Flying With Kids

I have been thinking about all of the wonderful things that I wanted to say about my vacation to Costa Rica. However, what I thought might be useful was something different. While at the airport waiting to board our plane my boys were playing their PSPs (A big treat for them since I usually don’t let them play). It occurred to me how much easier it had gotten to travel with them now that they are a little older. When my boys were very young I took them on several trips without my husband. That means it was just me and them, scary! I took them to Germany, the East Coast, and Mexico in addition to other places that we went with my husband. I thought I would share some of the things that I have learned so that maybe one or two of the tips may make your travel experience better.

Here it goes….

Nurse – if you are still nursing your baby then plan to nurse on take-off and landing. It helps their ears to adjust to the altitude easier. With my younger one it would put him to sleep, double bonus.

Buy them a new book. Before one trip I went to the discount lane of the book store and picked up a huge sticker book for just a few bucks. It was great to keep them occupied for a little while.

Pack little bags. This works for car rides too. I get some brown paper lunch bags. In each bag I put something different. A few toys from the dollar store, a toy or game from home that they haven’t played with for a while, an edible treat that they usually don’t get at home, a few hot wheels, you get the idea. You want to create a little surprise in each bag. When they would get bored with the items in one bag I would give them another. Don’t let them know you have several bags that way they won’t just rip through them all right away. I always try to avoid candy on a trip. The sugar does not encourage sitting still and relaxing.

If you have a portable DVD player bring it. Our DVD player was invaluable the time it took me and the boys 26 hours to get home from Mexico. We spent most of that time on the runway in airplanes, or waiting at the airport. My kids held up almost better than me.

Choose a direct flight whenever possible. It is faster, less taking off and landing, less chance of delays and cancelations.

If you do have connecting flights pack your carry-on bag with things you will need in case you spend the night. Another lesson I learned from my Mexico trip. Luckily my youngest always had his blankie with him but there were other things that it would have been nice to have. Bring a change of clothes or two (depending on the age) and plenty of diapers, ointment, and underwear. Bring fever medication. You will be hard pressed to find children’s Tylenol at an airport especially the later it gets and that is when they cancel flights.

Bring small games such as cards, right left center, dominos, etc.

With babies don’t underestimate the entertain value of the plastic cups they give you your drinks in. When my oldest was a baby he played with 3 of the plastic cups for almost the entire flight.

Plan to be ON the entire time. After a flight I was always exhausted because I spent so much time making sure my kids were content. When I flew to Germany it just so happened that when my 2 year old would fall asleep my 4 year old would be awake and need something to do. There was no rest for the weary on that flight. So many times after a flight other passengers would come up to me and tell me how well my kids did. These were the same people who were looking very worried about the prospect of having a baby or small child near them on a flight.

And one last note. Please don’t let your kids kick the back of the seat in front of them.

On our way back from Costa Rica our connecting flight was delayed 4 hours. It was 10:30 at night (we had been traveling since 10 that morning) and we were all a little stir crazy. We played UNO, Right Left Center, Rummy, you name it we played it. Luckily we had bought a small kick ball in Costa Rica and packed in one of our carry-on bags. I found a deserted spot in the airport and the boys played soccer to burn off some energy. An airport security guard even joined in the game which the boys thought was really cool. Earlier we had lent it to a fellow passenger who was trying to keep their 2 year old entertained. My husband had put the ball in his carry-on bag because there was no room for it in our checked baggage. Who knew it would be so useful!

I would love to hear your suggestions on how to keep the little ones happy on a flight.

Talk about setting the table early:

Super Foods are a smart food choice for PREGNANT MOMS on a nutrition mission for baby

During pregnancy women spend a lot of their time trying to eat the best food for the growing baby in their womb. Not all foods are created equal; knowing what foods pack the most nutrition into each bite just makes sense while pregnant, as well as when it’s time to feed your little one. One of the greatest breakthroughs in recent nutritional news is the concept of Super Foods. Super Foods are foods such as broccoli, quinoa, pumpkin, papaya and squash, that are super-rich in vitamins and nutrients, offer identifiable health benefits and quite literally are multi-tasking nutritional powerhouses. They’re important for every growing baby, on the inside and outside. Eating Super Foods as part of your daily routine just makes sense during pregnancy. That way when, it’s time to choose what to feed the new baby, Super Foods are already part of the routine and a no brainer.
Pregnancy IS the perfect time to explore Super Foods and become familiar with the incredible benefits for you and baby. Major nutritional Super Food sources include: fruits like papaya and mango, greens such as, asparagus, broccoli, spinach and peas, Vitamin A rich foods like pumpkin and butternut squash, and a little known Super Food grain, quinoa. It is important to select the purest options and to try to buy organic and or natural whenever possible. Remember moms we are looking for the shortest ingredient statements we can find and they are usually found in the perimeter of the store. The shorter the ingredient statement the less likely you and your bundle of joy are of ingesting something potentially harmful. Play around with recipes, add tasty spices, or incorporate Super Foods into everyday dishes like spaghetti (mix squash or spinach into your sauce!). What you discover now will help guide your choices when feeding your child, from six months through childhood. (But remember it’s important to keep the Super Foods unblended and simple when you start baby on solids, making digestion as well as allergy detection easier).
Making organic pureed food for your child is a wonderful thing, but when you lack the time, energy or resources, pre-cooked organic Super Food purees from companies like River Forest based Square One® Organics can be a lifesaver. Square One president and creator, Denise Henderson, made her twins’ food when they were small, color coding foods by vitamins and nutrients and then organized into age appropriate categories to make things easier. She found that using food journals and a superfood guide for each stage of food introduction took the guesswork out of feeding. After extensively researching Super Foods, Henderson worked with a pediatric nutritionist, pediatric allergist and a food scientist to create a line of organic Super Foods. That is how in 2008 Square One® Organics was born!
Below is an offering of Super Foods from Square One®, and why they are such a smart choice for both pregnant moms and babies:
Pumpkin: Super Food for the eyes and the heart, it’s an excellent source of vitamin A, E, C, and B6.

Papaya: Super Food for Digestion and Antioxidant, Excellent Vitamin A and C It is also and excellent source of folate (major for pregnancy) and contains an enzyme to help aid the digestive process.
Peas: High in folic acid, manganese, and vitamins A, B1, B6, C and K. Peas are also one of the highest sources of vegetable protein.
Broccoli and Spinach: True Super Foods for bone, heart, brain, and immunity these “greenies” are great sources of vitamin C and beta-carotene, folic acid, iron, potassium, and anti-cancer nutrients that help boost enzymes that detoxify the body. No wonder your own mom always pushed them on you!
Butternut squash: Super Food for eyes, skin, and heart. An excellent source of both Vitamins A and E.
Mango: A heart and immunity Super Food. Excellent source of Vitamins A and C, mango contains enzymes that aid digestion.
Quinoa: This lesser known grain supplies all the essential amino acids, contains more protein than any other grain, and is gluten-free.
Making Super Foods part of your daily routine is smart beyond pregnancy and into the stages of early food introductions (6 months to one year). Some additional choices to incorporate into your diet include berries, lentils, millet, avocado and beets. Introducing baby’s first foods one food at a time for 3-5 days in a row is a prudent and medically advised approach. This way any negative food reactions can easily be detected.
For a list of additional Super Foods that are easily digested by most infants and a more tips on creating your baby’s super healthy solid food plan, visit Square One Organics and then click view website.