My first flight with a baby in my arms was when my oldest – now 9 – was 6 weeks old, and we were Hawaii bound. We’ve been on countless flights since then, but even so, I was admittedly nervous about traveling with my 6 and 8 year old boys to Europe.
The big game changer, however, is that for the first time, both boys were big enough to carry their own stuff. In the past, we had been their Sherpas, but no more! They both have a carry on suitcase and a backpack with a trolley sleeve, and the boys practiced wheeling their stuff around ahead of time.
The PREP
First things first, we had “the talk” with Leo and Rydell. And by that, I mean we had a long discussion on what it was going to be like to be on an airplane for that long. I told them that we would bring as much as we could to keep them entertained and comfortable, but there’s no way around it – it was going to be boring, exhausting, and unpleasant. Whatever you do, you have to ask yourself, “is the juice worth the squeeze?” If they wanted to eat in a real Parisian cafe, swim in the Mediterranean, and experience life in a different country, this is the squeeze that they were going to have to make.
They agreed it was worth it, and it was time to pack.
We had decided ahead of time that we weren’t going to check a bag, we would stick to carry-ons. That was the first challenge, as Iceland Air has slightly smaller carry-on bag requirements, with a weight limit of 10 kilos (22 pounds). I made it work, so I packed as light as I could, and I stuffed snacks, iPads, books, a couple small toys and coloring supplies into the backpacks.
The FLIGHT
Portland —> Reykjavik —> Paris
It was an 8 hour flight, a 2 hour layover, and then a 4 hour flight.
I wish I had some great tips and tricks for you, but in all honesty, I don’t. No matter how much preparation you do, long haul international flights in economy are neither glamorous nor comfortable. We stocked the iPads with shows, packed pillows and blankets, dressed in layers, and made sure to have seats together.
We left at 2pm on a Saturday and arrived to our Airbnb at about 3pm the following day. To say we were tired is an understatement, but we were determined to adjust to the time. We dropped off our stuff, walked aimlessly around our Parisian neighborhood until we could finally crash at 9pm that night. That day was brutal for all of us, but it was worth it, because we all woke up at about 830am that Monday, ready to eat croissants to our hearts’ content.
CONCLUSION
Flying with kids can be a lot. Flying without kids is still a lot. But don’t let it stop you! Mentally prepare yourself and your children. If we can do it, so can you.
