Family traveling with infant twins hands out candy, ear plugs on plane

[dforeigner]

Pretty cool story and neat idea.

 

Family traveling with infant twins hands out candy, ear plugs on plane

 

 

http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2012/09/04/family-traveling-with-twins-hands-out-candy-ear-plugs-on-plane/?intcmp=related

[liljay6915]

Thats a cute idea. I hate being on planes with screaming babies, I was so relieved when my DS slept through his first flight at 10 weeks old. I feel so bad when Jack interrupts other peoples experiences.

[6rugrats]

1. This story has been all over the Internet. Wondered how long it would take it to be posted here.

 

2. I don't think this is a good idea. I don't want your candy or earplugs. 14 week old babies probably slept most of the flight anyway. All most passengers ask is that you do your best.

 

3. Twins again? Does anyone have just one child anymore?

[Onessa]

A few weeks back we flew back to DTW from Amsterdam (8 hours) on a flight with at least 9 kids 18MO or younger (two sets of twins). No earplugs, no candy, no apologies (none really needed). A few crying jags but all short and well controlled.

 

For the one or two well-publisized cases of a "terror" baby on a plane, there are 100s of flights with babies and toddlers that go off without a hitch!

[Mom2B&Z]

A few weeks back we flew back to DTW from Amsterdam (8 hours) on a flight with at least 9 kids 18MO or younger (two sets of twins). No earplugs, no candy, no apologies (none really needed). A few crying jags but all short and well controlled.

 

For the one or two well-publisized cases of a "terror" baby on a plane, there are 100s of flights with babies and toddlers that go off without a hitch!

 

Exactly. Why make a mountain out of a molehill? Would you hand out ear plugs and candy if your traveling partner got drunk and unruly? I don't think so :rolleyes:

BTW, there are more twins now because of people using fertility treatments to get pregnant.

[sandytoes03]

1. This story has been all over the Internet. Wondered how long it would take it to be posted here.

 

2. I don't think this is a good idea. I don't want your candy or earplugs. 14 week old babies probably slept most of the flight anyway. All most passengers ask is that you do your best.

 

3. Twins again? Does anyone have just one child anymore?

 

Something wrong with twins? :confused:

[familycrusingviv]

Having to fly to the US to see family on 11 hr flights was so much easier when she was a baby. At 2.5 I feel like crawling into a hole :/

[nothriver]

I saw this story too. Is anyone else wondering how parents with young twin boys had TIME to prepare goody bags for their fellow passangers?!

 

Speaking of annoying fellow passangers, I was once on a flight where one of my traveling companions essentially passed out and snored so loudly the other passagers complained. The stewardess could not wake him, and handed out earplugs. I was not seated next to him and didn't admit that I knew him. He does not believe this incident happened.

 

The worst flight I've ever taken was a late night direct flight from my home down to Vegas. It was so loud, almost everyone was drunk. It was just crazy. My 6yr old daughter did manage to sleep through about half the flight, but geesh, that one really took the cake for annoying fellow passangers.

 

I don't recall every being annoyed by young children, honestly, I'm just relieved they aren't mine!

[alj1208]

I consider crying babies to be just part of flying! As a mother, I feel for the mom of the crying baby. That could have been me. My son is older now (6), and can be entertained with movies and toys. But, I just want to hug the moms who are struggling with kids-- especially on long-haul flights. Been there. No apologies needed. Forget about the candy. How about buying a cocktail --not for the "neighbors" -- for the MOM!!!!!

[higgib]

I consider crying babies to be just part of flying! As a mother, I feel for the mom of the crying baby. That could have been me. My son is older now (6), and can be entertained with movies and toys. But, I just want to hug the moms who are struggling with kids-- especially on long-haul flights. Been there. No apologies needed. Forget about the candy. How about buying a cocktail --not for the "neighbors" -- for the MOM!!!!!

 

 

Hmmm, depends on the situation.... some people need to travel due to work or family reasons - taking a baby or toddler is not their choice, and I have every sympathy for anyone in this situation (and have, on several ocassions helped parents travelling alone with young kids - even if only to watch the child whilst its parent goes to the loo).

 

What I can't understand is the people who are travelling for 'fun':confused: Why put yourself and the child through the 'ordeal' of a long-haul flight if it is not necessary? :confused:

[alj1208]

Hmmm, depends on the situation.... some people need to travel due to work or family reasons - taking a baby or toddler is not their choice, and I have every sympathy for anyone in this situation (and have, on several ocassions helped parents travelling alone with young kids - even if only to watch the child whilst its parent goes to the loo).

