Flying with children is not easy, and the majority of parents admit that it is stressful. In fact, according to a 2016 Yahoo Travel survey, 10% of parents even say they wish they could sit apart from their kids.
One father came up with what he thought was a brilliant plan: to sit his 5-year-old and 26-year-old daughters next to each other. However, when the eldest found out about this, she went behind his back and swapped the seats. It turns out that not every older sibling wants to play babysitter during a 14-hour flight.
A woman refused to be seated next to her little sister during a 14-hour flight
Image credits: unsplash (not the actual photo)
So, she swapped the seats so the dad and the mom would be sitting next to the five-year-old
Image credits: unsplash (not the actual photo)
Image credits: DIY_Obsessed
Parents should prepare to entertain their kids before a flight
Image credits: pexels (not the actual photo)
Passengers like to complain that there is nothing worse than a flight with a screaming child on board. But most often overlook the fact that the parents are in a much worse position than other passengers: they're the ones who have to deal with tantrums, crying, and how to entertain the little ones.
Boredom tends to be the biggest issue for kids, especially on long-haul flights. And parents have to go above and beyond to keep their kids busy. That's why experts and flight attendants recommend taking care of extra entertainment in advance. Sometimes, in-flight entertainment might not be enough.
Bringing your own electronics, such as an iPad, is a no-brainer. But parenting blogger Dina Cooper also recommends packing things like headphones, books, and coloring books. Andrea Robinson of Single Parents on Holiday suggests adding puzzles, playing cards, stickers, and small toys to the activity bag.
As for the iPad, making sure that it's pre-loaded with new shows, movies, and games is a must. Parents who don't like their kids to be mindlessly glued to their screens can opt for educational apps and shows instead.
Many passengers wish there were child-free zones on airplanes
Image credits: freepik (not the actual photo)
Children on planes are quite a contentious topic in general. Some passengers think that planes should be places of calm and relaxation and are vehemently against children on flights. But does such a stance make sense?
In a 2022 survey by Travelzoo Australia, 67% of the respondents said that screaming children were the worst part of air travel. Another 2023 poll revealed that some people believe there should be child-free areas on planes.
This is especially true among younger passengers. 61% of travelers aged 18-24 believe that trains and planes should have designated child-free zones, with 69% of people aged 25-34 saying the same. As for passengers aged 55 and over, 50% of the respondents said they would like there to be child-free spaces.
Some people suggest that the children themselves are not to blame here. What most air travel passengers often hate is not the children, but their inattentive parents. Family blogger Lisa Goodmurphy says: "The most important thing when flying with kids is that your attention needs to be 100 percent focused on them. Children can't be expected to know how to behave on a plane unless you teach them how."
Children sitting next to their parents might soon become law in the U.S.
Image credits: pexels (not the actual photo)
You might wonder: why is there no universal policy that children are supposed to sit next to their parents? Shouldn't airlines automatically assign children seats together with their mom or dad?
Unfortunately, there is no law in the U.S. that requires airlines to seat parents and children together. However, four American airlines (Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Frontier, and JetBlue) have official policies that allow family members to sit together without extra fees.
But in 2024, the U.S. government was moving forward with a federal policy that would force all airlines to offer children under 13 seats next to their parents free of charge. Whether that will come into law during this administration remains unclear. But it would free many parents of at least one stressor during travel.
"Fees related to family seating arrangements are incredibly frustrating for travelers, especially because they often come as a surprise," NerdWallet personal finance expert Kimberly Palmer says.
"[This] has the potential to reduce travel stress for consumers… the change could also potentially save families hundreds of dollars on fees on travel each year."
It turns out this wasn't the first time her father had assumed she would take care of her little sister
Some people vilified the dad: "Anyone assigned to care for this child must be consenting"
Others thought the family just needed to talk this out instead of sneaking around
But some thought babysitting was the least she could do after the dad paid for her trip
