Singapore Expats

Advice for 1yr olds on long flights?

Discuss about childcare, parenthood, playschools, educational, family & international school issues.

Sponsored by:

Canadian International School
Post Reply
User avatar
zzm9980
Governor
Governor
Posts: 6869
Joined: Wed, 06 Jul 2011 1:35 pm
Location: Once more unto the breach

Advice for 1yr olds on long flights?

Post by zzm9980 » Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:21 am

Hi,

Not exactly Singapore related, but I'm sure some expat parents have had to make long flights home before.

Me, my wife, and our 1yr old daughter are flying to the states next month.

Our schedule is roughly:
Four hour flight SIN to HKG,
One hour xfer, then 14 hour HKG to ORD (Chicago).

Coming home, we have:
Fourteen hour SFO to HKG
Three hour xfer/layover
Four hours HKG to SIN

Unfortunately we'll be in economy. I got the bassinet seats from Cathay (even though our daugher is slightly over the size limit). She's just now starting to walk (2-3 steps unassisted, but will be all over the plane as long as she can hold on to things).

Any advice on how to best deal with the long flight? Or any insight into the layovers, things that may be pain points I didn't think of?

My only thought so far is getting an iPad loaded with her Sesame Street DVDs. (this usually keeps her distracted at home when she's being particularly fussy) Any other input or advice is greatly appreciated!

User avatar
Mad Scientist
Director
Director
Posts: 3546
Joined: Thu, 03 Dec 2009 6:31 am
Answers: 4
Location: TIMBUKTU

Post by Mad Scientist » Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:42 am

YOu can do two way to solve this.

See a GP and ask for prescription for long flight travel for your child

ALtrernatively , after the immigration go to the Pharmacy counter and ask for something similar. They have this ready stock
Works wonder for me all the time. No jumping no running and the best of all no crying. Magic !!
The positive thinker sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible.Yahoo !!!

User avatar
poodlek
Reporter
Reporter
Posts: 878
Joined: Mon, 10 May 2010 3:48 pm
Location: Taipa, Macau
Contact:

Post by poodlek » Mon, 30 Apr 2012 11:03 am

Not sure I'd feel comfortable drugging my child...but I may feel different as our departure date looms. Sorry zzm, no advice here. I flew to YYZ (via Dubai and Seoul) and back when my LO was 6 and 7.5 months and as he was pretty much exclusively breastfed at this point I just had to nurse him to get him to sleep. It wasn't easy to handle on my own (Mr.K stayed in SG) but I managed. I had the iPhone loaded up with sesame street but didn't end up using it at all. Next time we go he'll be 16 months and he's already an extremely active little guy so I have no idea how we'll handle him for the 26ish hours of travel time.

I can say that 4 and 6 hour layovers were the worst parts of the journey, I couldn't relax or nap as I was by myself and I had to carry my carryon luggage as well as handle the infant, but I guess with only 1-3 hours for layover you won't have to kill as much time and you can just park yourselves somewhere. I haven't been to the HK airport yet, but the Seoul terminal had a kids playground (which unfortunately my son was too small for at the time) which could have been useful for blowing off steam. Maybe there's something similar?

User avatar
nakatago
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 8364
Joined: Tue, 01 Sep 2009 11:23 pm
Location: Thunderbolts* HQ

Post by nakatago » Mon, 30 Apr 2012 11:12 am

Mad Scientist wrote: No jumping no running and the best of all no crying. Magic !!
The sound of a happy child is welcome, though one knocking or bumping into people isn't.

It's the crying that really gets on people's nerves...and one throwing a tantrum all throughout the flight is just bad. AND IT HAPPENS to me every time I fly for 7 hours or more!

@poodlek: your child is very well-behaved, unlike most children.
"A quokka is what would happen if there was an anime about kangaroos."

