The Only Item Needed When Traveling with a Toddler

Our family recently returned from a trip overseas. We have traveled on a plane before this and yes, we made it. This time our toddler is more active so prior to the trip I researched tips and items that would be helpful in entertaining him during the flight. I packed some of his favorite toys a week before we left so that they would seem like “new ones.” I purchased a few activity books for him, and we brought some of his favorite small cuddly toys as well. When we boarded our plane we even discovered that the airplane had a small screen in front of him where he could watch his favorite character – Pooh.  Regardless of arming ourselves with this arsenal of “entertaining weapons” our son found it far more interesting to look at the people behind us and to greet them every five minutes with a chorus of “hellos.”

On the way back from our trip he decided not to sleep for one minute on a nine hour flight and quickly disregarded every single toy we had brought. And then I realized the most obvious oversight I had made before leaving for our trip – mom needed to arm herself with a few things as well – patience, mellowness, and a whole lot of love.  I had just assumed that these toys would do the job and that our son would eventually fall asleep as well. Well they didn’t and he didn’t. So be it.  He was fine – but his parent’s probably weren’t. We were too concerned that he wasn’t sleeping or that he was disturbing others. I finally told myself to “take a chill pill” and just be happy he wasn’t screaming his head off.  I overlooked the only item really needed when traveling with a toddler – less structure and a more carefree spirit which decides its okay to “go with the flow.”