Get her her own seat on the plane. *WILD APPLAUSE!* *STANDING OVATION!*
Shit, shit, shit. I was really hoping you guys weren't going to say that. See, we live far away from both of our families. As a result, we have to fly pretty often. In fact, a few weeks after AD and I go to the Great White North, BR and AD are flying to Red Sox Nation to visit his family. As it is, we're already splitting up to minimize the cost of all of this Going Home.
Also, I would like more information on the Real World Performance of this child-flying-in-the-carseat thing. You see, one of the most charming developments of AD's toddlerhood is her newfound Carseat Despair. She arches her back and tries to ooze down the seat when you put her in. She slides the harness up and down her chest trying to pull it away. She kicks her legs. She bangs her head against the back of the seat. She angrily launches toys/food at my head as I drive. AND SO ON. Am I crazy to think that in her case holding her might actually be BETTER?
THAT BEING SAID--the comment that really has me praying to the god of skinny punks is Swistle's. She said, AND I QUOTE:
"I agree with everyone who said to buy her her own seat on the plane. WHATEVER THE COST. One of the worst experiences of my life was traveling with a child sitting on my lap. I did it to save $200, and afterwards I saw $200 in a whole new light. Actually, now that I'm thinking about it, my advice is DON'T GO. "
Let's just let that sink in, shall we? Swistle has five (5) children, including toddler twins and a newborn. I think it's safe to say that her tolerance for Bad Experiences is somewhere between "That Guy On Dirty Jobs" and "Concentration Camp Survivor".
So, I'm thinking I should consider it.
14 comments:
Well, but if she really hates the car seat that much. Well. It's not. She wouldn't. You couldn't. It's a tough one. I think my "Just don't go" advice is more valuable here.
It really was awful with kid on lap. He was even being pretty good for a 10-month-old. But he wanted to GET DOWN. And he kept grabbing at the woman sitting in the seat next to us. And he kept whapping the seat in front of us. And he wanted to stand up to look down at who was sitting in the seat in front of us. And GET DOWN!! And stand up on my lap. And it was very difficult to feed him. And he couldn't sleep sitting on my lap like that. And he wanted! to! get! down! So he was all wiggly and squirmy.
By the time we got to "wherever our destination may take you" (why do they say it like that? surely it is the plane taking me to my destination), I was sweaty and exhausted and more embarrassed than I have ever been, and that includes times since then when I have been in a store with one baby crying incessantly, two toddlers making irritating bratty toddler noises, and two older children fighting and darting out in front of other people's carts.
As an experiment, try holding her on your lap for 6 hours at home. This will give you a very good idea of what it's like, except without all the seat-kicking and fellow-passenger-grabbing, and the embarrassment of everyone hearing the sounds of her objecting to the situation, and the stale air and inability to go to the bathroom the whole time because NO WAY IN HELL ARE YOU BRINGING A CHILD INTO A DISGUSTING AIRPLANE BATHROOM.
But--maybe it would be EVEN WORSE if she was in the hated car seat.
Hey, is this making you feel better, and more relaxed about the whole trip?
It's "wherever your destination may take you," I mean.
In fact, THEY should come to YOU. There. Swistle has solved the problem. And now she will stop with all the commenting.
I'd have to concur on the "just don't go." Your families will understand. If they HAVE TO SEE YOU, tell them you'll get them a suite in a local hotel. That way they can come to you, but YOU DON'T HAVE TO LET THEM STAY AT YOUR HOUSE. Trust me, this works out best for everyone. :)
Tessie, I know this is your blog, but can I just say how much I heart Swistle???
Hi! I found you through Swistle! I second the advice on getting her own seat. Even if you don't keep her in the car seat, it is another space to put stuff and one less person who will be crammed in your row with you! Maybe she will sleep? (yea, right. I think that every time with my daughter and it only happens once the plane touches down. Oh well!)
I also had a horrible experience with a 15 month old on my lap in the middle seat for a three hour flight. She grabbed everything on everyone else's tray tables, and kept touching the fat guy's arm next to us and I wanted to lean over the fat man, punch out the window and jump. Seriously. But, once she got her own seat? MUCH better!
I bring tons of new toys, tons of food, and "Dog Fancy" magazine. Works like a charm! :) I also try to imagine having to travel back in the old days and how much faster this must be. Postive thinking. GOOD LUCK!
Shelly-You DEFINITELY may. And I concur.
Ooohhh, I thought of another tip. If you must go, and I still think make them come to you, ask for bulkhead seating. That way, you'll have more legroom and there won't be any seats to kick in front of you. Also, sometimes there is one less seat in that row, so that's one less person to give you nasty looks when AD grabs something off his/her tray or throws a toy at them, and sometimes that one less seat means there are only two in that row, so if you get AD her own seat, you'll have the whole row.
Katie-HA! Also: Dog Fancy? I'm intrigued...
JMC-Leg room is not typically an issue for me since my legs are like 1 1/2 feet long, but I LOVE the idea of getting the row to ourselves. Yes, let's hope for that.
Yup, her own seat, a mini dvd player, and it sounds like you should sign her up for frequent flyer miles.
May the force be with you.
I like the bulkhead because she won't be able to kick people in front of you and no one can recline back into y'all, but it kind of sucks because you can't have any carry ons down by your feet, so you have to get up and into the overhead bins to get stuff! You should fly Southwest, if possible (don't know exactly where the GWN is) because you can pre-board and CHOOSE YOUR OWN SEAT. Hello. That rules. Then, you put the car seat on the window. YOu sit on the aisle, and hope no one wants to sit in your row.
Dog Fancy: my toddler is FASCINATED by dogs and could just look at pictures of them for at least 10 straight minutes (which is toddler time is eternity!)
"As an experiment, try holding her on your lap for 6 hours at home." This, my friend, is genius.
Umm...I did just come to you...twice....with a toddler....BY MYSELF...and I survived it just fine. I really don't think it will be as bad as you think.
Travel with a child is NOT that bad... Or it is but everyone's doing it! There are throngs of people who can understand your misery right there in the airport.
My worst moment in an airport: My son kicked over my HUGE Caribou coffee that I covet because we do not have any Caribou coffee shopsin the entire state of IN. I barely had a sip and there was no way to get more... I almost dissolved into tears right there and the only people who saw it happen were a bunch of youngish looking guys who had this look on their faces like 'OMG, I will never get married and have... that..." and later I swear I heard one of them "oh" when the unfortunate kick landed on the side of cup. Note: do not put big coffee down next to tired, crabby and spaz-tastic child on the moving walkway... it will get kicked over. The cleaning people in Minneapolis are still cursing me between Gates 11-12... Oh and NEVER let your spouse go to the bathroom right after purchasing a hot and much coveted coffee...
At any rate, it will all be good and your child will do fine and once you get to your destination, there will be loving relatives/in-laws to take your (screaming) child off your hands so you can shower and breath and drink an entire bottle of wine to forget the whole experience (I always keep this one in mind 'cause it totally helps!)
Post a Comment