Things I have Learned About Flying.

I am not an experienced flyer by any means. However, in my years of flying, there are a few things I thought I would pass on to you as well.

I have learned that it is important to stay hydrated. Personally, I have a fear of those tiny airplane bathrooms. And as the flight progresses the more I avoid having to go into one of them. I always try to visit the airport bathroom before I board, because those stalls have more room and tend to be cleaner. Since I don't like airplane bathrooms, I find that I avoid drinking the necessary water to keep myself hydrated. Thus causing a headache and a general nauseous feeling that I could have avoided had I made better choices. I have debated about whether or not I should take something to combat my nausea during the flight, but typically I try to avoid medication. I tip my hat off to all the flight attendants because it's a job I would not be able to do on a regular basis. 

Traveling with children adds another dimension to any kind of travel. I have learned that it is important to have a bottle of water available for them during the take off and landing of the airplane. I try to pack something for them to munch on during this time as well. Anything to help alleviate the discomfort of the changes in pressure. Even though it is not pleasant, kids cry during this time for a reason! When my children were infants, I would always make sure to breastfeed during take off and landing. You can also give them the bottle. It keeps them quiet which is a blessing to all the other passengers sitting around us.

With my children, I've learned to pack coloring books, crayons, chapter books - basically anything that will keep them entertained on a flight. If the flight doesn't provide them, we purchase snacks for our two kids to share. Our family prefers to be screenless, so that means we as the adults do have to interact with our kids a bit more. Card games are a favorite. It's always a blessing when we get a whole row on the airplane to ourselves. That allows us to spread out and we aren't so restricted.

This past trip we realized the importance of checking and double checking which gate you are boarding at. Our plane ticket said one thing, and we found out as our gate was closing that the television monitor said another thing. We had to run to the correct gate to board our flight in time. Thankfully we made it, but we were the last people on the plane.