Airplane Travel Sucks

Let's just get that out in the open, shall we?

Between being inevitably late to the airport, unloading car seats from the car, trying to shove those dang car seats into the x-ray machine, schlepping a kid or three + two carry-ons a piece + the dang car seats to the farthest possible terminal in the entire airport, and then oh yeah, the flight itself it's a wonder we don't all land in the throes of travel-induced anxiety attacks.

Add to that recent headliners about flight attendants kicking kids off the plane for throwing tantrums or (horrors) nursing we get the feeling that the only people we have to help us (isn't that what "attendant" means?) aren't even on our side.

When I got married I moved 6,000 miles away from my family. We then wised up a little and cut the distance in half. We've now got two kids and make the pilgrimage at least twice a year (and I do mean pilgrimage we're talkin' an hour to the airport, all the security rigamarole, 5+ hours in a plane, and 3 more hours in a car, and on the way back it's another hour for headwinds). That means that for two very long days each vacation I have had it up to my toddler mom ponytail with anxious, over-excited children.

I have learned a few survival tricks that I thought others might benefit from including quiet toys to keep the pre-video game age kids entertained, snack and lunch ideas (because some airlines aren't even offering free pretzels any more), and I thought I might do a couple of product reviews, too.

If you are about to embark on your first airplane trip with a baby, good luck and godspeed! If you are a seasoned vet like me looking for a few new ideas, good luck and godspeed! If you are a nanny who likes to take long flights with stranger's children, who are you and will you take my kids? They're great, I swear. But those blankety-blank car seats...