As spring break approaches, some of you probably have made plans to take a family holiday. The destination has been picked, airline tickets purchased and accommodations booked. As the departure date approaches, you begin to wonder how you will survive the flight with your 3 children. You and your partner know that travel interrupts kids’ routines: eating, playing and sleeping. This makes them prone to melt downs and acting up. …And as if this wasn’t enough, the flight leaves at 7am meaning that you have to get up at some ridiculous hour to arrive at the airport at least 2 hours before the flight! What were you thinking?!?

Here are a few tips to remember as you prepare for the trip.

1. Pack lots of snacks, both healthy and unhealthy, that your kids love. Remember to pack some gum for take off and landing.
2. Bring some fun activities for the plane. Sticker books and colouring books are a good choice. Travel games are good too. For an added bonus, bring activities that the kids have never seen before. The newness of activities will earn you a few extra minutes of calm.
3. Download age appropriate games and apps on iPads and iPhones. You can also download your child’s favourite movie or TV show.
4. If you are taking an early morning flight, have your kids sleep in their clothes the night before. This allows your kids to sleep as long as possible before having to get up plus they think that it is such a novelty that they get to sleep in their clothes. It’s also on less thing that you have to worry about in the morning.
5. Remember to relax. It’s hard to travel with children and you will not be alone. There will other parents on the flight so you can be support to each other.
6. If you are travelling with teens or pre-teens, ask them if they would like to sit on their own rather than sit with you. They will appreciate the independence.