10-hour flight and 5-hour time difference with kids

[KBadd]

All right, I'd appreciate some travel advice! Any tips or advice for a long flight and 5-hour time difference with 3 young boys? Ages 6, 4, and 2.

 

We're traveling from NC to Hawaii. It will be my boys, my parents, and me and dh so we can shuffle seats around on the flight. We have a horrible 6am flight :( We'll be there 2 weeks and are staying in a large house.

 

Any help is appreciated :)

[Guest]

It is doable but unpleasant. Have each kid have their own bag on the plane and movies on iPads are preferred if you can swing it. Then when you land unless it is horrendously late at night find a nearby park and let them run around and decompress for an hour or two before getting food, then rest. Try not to schedule to see anyone until the next day and they should be better acclimated.

[regentrude]

I have flown with my kids overseas yearly since they were infants.

 

Patience. More patience. Forget the idea that you could do anything else on the flight than entertain the kids.

Bring new toys, favorite snacks, a portable device to watch movies or play games - all regular rules are off when it comes to air travel.

Take food they like; airline food may be gross, unfamiliar, or non-existent. Be prepared.

Pack emergency clothes for an extra night for each person in your carry-on in case you get stranded/delayed/spit on. BTDT, all of the above.

 

Jetlag:

Try to get outside during midday; the sun resets your internal clock. Try to adjust to the new time by going to bed and getting up according to local time. It always takes me a week to get back to normal, but only the first three days are difficult. Embrace being up at the crack of dawn instead of being upset about it.

 

Have a good trip.

6am flight sounds great - because the kids might fall asleep again.

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

Bring snacks, preferably salty rather than sugary.  Bring an empty lidded cup for drinks- they attendant can fill them and less chance of spills that way.  Some places, you can purchase bottled water after security, that works too.  

 

For a sugary reward type treat, use lollipops.  They last a long time without quite as much of a sugar rush.  

 

Bring wet wipes, even if no one is in diapers.  They come in handy for EVERYTHING.  

 

Wear cargo pants so your hands are free.  

 

If at all possible, bring enough iPads/tablets/etc for each kid to have a movie or at least share with a sibling.  You can buy a headphone-splitter so that two headsets can be plugged into the same device.  

 

Bribe, bribe, bribe.  

 

Do not bring ANYTHING for yourself on the plane- no book, no magazine, nothing!  Tell yourself before getting on that you will be spending the next 10 hours being Ma Ingalls perfect and patient.  All bets are off as soon as you de-board at destination!  Expect tired kids and bring baby backpacks/carriers/strollers if possible.  

 

Look into Draw-and-Tell stories, my kids think these are great and they keep us busy and quiet.  

 

Your 2yo will need to walk up and down the aisles often, just accept that and make sure one adult always has a hand on him in case of turbulence.  

 

Rehearse the whole thing.  Rehearse buckling seatbelts, not kicking seats in front, being polite.  Rehearse the drink service, describe the bathroom and how tiny they are, etc.  

 

Stickers are awesome on flights.  Far superior to colouring, although that's good, too.  You can get those repositional stickers or just the regular kind.  

 

They probably won't nap, but you can talk them into a 20 minute quiet time if you set a timer and promise a lollipop for all those who maintain their calm and quiet for 20 minutes.  You can probably get away with this twice on a 10 hour flight.  :-)  

 

Good luck!  

 

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

p.s.  I remember back when I used to think a 14 hour flight was misery.  Then I had kids.  :-)  Now, the idea of a 14 hour flight WITHOUT kids sounds a lot like heaven.  :-D  

 

Having said that, it really isn't bad.  We've gone 1-3x a year Geneva -San Francisco since ds was 3 months old.  

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

 

 

Patience. More patience. Forget the idea that you could do anything else on the flight than entertain the kids.

 

 

We posted at the same time.  Clearly, we are kindred spirits!  

[Aiden]

Enjoy the fact that you have more adults than kids--you can rotate "kid duty" to some extent, though of course you and dh should take the less pleasant kid duties and let grandma and grandpa enjoy the good times.

 

Take the kids to the airport in pajamas. Wake them as late as possible before you leave. Encourage them to go back to sleep as soon as possible (and as often as possible) on the flight. Sleep really is the best way for *anyone* to pass that much time confined to a seat. If they aren't asleep, take them each for a walk up and down the aisle every couple of hours--that can be great duty for the grandparents, since they'll probably be longing for a chance to stretch their legs too, and it can give you and dh a moment with one fewer child to entertain.

 

Bring snacks you know your child will eat. Buy water after you get through security, and take it on the plane with you. There's a fine line between "don't get dehydrated" and "don't drink too much water, because you really don't want to go to the toilet on the plane every two hours." Try to strike that perfect balance, both for yourself and for your kids.

 

The iPad and in-flight movies have been lifesavers for us since our daughter hit about age 3. Make sure you have earphones that are comfortable for any child who will be using them--child-size over-ear headphones work best for our girl. If practical, buy a battery-operated charger for the iPad. You do NOT want to deal with the protests if it runs out of battery mid-flight {shudder}.

