13 items I always bring in my hand-luggage

When I travel by plane with my kids, the backpack I use as a carry-on is rather full. It used to be even worse, back when my children were younger: then there were diapers and wipes, and bottles that had to come along, but even now, I carry quite a load.

I really don't mind though, because every item I carry usually comes in handy. Also, now that the kids are older, I can sneak some things into their backpacks to share the load.

Here are 13 items I always bring whenever we catch a flight:


1. Pen & paper
Even with all the electronic devices available now, I find that a small notebook and a regular ball-point pen are must-haves when I travel. The kids can use them to play tic-tac-toe or doodle to pass the time, I can use the pen to write up some extra luggage tags before checking our suitcases, fill in customs forms, or I can write some postcards with the kids while waiting at the airport.


2. Antibacterial wipes & hand sanitizer
It's a sad fact that airplanes and airports are dirty and full of germs. Liberal use of antibacterial wipes to clean everyone's hands and also clean surfaces like tray-tables can really help keep colds, flus and stomach bugs away. A small bottle of hand-sanitizer gel always goes into my zip-loc bag of liquids too. I prefer the wipes since they don't have to go into the special bag, but the gel is a great backup.


3. Decongestant
If you've ever flown with a head-cold or sinus-infection you will know why I insist on bringing this: it is excruciatingly painful at take-off and especially when the plane is landing. I always bring a liquid decongestant for the kids, tablets for myself, plus nasal sprays for everyone, just in case we need them.


4. Blankets
Fleece blankets are quite easy to pack into your hand-luggage if you roll them up tightly. They're great comfort items when your kids (or you!) want to sleep, snuggle or just relax on board, and they can also be rolled up and used as pillows. And if you end up stuck in an airport, they're very useful there too.


5. Kid-sized headphones
The headphones offered on-board by the airlines are usually made for adults and will probably not fit your child's head very well. It's a good idea to bring along some kid-sized headphones: they're much more comfortable for the kids when they watch any in-flight entertainment, and that in turn is much more relaxing for you because the head-phones will stay on rather than fall off every two seconds.


6. My Kindle (or books)
I used to always travel with a small supply of books. Now I travel with my Kindle, loaded with books for myself and the kids. Books in any form (paperback, hardcover, or on an e-reader or tablet) is a great way to pass the time when boredom strikes, so bring some, in whatever format you feel comfortable with.


7. A refillable water bottle
The last couple of years, I've brought along a refillable water bottle on our flights. Occasionally, I do have to empty it out before going through security, but once you're through security, you can fill it up again. Yes, you can usually get drinks on board, but it's nice to bring your own for when the kids just can't wait for a sip.


8. Chewing gum
I usually bring a fruity kind for the kids as a treat, and a minty kind for me, to help with ear-pressure and to just feel a little fresher after a long flight.


9. An address book
My tiny little blue address book has addresses and phone numbers for friends and family all over the world. I like having it along as a hard-copy in case my phone fails. The addresses also come in handy when the kids want to send postcards during our travels.


10. A clean T-shirt for myself
On long flights with my kids, accidents can and do happen, and sometimes those accidents happen on me. Spills, spit-ups (if you have a baby), smears, general dirtiness, sweat... it's just really nice to at least have the option to change into a clean shirt on board. In case of delayed flights, the clean shirt can come in very handy as a partial change of clothes as well.


11. A change of clothes for the kids
Yes, accidents can happen, even if your kids are not babies or toddlers. Because of this, I always bring one change of clothes (including socks and underwear) for each child. It's a bit of a hassle to fit into the hand-luggage, but now when the kids are older and have their own bags, they can at least carry their own change of clothes.


12. Gravol
Luckily, I've only had to use the anti-nausea medication for my kids a couple of times over all our years of traveling. I still bring it on every flight though. A small bottle won't take up a lot of space, and if you're on a plane with a child who has an upset stomach, you will be very glad you brought this along. 

 13. An empty plastic bag
This easy-to-pack item can be used for wet, soiled clothes and any garbage you might get stuck with and don't know what to do with. It sounds superfluous, but comes in handy more often than you'd think.

Flying with kids - 5 rules-of-behaviour to follow on board

When you're on an airplane with your kids, you will probably feel a bit stressed out at some point. No matter how experienced a traveler you are, and how well-behaved your children are, it's just a fact of life that most regular kids will not behave as perfect angels for the duration of a long-haul flight.

In my experience though, most kids do OK on flights, even long ones. Yes, they can get bored and fidgety, and sometimes they cry, but on the many flights I've taken, I've never seen children totally out of control. Kids are people too of course, and if they're tired, hungry, scared or uncomfortable they might act out rather than tell you what's wrong. I've seen some adults act a lot worse than most kids I've traveled with, and they have way fewer excuses in my opinion!

Still, there are certain behaviours that should be avoided at (almost) all costs on board a plane. And most parents know that with kids, especially younger ones, you better pick your battles and focus on stuff that is REALLY important, rather than nag them about every little thing. So here are my 5 most important rules on board:

Behave, or the t-rex will get you!

1. No kicking the seat in front
Nobody wants to get kicked in the back every two seconds, so to preserve peace and good-will on the plane, this is my number one no-no for the kids: squirm in your own seat if you must, but don't kick the seat in front of you.

2. No tugging on the tray table
This is just as bad as kicking the seat, since the effect is pretty much the same for the poor passenger in front of you. The tray table can be rather irresistible for kids, so it's best to keep an eye on this and lay down the law as soon as you can. Using the tray-table is alright, but don't pound on it, or tug on it so that it causes distress for others.

3. No screaming (unless you're really in pain)
Let's face it: sometimes kids get loud. This is when we as parents sometimes tell them to use their "indoor voices". On the plane, indoor voice is important. Babies can cry: they don't have any other way of telling adults if something is wrong, so they're excused. I tell my kids they can whine and complain to me if they like, but please, no loud voices. With everyone in cramped, close quarters on a flight, too much noise is not a good thing.

See, perfect angels...

4. Always clean your hands after going to the bathroom
This rule is good all the time, everywhere, but I especially enforce it when we're on a plane. Why? Because airplane bathrooms are very, very cramped and very, very dirty. Anyone who goes in there will touch something that makes them pick up unwanted germs. Antibacterial hand-wipes and hand-sanitizer is a must to reduce the risk of catching a cold, flu or stomach-bug.


5. When you board the plane: get into your seat right away
When people board the plane, they should get out of the aisle and into their seats as fast as possible. Get your carryons out of the way immediately, or sit down and do it later. Standing in the aisle means you're holding up the entire boarding process, and that other passengers will have to stand around and wait for way too long. I enforce this rule for my kids when we board a flight, and would like to be able to enforce it for every adult on the plane too. My kids (and most other kids I've seen) usually get into their seats quickly, while adults often stand around fiddling with bags, coats, cameras, newspapers, headphones, laptops, tablets... forever.

Bonus rule: help out if you can. If you see a fellow passenger that needs help entertaining a child, getting their carry-on out of the overhead compartment, finding a pen that fell on the floor... help out. Small acts of kindness can go a long way on a long flight.