We are new foster parents and we are going to fly on American Airlines to Pensacola. Will they require a child seat and any other thing I need to know before hand

Agree - bring snacks and toys. For us we brought an iPad with cartoons loaded. Worked great. Also tried to sit by parents with other kids.

If your kid is good in their car seat normally you could use it as a tool to help them understand the same rules in a plane. We always travel with our car seat - fly about a dozen times per year with our toddler. He's great and prefers to sit in his comfort zone (car seat). Not to mention it's safer for everyone involved.

Benadryl. Other than that, it's a box of chocolates.

Snacks that they like. 2-3 activities for them (coloring, ipad-with headphones, small toy), put them near window and point things out to them. Bring an empty sippy cup for drink, can always fill it after security with favorite drink from an airport shop.

Benadryl can be a double edge sword. jokingly asked our doctor and she said it can make them sleep or keep them wired. Read similar stuff online.

My wife flew to NY and back with our 5 & 3 year olds. Lots of games, activities, snacks, and tablets loaded with movies/shows and games with noise cancelling earphones. Also, early flights so they fall asleep faster.

Kids all react differently on flights. My daughter is and always has been the perfect traveler. My son is autistic and something else on a flight. Couple of things for them to do on the plane and some snacks. Don't drug them up with Benadryl because it will completely screw up the schedule of your trip from my experience.

Flight with kiddos can be rough but don't do anything more or less than you'd normally do on a flight, be prepared and ok with being judged by complete strangers and you'll be alright. Don't make it out to be a bigger deal than it really is or apologize in advance to other passengers elevating the experience for you... kids need to travel too.

iPad headphones Dramamine. Don't let your kids run free range down the aisles. Put yourself between the kid and the people next to you if don't have a full row. Pick seats in the back of the plane and/or let others deplane first. Remind Junior it's not ok to kick seats or scream. I've seen plenty of well behaved children on airplanes and in airports, it's starts and stops with the parent in most cases.

Our kids usually passed out in their car seats but man was it a pain getting those damn things on and off the plane. If it's 2.5+ flight I would take them on. If it's less than 2.5 hours I would check them. Flying with kids is a hassle compared to flying by yourself but in the grand scheme of life it's nothing.

I like to fly with the carseat because it keeps his little ass in the seat vs squirming and making a big fuss.

Lots of food and movies on the tablet.

If you're bringing the carseat, fly with it. We saw a couple with a young kiddo pickup their carseat at baggage claim - in 3 different pieces.

What do you do then>

NM

21 month old and 4 month old have flown 8 and 2 times respectively. Take snacks and be prepared for them to constantly be up and down out of their seat. We do not take a car seat on the plane just let them have a little freedom. It is a lot of work as the parent and yes you will be landing very tired.

you don't need to bring the car seat in the cabin with you, but if you plan to travel in a car once you leave the airport, you'll need it.

OP: take advantage of having children with you... you can gate-check child items (stroller and car seats) at no cost for most airlines... and you can usually board earlier than 'regular' folks... we certainly enjoy it.

During ascending/descending the air pressure change can get to your kids... adults usually know how to deal with pressure change but kids don't. Easiest is to have them chew on things... I won't recommend gum if you kids don't know how to deal with gums (not swallowing it)... but little snacks is usually good during those times.

Other than bringing comfort for the child with the childseat on the airplane... I don't think child seats provides any safety on the plane. Remember, a big part of childseats in automobiles is to prevent airbags from hitting the children. All the other perils that the childseats can prevent in automobiles... like for example cars rolling over... well if an airplane is rolling over... I think you are going to need a whole lot more than childseats to save yourself and your children... that's why I don't really think childseats really do anything for you in air.

AV8ORAG84 said:

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No. Bring food, and entertainment for your child, ie music, coloring books , books , etc. be prepared to be tired at end of flight keeping child entertained, hopefully they sleep sometime. Gum is good for helping clear ears.

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. Quite true. And if the items are new to your kid, even better.

One thing that always works for me: get to the airport a little early, have the wife post up in the lounge with all the stuff and then just take the kid walking. And I mean walking. Down and back on every moving walkway you can find. Up and down escalators. Across every last terminal. The idea being that once we are ready to go board, he's so pooped that he's happy to sit and watch a movie and eat snacks. That lasts for a while, too.