I always appreciate hearing different point of views on parenting because usually that means I can find something which resonates with me. Traveling with kids was one of those big question marks for my husband and I. We had traveled extensively before having children and we weren't certain how it would be after having them. It wasn't until my son was 1.5 years old that we took the leap of faith and brought him on his first flight. However, in his first year and a half of life we did a lot of traveling starting when he was just shy of two months old. I remember the first time we packed the car with baby stuff and we were like. "Wow, this is a lot of stuff for one tiny person!" In that first year and a half of his life we went to the coast, the mountains, the city and everywhere in between. Although we did not fly anywhere we took him on a ton of road trips and learned loads about how to keep a baby and then eventual toddler entertained while in the car.

For his first flight we decided to bite the bullet and go big so we planned a two week trip to Iceland and Norway. After surviving that trip with flying colors we have since gone on a few additional trips. I realize each child is different and although I do not claim to be an expert on traveling with children I know what works and what does not for us. When we flew to Arizona we went at night. I had read several places flying during bedtime was a good idea and that your child might sleep on the airplane. For us that was a big mistake. Our son not only went into the flight not having had his normal long afternoon nap, but was exhausted, cranky and downright a mess once we arrived at the car rental place. The ensuing hour long wait for our rental car proved to be a nightmare and the worst possible way to start what was suppose to be a relaxing trip.

On our most recent trip to San Francisco we opted for an early morning flight. Although it was tough getting out of bed in the morning it was a nice way to seamlessly get to our destination. No busy airport, no delays and not a lot of other children on the plane. We were able to get a jump start on the day, get a little food in our bellies, check into our hotel and then put Jasper down for a nap around his normal nap time. In the future, I think morning flights are the way to go when traveling with kids.

For entertainment on the airplane I like to bring lots of snacks, especially things which take a lot of time to eat (ie. dried fruit, crackers etc), colored pencils and pad of paper (pencils won't break like crayons), stickers and loads of new books. Our son is a book worm and I have found having a stash of new books on hand is the perfect thing to bring out when we go on long car rides or plane rides. The other thing Jasper is really into lately are stickers. Stickers are great because he can't throw them at us or other people (he tends to throw things when he is bored, tired, annoyed etc.) and they are easily replaceable and will stick to everything like tray tables, our hands, the seat, himself etc. On our flight to Iceland we brought a Water Wow pad (awesome invention for car rides) and within the first ten minutes he threw the Water Wow pen rendering the pad virtually useless for the remainder of the trip. This is why I do not recommend items which have a lot of parts and pieces to make them work. If you loose a piece you are out of luck.

Technology is a saving grace for a lot of people. One our first flight to Iceland we tried to let Jasper watch television for a bit, but since he was not accustomed to watching television it held his interest for a few minutes. This was a big "ah ha" moment for us where we realized sitting and watching television for long periods of time is a learned behavior and does not come naturally. Although we try to limit Jasper's screen time to maybe a half hour a week, we did end up bringing our phones out for a few nice meals and adult conversation while we were in San Francisco.

In summary, here is what works for us:

1. Early morning flights. Arrive at your destination in time for regular nap time rather than keeping them up late at night.

2. Loads of snacks. Food which takes a long time to eat because it is in small pieces ie. trail mix, dried fruit, nuts, satsumas, sliced apples etc.

3. New to them items. Such as books, stickers, colored pencils, sticker books, coloring books, and note pads etc.

4. Always choose a window seat. I realize you inevitably will need to get up and down during the flight, but most people are understanding of this. My son loves to look out the window and if we don't have a window he will inevitably try to sit on the person next to us so he can see out. Also, in the event your child actually falls asleep you have the freedom to lower the shade and it just feels like more room than a aisle seat.