User avatar
sundaymorningstaple
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 40532
Joined: Thu, 11 Nov 2004 1:26 pm
Answers: 21
Location: Retired on the Little Red Dot

Post by sundaymorningstaple » Mon, 30 Apr 2012 1:00 pm

I never had any problems with either of my children when they were infants/toddlers. The only thing that is required is usually a small bottle of water/milk for takeoffs & landings. This will take care of the ear popping as the sucking will keep the ears from pressuring up, much the same way as sucking on a lolly will with adults. You obviously need to keep them entertained when they are awake but, hey, that's part of being a parent.
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

User avatar
zzm9980
Governor
Governor
Posts: 6869
Joined: Wed, 06 Jul 2011 1:35 pm
Location: Once more unto the breach

Post by zzm9980 » Mon, 30 Apr 2012 2:44 pm

MS, I love you. But I suspect my wife would try to kill you and me if I suggested this to her. I'll still try :D

HK does have a few very small play areas. Not much honestly, but one is right next to the 24hr Starbucks at G20 where I normally spend my layovers. :)

I guess it's good I paid a bit more for this itinerary. The original had me in and out of SFO, with a 5.5 hour layover on the first day before then going on to Chicago. Definitely worth it for my sanity with the child right off a 14 hour flight to avoid that.

User avatar
Mad Scientist
Director
Director
Posts: 3546
Joined: Thu, 03 Dec 2009 6:31 am
Answers: 4
Location: TIMBUKTU

Post by Mad Scientist » Mon, 30 Apr 2012 3:26 pm

Mate,

I have four kids. Grown up now. It is harmless. it just makes them more relaxed and not agitated. Or else why would the pharmacy sell this ?
BTW my children turned all alright after all the moving from one country to another.
The positive thinker sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible.Yahoo !!!

User avatar
Mary Hatch Bailey
Manager
Manager
Posts: 1511
Joined: Thu, 06 Oct 2005 7:38 am
Location: Bedford Falls

Post by Mary Hatch Bailey » Mon, 30 Apr 2012 7:10 pm

I flew with my little posse (starting at the ages of 1, 3 & 4), back and forth from Singapore to the US twice a year. Husband was rarely with me. My approach was 2 fold:

~ Bribe them

Each child had their own little carry on, for them to pack up there favorite 'whatevers'. What they didn't know is that I would buy lots and lots of new things for the flight. Nothing expensive (with the exception of the now obsolete Sony Watchman) puzzles. legos, pipe cleaners, coloring books, etc. It helped fill the hours when they were awake.

~ Decide in advance that you will simply have to let some stuff go and understand that the next 24 hours will not be your easiest . Make sure you have some help at the other end so you can get some sleep.

Flight attendants would stuff them full of cookies if I would nod off, they ate and slept at weird times. I let small stuff go.

Re: medication. We never 'drugged' the kids just because we were flying. What we did do however, is give them some kind of decongestant if they were even a little gunked up. Congestion in their ears or sinuses would wreak havoc during take-off and landings, and relieving that pressure was important. It certainly didn't knock them out.

Also, a change of clothes for everyone, including you.

Good luck!

User avatar
zzm9980
Governor
Governor
Posts: 6869
Joined: Wed, 06 Jul 2011 1:35 pm
Location: Once more unto the breach

Post by zzm9980 » Mon, 30 Apr 2012 8:25 pm

Mary Hatch Bailey wrote: Also, a change of clothes for everyone, including you.
I never would have thought of that. Thanks!!

As far as toys for my daughter... Her very favorite thing in the world right now is empty plastic starbucks cups. Maybe I'll grab a dozen before I go ;)

User avatar
the lynx
Governor
Governor
Posts: 5281
Joined: Thu, 09 Dec 2010 6:29 pm
Location: Location: Location: Location: Location: Location: Location: Location: Location: Location: Location:

Post by the lynx » Mon, 30 Apr 2012 8:57 pm

zzm9980 wrote:
Mary Hatch Bailey wrote: Also, a change of clothes for everyone, including you.
I never would have thought of that. Thanks!!