 

What I can't understand is the people who are travelling for 'fun':confused: Why put yourself and the child through the 'ordeal' of a long-haul flight if it is not necessary? :confused:

 

 

What's wrong with travelling for "fun" with young kids and even with babies? I grew up travelling. My parents took us everywhere (including international travel) from a very young age, and as a result, we have a zest for travel. It's part of our lives. We learned how to do it young, and to this day, we have the best of memories! That's WHY.

[higgib]

What's wrong with travelling for "fun" with young kids and even with babies? I grew up travelling. My parents took us everywhere (including international travel) from a very young age, and as a result, we have a zest for travel. It's part of our lives. We learned how to do it young, and to this day, we have the best of memories! That's WHY.

 

 

You're absolutely right! But you're talking about children who have the ability to know and appreciate where they are, have the ability to learn about the place they have been taken to, or have fun there, and have memories about the trip afterwards.

 

We started taking out kids on foreign trips involving air travel from the ages of 4 and 6, and now, 10 years on they have been to many European countries, to the USA, Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong. They have also trvelled extensively throughout the UK. (We are from London).

 

We Did NOT take them on aircraft when they were babies or toddlers because we felt it would be unfair on them, us, and fellow travellers. We had lots of fun at places like farm parks, water parks, forest lodges and so on which as toddlers the absolutely loved! We have some lovely memories of those holidays - they of course were too young to remember anything about them.

 

As I said originally, unless it is unavoidable I still can't understand why people with small babies and toddlers take them on aircraft. Surely it's better to wait until they are a bit older and able to appreciate and learn from the experience as you did.

[mikesteg]

Well, we take our kids (TWINS!) because:

 

(1) I'm pretty sure that child protective services would not appreciate if we left them home. As has been said 1000 times on this board: not everybody has somebody to take their kids for a week.

 

(2) We live in Albuquerque.

 

(3)

 

I guarantee that the kids remember swimming with the dolphins and the turtle farm. Agree, they may not remember 5 or 10 years from now... so we'll just have to take them back!

 

(4) Our kids do learn: they learn that mommy and daddy aren't willing to spend a week without them.

[Kerry's Girls]

You're absolutely right! But you're talking about children who have the ability to know and appreciate where they are, have the ability to learn about the place they have been taken to, or have fun there, and have memories about the trip afterwards.

 

As I said originally, unless it is unavoidable I still can't understand why people with small babies and toddlers take them on aircraft. Surely it's better to wait until they are a bit older and able to appreciate and learn from the experience as you did.

 

I flew from Los Angeles to your wonderful city when my twins were toddlers. They don't remember our walks to a different park every day or feeding the ducks in Hyde Park, but exploring London with my girls was one of the most magical trips I've ever taken, and I don't think it was too damaging to them :). I get it that you don't understand taking toddlers on an aircraft, but that doesn't mean it's not right for other families. My girls won't remember most of the trips we've already taken, but that doesn't mean they haven't gained a lot from our travels. Personally, I don't get taking toddlers to the grocery store. Flying is much easier!

 

Best to everyone,

Mia

[mikesteg]

Personally' date=' I don't get taking toddlers to the grocery store. Flying is much easier!

[/quote']

 

+1 on that!

[Onessa]

. . . (4) Our kids do learn: they learn that mommy and daddy aren't willing to spend a week without them.

Need a like button for this

 

You're absolutely right! But you're talking about children who have the ability to know and appreciate where they are, have the ability to learn about the place they have been taken to, or have fun there, and have memories about the trip afterwards.

 

We started taking out kids on foreign trips involving air travel from the ages of 4 and 6, and now, 10 years on they have been to many European countries, to the USA, Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong. They have also trvelled extensively throughout the UK. (We are from London).

 

We Did NOT take them on aircraft when they were babies or toddlers because we felt it would be unfair on them, us, and fellow travellers. We had lots of fun at places like farm parks, water parks, forest lodges and so on which as toddlers the absolutely loved! We have some lovely memories of those holidays - they of course were too young to remember anything about them.

 

As I said originally, unless it is unavoidable I still can't understand why people with small babies and toddlers take them on aircraft. Surely it's better to wait until they are a bit older and able to appreciate and learn from the experience as you did.

I am a firm believer that we are each a sum of all of the experiences we have had in our lifetimes. Just because I do not conciously remeber touching the stove when I was 19MO does not mean that it was not a valuable experience from which I learned -- because I do know that my mother said that I avoided it thereafter.