 

If any of the kids still have accidents, consider pull ups for the flight. Some flight attendants are ok with letting kids go to the bathroom even when the fasten seatbelt sign is on, but some aren't, and if it's real turbulence, it could be dangerous. Pampers UnderJams come in larger sizes and are made for kids who still wet at night.

 

For the jet lag, try to force yourself onto the local schedule as quickly as possible, but understand that it will be difficult with such little kids. Use natural daylight and activity, but if it doesn't work, be prepared. We use melatonin to assist our whole family in adjusting after our transatlantic flights. Talk to your doctor, do your online research, etc., but we use 5mg at bedtime for an adult, and 1/4 of a 5mg pill for our daughter. We started that when she was 3, but she was the size of a 5yo then (she's tall). Be careful not to overdose--even a little too much can cause vivid dreams, which often means nightmares.

 

Good luck on the flight, and enjoy your vacation!

[madteaparty]

I do this a couple of times a year and have since my oldest was 2 months. For long layovers, I bring a inflatable beach ball, we find a quiet corner and play.

The rest has been covered, but basically I expect it to sucl everytime, I adjust my expectations accordingly, and am always pleasanty surprised. Once at destination, we plow into our schedule and let sleep catch up--the earlier to adjust the better.

Edited November 23, 2015 by madteaparty

[Kerileanne99]

Well, the last time we did it I told hubby I was buying one of these babies for next time. For me.

http://m.hammacher.com/Product/Default.aspx?sku=84391

 

Short of that, you have gotten great advice. I also put together these little packets with ear plugs and individual Tylenol sachets as a comedy way to apologize to the people around you:)

 

We do give our dd a small dose of melatonin at the regular 'new' bedtime so that we can switch schedules as quickly as possible. You won't have trouble getting enough sunlight in Hawaii:)

Lots of pillows help too. If you don't want to carry theirs, ask the FA for extras.

Lots of snacks, new and novel toys, books on kindle, apps, and endless patience...

[Kerileanne99]

I do this a couple of times a year and have since my oldest was 2 months. For long layovers, I bring a inflatable beach ball, we find a quiet corner and play.

The rest has been covered, but basically I expect it to sucl everytime, I adjust my expectations accordingly, and am always pleasanty surprised. Once at destination, we plow into our schedule and let sleep catch up--the earlier to adjust the better.

Ha, I had forgotten about that, but we take inflatable balls too--they double as a cushion to lean forward/sleep on:)

[Kerileanne99]

One other thing--get there super early if possible. You can no longer assume that you will be reasonably seated near each other. Lat time they actually tried to insist that my then 4 yo would be sitting 2 rows away from me and her dad up one row and over 2 seats.

Because of this try to pack snacks and toys in the bags of all adults. Ziplocks are your friends so you can grab out things quickly:)

[nd293]

Clarify with The Other Adult if you have specific expectations of them. Dh really did think he could order wine, put on headphones and watch the movie, while I assumed he would be making sure the small child next to him wasn't tipping a food tray onto the floor. That caused an unnecessary amount of stress for me on some of our flights. As you've got multiple adults I'd make up a list from everything you read here and send out a fun 'helpful hints' list.

 

Most of what I've learned has been covered. Stick to water for the kids. Any drink they have will probably get spilled at some stage, so water is better. We always took a few damp face cloths in ziplock bags. They're better for serious clean up than wipes.

[SKL]

In my experience, kids travel better than a lot of adults.  Bring some portable electronic games, workbooks, snacks, music.  Let them watch the in-flight movie(s).  Make sure they pee before boarding and before the lavs get crowded on the plane.  That should do it.  :)

[SparklyUnicorn]

I'm sorry.

 

LOL

 

It is hard!  One thing we did (I only have two) is to bring stuff for them to do.  Buy some new things they have never seen before to keep it interesting. 

 

 

[SparklyUnicorn]

And if stuff happens just tell yourself, "I will never see these people again."  LOL

 

I took one who was a baby with colic.  Oh my.  There might be a wanted poster out there with my picture on it.  :laugh:   He is 13 now so...

 

 

[cera2]

I used to fly back and forth between the east coast and hi fairly often.  It really isn't that bad.  Take new movies and books for the kids to read, make sure to burn off energy during any airport layovers (we just walked laps and looked at EVERYTHING and pack an extra set of clothes for each person and more snacks than you think you will need.  

 

I always had each kid carry their own backpack (even at 2).  It contained a change of clothes, snacks, a couple of books/activity books (the sticker books are great) and a stuffed animal (that could double as a pillow) and small blanket.  

 

My carry on always included a change of clothes for me, electronics/movies for the kids, a couple of surprises in case of emergency (little toys, lollipops, etc that I knew they would love), snacks, a book for me in case the kids decided to sleep at the same time and a few extra books for the kids.  Also, diapers went in my bag if they were needed and lollipops are great for getting kids ears to pop on takeoff and landing.