As far as toys for my daughter... Her very favorite thing in the world right now is empty plastic starbucks cups. Maybe I'll grab a dozen before I go ;)
Must be from watching Daddy drinking lots of them all the time :-P

User avatar
poodlek
Reporter
Reporter
Posts: 878
Joined: Mon, 10 May 2010 3:48 pm
Location: Taipa, Macau
Contact:

Post by poodlek » Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:30 pm

Mary Hatch Bailey wrote: ~ Decide in advance that you will simply have to let some stuff go and understand that the next 24 hours will not be your easiest . Make sure you have some help at the other end so you can get some sleep.

^^^^Solid advice. Try not to sweat it. On my last leg on the way back to Singapore my son and I were both in tears out of sheer exhaustion and the fact that there was just no room on the flight to get comfortable. And I was seated next to a less-than-understanding SPG type in all (unmatched, hideous) designer gear. We were miserable, but what could we do? Just keep on keeping on.

Also, a change of clothes for everyone, including you.

I brought two changes for myself, and three for my son. I used all of them and still ended up filthy by the time I got to my destination. Don't underestimate how relieving it is to freshen up part way through your journey.

merichan
Chatter
Chatter
Posts: 171
Joined: Thu, 14 May 2009 11:29 am

Post by merichan » Tue, 01 May 2012 10:12 am

Mad Scientist wrote:YOu can do two way to solve this.

See a GP and ask for prescription for long flight travel for your child

ALtrernatively , after the immigration go to the Pharmacy counter and ask for something similar. They have this ready stock
Works wonder for me all the time. No jumping no running and the best of all no crying. Magic !!
If you decide to go the medication way (which is always an useful back up plan in case everything else fail) , just make a test beforehand:

Everynow and then some children have the opposite reaction and instead of feeling sleepy they stay awake!

I know this first hand as it was my daughter case...If I had discovered that during the flight, I would have been in more trouble than I was...

95% of children get sleepy with cough syrup for example... not her! so that backup plan was out...


She was 2 years old and incapable of sitting still...

Had to cry for 40 minutes before being able to fall asleep... at that point when I put her flat on the floor of the plane to get her to fall asleep ( she was falling asleep best on her tummy problematic on a seat) nobody told me anything even though it's against the rules...

But all in all with the new toy, the snacks, the few videos we had on the plane ( it was pre-iPad it changed my life looool) AND the change of clothes we made it ok

was prepared for hell so in the end in went quite well compared to what I was mentally prepared for

:lol:

standingroomonly
Member
Member
Posts: 22
Joined: Thu, 22 Sep 2011 6:19 am

Post by standingroomonly » Wed, 02 May 2012 2:55 am

I've used different necklaces with my oldest (used them when he was around 1 year old)... Picked up a few interesting necklaces at a local store before the trip and traded them out during the flight (meaning, i wore them...he liked fiddling with them). Kids love playing with necklaces. They especially love necklaces with little charms on them...find one with a lot of charms and depending on your child--could be occupied for a very long time.

User avatar
QRM
Manager
Manager
Posts: 1831
Joined: Mon, 17 Oct 2005 5:23 pm
Location: Nassim hill

Post by QRM » Wed, 02 May 2012 8:37 am

For me it was a lot easier travelling with a young sprog even the simplistic of object can keep them occupied, paper cups from the plane loo keeps them amused for hours, cut holes in the bottom stick your finger through it etc. Go to Diaso and stock up on lots of crappy knick knacks, colours xmas decor, origami paper, ribbons, make up sponges, bubble wrap and seleotape etc have them all handy in the bag when boredom sets in you can whip out these surprises. You can just dump them when you get off the plane. Oh a small hand puppet was a life saver on many a trip.

Post Reply
  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post

Return to “Parenting, Family & Schools”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests