I wished I did Differently
It wasn't all as perfect as I hoped it would be. I wish I had a gift card or something to give the woman that sat in front of Gardner as a consolation for having her seat kicked.
I also wished I had conversed with everyone around me to manage expectations about flying with children. This is not something that I'm necessarily great at, but it's something that I will definitely do in the future.
Conclusion
I'm not the only person ever to fly with kids, so I don't wish to be martyred, but I have to say it wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. At the end of the day, you have to know your kids. I felt like Gardner could handle a flight in his own seat and I knew that if I nursed Caitiejane and tended to her needs, she wouldn't be too disruptive. All in all it was a successful trip even if there were times I regretted my decision.