We just got home from San Francisco. The whole trip was wonderful, including the 5 hour flight from SFO to CLE. Anna did a good job staying entertained and happy for 97% of the time – which is pretty amazing. Here are a few of the essentials needed to keep a toddler (therefore a mommy) happy while flying!
1. Books: Books are such a great activity. Anna is obsessed with them. She is like her dad in her obsession with books. On the flight home she read the emergency card at least 13 times, she read Sky Mall about 18 times, Departures around 6 times. Then she looked over my shoulder at the man sitting next to us and read his book for a while. Then she moved on to her books. I love First 100 Words book because it’s all pictures and you can name them. Anna loves to pick things out in this book. The classics are great too. There are so many things you can do with a few books besides just read them.

•  you can find all of the objects of a certain color
• you can name all of the pictures on the pages
•  you can make up new stories to go with the pictures
• you can have your child make up stories
• you can count items on a page
• I could go on… 🙂

2. Snacks: Snack are great because they can provide something to fill your peanut’s tummy but they can also distract, calm and entertain! Make sure to pack snacks that won’t leave your kids bouncing off the roof or with stomach aches. And an empty sippy cup for water is essential.

3. Toys: Pick out a few of your child’s favorite quiet and small toys. Magnadoodles make great airplane toys, but so do some paper and a pencil!

4. Phone, iPod or iPad: Technology is great for kids because it creates an automatic reaction and response. Find and app or game that fits your child and have it ready to go when they are getting antsy and sick of sitting!

5. Antibacterial Wipes: First, come to terms with the idea that your child is going to touch everyone on the plane – the seat, tray, window and everything in-between. So wipe it down quickly and forgot it. Then take a deep breath and try not to think about who was in the seat before you. If your mind starts to wonder to germs, divert it immediately or you will make yourself nuts. Wipe your child down often and try not to have them put their fingers in their mouth. If you child sucks their thumb like Anna does – it’s a lost cause.

6. Bring someone with you! Husband, mom, mother-in-law, sister, friend, possibly even a really nice stranger. Having someone to help with the baby and to allow them more room to move in the seats in amazing. I never would have been able to have Anna be so happy and things be so simple- without my mom!

We are happy to be home but sad to have left!

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