Toddler Travel: An Introduction

This is the first in a series of not-necessarily-food-related posts (note the new "Toddler Travel" tag on the right) that is designed to help fellow parents travel with their little ones. Our son has been flying with us since he was 2 months old. Throughout the past (almost) two years, we've amassed some tips and tricks that have made our trips smoother and more enjoyable. If you have any specific questions, please leave them in the comments section and I will address them to the best of my ability.

First flight! September 2008

Since the little guy has always been younger than two when we've flown, he's never yet needed his own seat. That is about to change, as his birthday is at the end of the month! We have not had a problem with him as a lap child, despite him being a wiggly, curious infant/toddler each time we've flown. Don't underestimate your child's ability to sit still (or at least in one general location) in a new environment! There is lots to look at and explore in an airplane.

Do be sure to let the airline know--as far in advance as possible, and again at the gate before boarding--that you have a lap child with you. You will need to be seated in a row that has an extra oxygen mask, so your seat assignment might be different than what is originally printed on your ticket.

Once in awhile you might get lucky and be on a flight that isn't full, freeing up an extra seat that your little one can have to him/herself for awhile. This has worked especially well for The H and me, since we can trade off who is entertaining the little guy and who is resting/reading.

That's all for my intro post--if you're not going to be traveling with small fry anytime soon, feel free to gloss over the "Toddler Travel" posts--I'll include the heading with each new one--but please refer your friends/family in case the info might be helpful to someone else.