Flying with Kids: Turning a Challenge into a Positive Experience
Flying with kids can be a challenge, especially when it comes to dealing with boredom or earache, which can make flying a challenging experience for everyone on board. However, with some preparation and a few tricks, you can make the trip an enjoyable adventure for the whole family.
Preventing Earache: Effective Strategies for Babies and Children
The change in pressure caused by take-off and landing can promote blockage of the Eustachian tubes, causing discomfort and pain in the ears of children. To prevent this problem, you can adopt some simple but effective strategies:
- Newborns: Breastfeed or use a pacifier or bottle during takeoff and landing. Sucking helps equalize pressure.
- Older children: Chew gum, suck on hard candy, swallow, or yawn. Encourage your child to simulate a yawn.
It is preferable to keep children awake during take-off and landing to monitor for possible ear blockage and to avoid them feeling severe pain when they wake up.
Quick Remedies to Relieve the Discomfort
If, despite the precautions, the child develops ear pain, ask the flight attendants for a cup of warm water, soak a handkerchief in it and place it on the child's ear. The steam will help relieve the discomfort.
Fight Boredom: Creative Ideas to Entertain Kids
As for boredom, there are many solutions and they depend on the child's age and interests.
- Intercontinental flights: Airlines often provide coloring books and markers, booklets, and TV screens for watching cartoons.
- Short flights: Parents will have to organize themselves before departure, preparing a bag with stuffed animals, small games, books, albums with stickers, tablets with cartoons and everything that can entertain the child.
The goal is to entertain the child and prevent him from turning the trip into a nightmare for himself and the other passengers.