I am not an expert on much, but I know how to travel with a toddler – well, MY toddler.  After 58 flights together we have things pretty figured out (read this for tips on traveling with your kids) I no longer get stressed out about what might happen or what could get spilled/pooped on/lost.  In fact, we’re getting kinda mechanical about airport trips.

And, other than on this site, I don’t broadcast our travel experience like I did as we crossed the 30 flight barrier.  No boasting, no bragging. Just flying.  But as my broadcasting ceased I think it became MORE obvious that Addie and I are weathered vets.  As we went through the motions in security yesterday a frazzled mom in our line kept watching us – looking up and then away as soon as I caught her eye. Finally I asked her if she needed help.  Seven questions about carseats and liquids and travel wheels later she and her son were through the sensors.  On the plane, the man sitting in our row asked how to secure the carseat to the place seat, how I got Addie to watch a movie contentedly, where I found our travel wheels (a must have by the way, click here to get yours), what snacks to take on a plane, on and on.  He had yet to travel with his 18 month old son and wanted all the help he could get. I thought he was going to choke on a peanut when he asked how often we traveled.

There are lots of tips and pointers and little things you can do to keep your kid happy on a plane – but as long as you know your kid and what they are interested in then you should be golden.  Just take the things they like and it will be fine.  But there is something that is VITAL for parents to remember:

Pay attention to your child.

Go into the flight knowing that at no point will you pull out that magazine or book that you want to read – I never even pack one anymore.  Don’t expect your child to sleep, because s/he probably won’t.  Put your parenting pants on and be there for your kid from gate to gate.   If your child cries for two hours straight, don’t sweat it.  If you are doing everything you can for your child then you are doing enough.  People will give you dirty looks, they will be irritated, but they’ll be fine.  As soon as your plane pulls into your destination gate and you hear the flight attendant say “Thank you for flying with us. The local time is…” all of those dirty looks will file off the plane and you will never see any of them ever again.  Does your daughter have a fascination with pushing her feet on the seat back in front of her? Mine does.  I am on her the whole flight about keeping her feet down but there is only so much I can do short of tying her feet to the bottom of her car seat.  Here’s my trick: we fly Southwest.  I choose a seat surrounded on all sides by emptys so whoever sits by us CHOOSES to do so.  I warn the person who sits in front of Addie that we are working on the seat kicking so if they want to move they can.  I have never seen anyone move and most of them say they are parents or grandparents and they understand.

The point is: create a little travel bubble around you and your child(ren).  Be what they need and all will be fine.  Everyone else had ample opportunity to buy noise-canceling headphones before the flight.  And trust me, your child is WAY less annoying than the drunk people four rows up!