 

One plane activity mine always liked was stringing fruit loops into jewelry then eating it.  All you need is embroidery floss or dental floss and a baggie of fruit loops.  Ask the stewardess for a cup to pour some into and the kids can spend quite a while working on necklaces and bracelets (the olders can be challenged to make patterns.  Wiki sticks are also a lot of fun as a plane activity.  They can build with them then you can make them into animals or whatever and they can play with them as figures for a while.  We often had wiki stick horses living in barns made with cups.

 

As far as jet lag, my kids usually had one off day and were fine, I usually needed two or three days to adjust.  Take advantage of it the first day and go enjoy the sunrise on the beach.

[Tammi K]

I sympathies. We lived in Germany and then Australia while family lived on the east coast. The travel time for an Australia to Pennsylvania visit  was 36 hours from first airport to final airport. Then a three hour car ride.   I did it several times by myself with 6 kids.  

 

My advise is minimize.  I know people suggest small toys to open periodically and similar suggestions. But I found it was always less hassle to not have to deal with things getting lost or left behind.  Also, from the time they were old enough to walk without falling over :001_cool: , my kids all had their own backpacks. They carried what they could and that gave me free hands to carry those who needed to be carried.  Every backpack had a change of clothes. The little ones sometimes had an extra pair of pants and underpants.  Plastic bags are helpful, too. It gives you someplace to stash the wet or grotty things.  

 

Unfortunately, my kids weren't little during the ipad era, so that wasn't an option. But, it was totally worth it to rent the headphones and let thine use in-flight entertainment. So, if I was doing it now with little ones, I would definitely be in the 'electronic media' camp.  

 

During airport layovers, we allowed the kids to make repeated trips up and down the travelators - always with the proviso that as soon as anyone else stepped on they were to step to their side, face forward, and stand perfectly still.  They were good about following the rules and mom or dad always was close by.  I think they logged a lot of miles over the years.  Fortunately for the flying public, most of our layovers seemed to occur at ridiculously early hours of the morning when airport occupancy was low. 

 

My husband was always the one to 'help' the kids adjust to the new time zone.  And by 'help' I mean we had what the kids now affectionately call the 'Forced March."  Anytime a kid would start to fall asleep before the designated bedtime, he would make the entire group get up and 'march' around the perimeter or the building.  Yeah, they loved that. :rolleyes:    While I don't condone the tactic ( or the inevitable embarrassment you experience when you  witness your  5 or 6 kids walking like duckling around a restaurant)  but, it IS beneficial to encourage getting acclimated to the new time zone as quickly as possible.

[mumto2]

One added idea....I tried to have an assortment of new activities (sticker books, puzzles, etc) because they were new I would wrap an number them with different paper for each child. I would give them their presents one at a time every hour or two. If they weren't all used, renumber for the trip home.

[mum]

Bring whatever meds they might need, baby tylenol, benadryl, whatever you usually use. In a form that can be carried on. Comfortable kids mean happy kids. Something for upset tummies. Apparently the more hydrated one is, the less jet lag there is. I've tried it out and it does seem to work.

[momma2three]

Bring a bag of Goldfish for each child.  Give bag when you take off, and turn on TV screen.  Child will eat happily for a looong time. 

 

It totally works :)  Remember to bring goldfish for the flight back home, too. :)

 

ETA: Also, bring a water bottle for each kid.  Has to be empty to get through security.  As soon as you're on the flight, ask the attendants to fill them up.  This makes the kids happier.  Remember, though, that airplanes are so dry, and the kids will drink a ton, so be prepared for bathroom breaks... and if you have kids in diapers, and are used to a pretty standard rhythm in terms of knowing about how often you need to change them... they'll need to be changed more often.  I learned that lesson the hard way.

 

Agree that the "lots of little toys" strategy is more trouble than it's worth.  If you can't find an iPad/phone/DVD player for each kid, try to find out if the flight has individual video screens.  It's nearly as good.

Edited November 25, 2015 by momma2three

[SeaConquest]

Melatonin is my go-to travel secret with kids and time changes.

[MistyMountain]

I agree with finding something that the kids can watch whether it is those DVD players they rent, an in flight screen, a tablet or a fire. Each kid has their own headphones. If the kids have similar taste and will be sitting together you can get a splitter so they can share. If you have Amazon you can download a few movies or shows and you have 48 hours once you start watching it. I delete when we are done to make room for new stuff on the way back. Those battery chargers they make yo charge tBlets and phones can come in handy but a lot of planes or airports do have chargers you can use.

 

I also pack each kid a backpack with a chage of clothes, snacks, headphones, an empty water bottle and a favorite doll or stuffed animal. I pack a small book for them too but they usually are not interested in that on the plane. I will bring pajamas if we are traveling when sleeping on a plane is feasible. I also let the kids pull the carry on bags with handles because they enjoy doing it. I would consider a baby carrier you could stash in a bag for the 2 year old just in case.

 

I never have adjusting to the destination time zone it is always worse on the way back.