 

My DD does not now remember anything about the trip we took to Yosimite when she was 8MO and other spots during her infancy and toddlerhood and I daresay she has very few distinct memories of our trip to New Mexico when she had just turned 3YO. But as an infant or as a toddler, we can impart a love of travel and exploring that will be the foundation of a lifetime of learning.

 

Why bother with the hastle of even packing up the kid and driving across town to the zoo if they "won't remember it anyway"? We don't seal our infants into little boxes and ignore them until they can remember specific experiences -- why would we assume that just because they do not have specific memories of an event that it is not worth the bother?

 

I was lucky to have a kid who really enjoyed traveling -- even as a 6WO infant, she was a trooper when we drove 5.5hours (each way) to make our first visit to Gma and Gpa "up north". So traveling solo with her at 8MO (almost a 7 hour total trip, with a plane change in Minneapolis) was so worth it. She took a bottle during takeoff and landing, spent a lot of time just looking around, and napped -- no one needed earplugs or candy. And DD thoroughly enjoyed the experience (and the ability to see her daddy when he was stuck out in San Francisco for 6 weeks for work). She flew with us, drove with us, cruised with us. She is now 17 (as of Sunday past) and has been in at least 25 states, five Canadian provinces, and about fifteen countries. I consider every moment of it (and every cent we spent taking her with) worth it.

[higgib]

This thread has turned into such a fascinating discussion! It is clear that each individual family sees things differently depending on their circumstances and the personality of their kids. I also think that maybe this is another example of how we are different in the US and the UK. Maybe you see travel differently because of the size of your country and the distances involved to stay in contact with extended families?

 

To give a bit of background, our eldest DD (who has also just turned 17), bless her, was a NIGHTMARE as a baby. almost from birth, she hated being restricted in any way, and would scream when strapped in the car, in a buggy, even in a supermarket trolley! She was also a terrible sleeper. even when she was tiny, she rarely slept during the day, and at night only for 6 or 7 hours, and even that not without waking several times. She never slept in the car or whilst travelling. There was NO WAY I was ever going to contemplate taking a child like that on an aircraft!!!:eek:

 

That said, having over the years undertaken many long haul flights, or overcrowded shorter haul flights to very hot destinations, I do wonder why some people are struggling with small kids when it would all be so much easier and more pleasant for everyone if they would just wait a couple of years!!! For example, I have listened to a baby scream for 8 hours straight on a flight to Australia, I sat behind a couple with 4 kids under 5 on a flight from London to LAX. The parents changed the 2YO's dirty nappy on the seat after takeoff:eek::eek::eek:. On a recent Med cruise we went to Venice. It was really hot, and with 5 cruise ships in port, impossibly crowded. We were rammed persistently by families with small kids in buggies. Some of these kids were hot and terrified because all they could see were people's legs and bags being swung in their faces. The parents were hot and harassed trying to carry the buggies up and down the steps of the endless bridges.

I just thought "Why are you doing this??? You are clearly not enjoying yourself, and neither is your child".

 

No, we didn't put the kids in a box until they were old enough to remember their holidays!!! We just did not have 'adult' kinds of holidays when our kids were small. We did things that were age appropriate for our kids. There is a big difference between driving the toddlers to the zoo for the day, and taking them on a 2 week tour of Europe in August!!!

 

We never left them with anyone whilst we went away. They have always gone everywhere with us. But, we chose appropriate destinations and methods of travel for their ages, and did not undertake long and arduous journeys with them until they were able to deal with them. For example we took them to Florida when they were 7 and 9, and to Australia to visit family when they were 9 and 11. The first time we had a 3 day holiday in Paris alone, was when the eldest was 10. Boy, did we deserve it!!!:)

 

As I said, there are obviously lots of views about this, and it is fascinating to read them all. I have every respect for everyone's opinion on the kinds of travels they find appropriate for their individual families.

 

Happy travels :)

[Onessa]

Yup, good kid (she takes after her dad, not me)! Plus, we have alway made an effort to travel off-times. . .November in the Med, May in the Baltics or AK. Fortunately we are a family of cool weather lovers. We adjust to what works for us.

 

I am really just a bit tired of the woman who I work with who just had her first baby and is completely unwilling to take him anywhere (including a park) because it is such a hassle and then complains how tied down she is. It isn't because he is a fussy baby. Plus her husband is paranoid that he might cry. Babies do sometimes cry . . . Don't just write it off.

 

You make your own decisions based upon what is right for you and your family. But I still believe that one of the reasons my DD is as awesome as she is is because of all the stuff she's done - part of that is travel.