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Asquared
member
Have you flown w/ your 2 kids?? Come talk logistics w/ me!
Asquared
member
I know snacks, puzzles, dvd player and all that, but the big stuff is what's driving me crazy trying to decide. :-)
I ergo my youngest a lot so she is used to that. She is 17 months and we did not get her a seat (kinda kicking ourselves, but...) We have a sit n stand (I think we're bringing that one w/ us. We have to bring one carseat.
What did you do? Check everything at curb/ regular check-in/ gate check? Did it work well or is there another way you think would've been better?
TIA!
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Re: Have you flown w/ your 2 kids?? Come talk logistics w/ me!
I'm flying alone with both kids in two weeks. So I don't have experience yet, but I think I have a plan.
I bought seats for both and am using the CARES for both. I'll sit in between. DS loves my iPhone and is easily amused by TV, so between the TV on the plane, my phone, and the laptop, he should be taken care of. I'm more worried about DD on the plane. She's too young for a lot of the traditional distractions, so we'll see. I'm hoping she sleeps, but am not optimistic.
We are checking one carseat with the luggage (my mom has one on her end). I bought a carseat bag that rolls/can be worn as a backpack. I have a small suitcase for DS, but will pack DD's stuff with mine. I'll check that all (hopefully just those 3 items). In the airport, DS will walk and I'll put DD in the cheap umbrella stroller, which I'll gate check, too. I'm hoping to limit my carryons to DS's small backpack with his snacks/toys, my laptop, and a bag for me (with DD's snacks/toys/my stuff).
I admit I am freaking out. Between the fact that I'm a nervous flier, DS hasn't been on a plane in a long time and is already expressing apprehension, and DD has never flown, I'm anxious.
Here's what we have done:
* we go to the curb and do curbside check-in. One takes the kids inside with most of the carry-on and waits while the other goes and parks the car. We've also splurged on a car service, which made things MUCH easier with young kids because then everyone is dropped off at the curb at once.
* divide and conquer. Each is in charge of one kid and X number of bags.
FWIW, we flew with DS at a bit over a year as a lap infant and DD up to 18 mos as a lap infant and that was fine. Again, not the greatest but okay.
ETA: We also use strollers. This time I am using 2 umbrella ones to avoid bringing the Behemoth (BOB Duallie). On the plane again, we are sitting 2 and 2. This does mean 2 portable DVD players and 2 packs of stuff for the kids but worth it. We will switch who flies with what kid on the way back. To cut down on apprehension, we got some books about plane travel like Airport and there was another on Amazon that is a coloring book but good story. I really wanted to prep DD for the security line as that had really freaked her out before. She was still nervous but not as bad. I also try to book for around the kids' naptimes if I can.
DD -- 5YO
DS -- 3YO
This is basically exactly what we do. I also bring a double stroller (Phil and Teds) in case DD1 gets tired of walking, and to keep them contained when we're waiting for our luggage...
Also, when we were boarding, DH went ahead to install DD2's car seat (DD1 just sat in the plane seat). He also brought all the carry-on bags with him to set everything up. I stayed with the girls in the waiting area and let them run around until the very last minute, also took DD1 potty. Then we were one of the last to board the plane. Less time sitting in those seats, the better IMO
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I just flew alone with three kids. MH helped me curb side check in at departure and my parents help me reg check on the way back. My parents helped pick me up on the way there and MH on the way back : ) We had two check bags at departure and three on the way back. I gate check the stroller.
My kids are almost 6 & 4 and 18 months old. I took a single stroller. AA doesn't allow doubles anymore and the single worked just fine. DD and DS1 did fine walking through the airport (one major airport, one small). At one airport, they had a children place (love) and on the way back, we just watched planes which they were happy to do. Both time we got lunch in the airport.
DD and DS1 had their own seats. DD sat in the same aisle but on the other side of the aisle (seat A (DD), aisle, seat B (me) and seat C (DS1). DS2 did fine in my lap. He slept on the way there and part of the way back. Otherwise, he climb on the seat I shared with DS1 and played in the floor (not clean but fine by my accounts : ) I brought his paci to help with ear popping and the the big kids (for the first time from me) got gum : ) We also had snacks, DVD player and ipad. DD and DS1 had their own roll away bags with their stuff (blanket, small toys). They were responsible for that. I had a diaper bag of my purse stuff and diapers/cups for DS2.
I did not bring carseats. I didn't get any death looks (as I had with only DD once before : ) so overall I'd say it was a good trip. Luckily, we did not have layovers!!
We sat in the back of the plane. DD and DS1 were got going to the bathroom alone (I watched). We didn't really have a choice of time for flights. They only had afternoon and late night (9pm). I chose afternoon which was through nap for DS2 but DS1 slept on the way back. (The only pain was DS1 prior to going past TSA, he wouldn't go through without me going first, and waking him up at arrival.)
BTW, the flights were only 2 hours (whew!!) and my kids were excited about flying. DD and DS1 have in the past but not in the last 2 years and this was DS2 first flight. We had just did a long road trip (fathers day) and I didn't want to put them through that again so soon but had beach plans with my parents who are 12 driving hours away. We had been driving to visit them the last two times that we have gone.
We always park at a lot, take a shuttle to the airport, and do regular check-in. We check our car seats (we've never used them onboard) using backpack bags and gate-check our double stroller. When the kids are out, the stroller doubles as a cart for all our carry-on bags. We usually have a backpack for me and the kids, a backpack for DH, and a cooler bag.
I know some parents choose to wait until the last minute to board, but I prefer boarding first so we have time to get our things set up don't have to scramble to find room in the overheads for our carry-ons.
We just got back from a trip with them two weeks ago, and I was a little worried since we also didn't have a seat for DD2, but it was fine. We had one stop, and she ended up taking a nap on each leg of the flight. When she was up, she either sat on my lap, shared a seat with DD1, or took the seat for herself when DD1 was sitting on DH's lap. We're taking them to Hawaii in three months and also don't have a seat for DD2, but thankfully we'll have the grandparents with us to give both girls more room.
Up until this last trip, I've always shared a bag with the girls, but this time I packed all of our clothes in my big suitcase and then packed a small duffel bag with shoes, toiletries, and things like my Ergo and umbrellas. I stuck a package of diapers and wipes in DH's suitcase; I know I can usually buy them at our destination to save room but I just prefer packing them.
DD1 is at a good age where she can entertain herself with different activities for longer periods, but DD2 is at a rough age. Pretty much, if I'm at Target and see something that might help keep them occupied, I pick it up. DD2's favorite things from our flight were drawing on the travel Doodlepro, playing with the Color Wonder markers or Aquadoodle pens, and on the flight home, playing with the little figurines a girl in the row across from us had. (I had asked DD1 if she wanted to bring any of her little toys, but she said no; next time I'll bring them whether she asks for them or not, since she also wanted to share the girl's toys.) Also, when we were waiting for the bathroom, I saw another little girl and her mom who had covered their tray table with blue painters' tape; I spoke to the mom later and learned that she found that tip on www.deliciousbaby.com, a blog with tips for traveling with kids. That same mom also recommended letting DD2 play with a cup of ice, which I didn't end up doing, but sure enough, just this week DD2 has discovered ice, and it has helped keep her occupied after she finishes her dinner but the rest of us are still eating.
Hope any of that helps! Good luck!