What''s the longest flight you''ve taken your toddler on?

[janinegirly]

When I''m procrastinating, I like to think of dream vacations

--and we still have a few on our list (Argentina, Asia,etc.). But with a 1 year old things are obviously a lot harder to pull off (hard enough going to Grandma''s for the weekend!). I''m curious if others have ventured long distance with a 1-2 year old? We could wait, but then I wonder if (big if) there is a #2, it''d be even less likely!

 

[TravelingGal]

Toddler? No way.

We got the 15 hour flight done out of the way when she was 8-9 months old!

 

[janinegirly]

15 hours is impressive!

Eeek, so before 1 or after 3 sounds like a general guideline! And here I am hoping to take her b/ween ages of 1 and 2!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I think 4 hours of flying was the longest with a layover thrown in. Traveling with T is STRESSFUL. Her personality isn''t really compatible with sitting still in a confined space for hours at a time. So we leave her with my MIL if we want or need to go somewhere far away.

 

[curlygirl]

I have to agree that this is NOT the time to be traveling!! We took Lily to LA (6 hours) at 7 months and it wasn't so bad since she wasn't really mobile yet. She also went to Atlanta at around 9 months and that wasn't bad since it was only like 2.5 hours. But then we took her to Puerto Rico at 14 months and it was a nightmare The flight is about 4 hours but she was a terror. Not to mention, she was a real PITA on the trip. It was impossible to have a proper meal in a restaurant, she didn't want to sit still on the beach, etc. Poor Lucy hasn't been on any flights yet and probably won't for a while because we will not put ourselves through it unless it's absolutely necessary! I would hold off on anything major...

 

[janinegirly]

Hmm ok, looks like short flight first to see how C handles it and off to Grandma's for anything major/exotic....

 

[MichelleCarmen]

We never did a flight when our kids were toddlers. My older son was 8 or so months when we flew to Vegas. That was a three (or so) hour flight. We gave him baby tylenol so he would sleep.

 

[TravelingGal]

I agree with the before 1 and after 3 rule. Maybe after 5! I was on a flight last week where a toddler was really upset and screaming and crying. He could not be consoled and then threw up. The smell of barf permeated the cabin.

And it wasn''t even his mom with him...it was his grandmother, poor lady. I saw his mom greet them at the baggage area. Brave grandma.

It is an entirely different ballgame when they are mobile. Amelia is pretty good and I''ve had her sit still at a hotel lounge sofa for an hour. But in case I weren''t so lucky on a plane, I don''t think I would try it at this stage.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

Does my husband count as a toddler? He often behaves like one...

 

[janinegirly]

Date: 10/21/2009 3:02:23 PM
Author: Hudson_Hawk
Does my husband count as a toddler? He often behaves like one...

ha, have an image of a DH sucking his thumb and laying on your lap or running wild down the plan aisles with hair all amuck...

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

yes, running around saying "amuck amuck amuck amuck". He also throws temper tantrums if he doesn''t get a window seat.

(bonus points if you know what movie that quote is from)

 

[lili]

We took J on a 5hr plane ride when she was 14months.
It wasn''t easy, but it wasn''t too bad either since she didn''t scream or cried.
Since she was mobile and had always been on the move, DH had to walk her up and down the aisle a couple of times.
For the most part, she would stand on our laps and played w/ the passengers behind us.
The trip to was easier since the passengers in the back was keeping her entertained.
The trip back was a little more work because the back passenagers didn''t entertain her as much, so she would turn to the front and see if there are entertainment there

I don''t know about taking her now since she''s getting into her terrible 2''s