Tips on Thursday - Precious Cargo Aboard

Family vacations are a time to slow down our busy lives and create memories for a lifetime. But air travel with children can sometimes throw a wrench into the fun. Don’t spoil event- be prepared with these helpful tips from a Dad that’s been there, done that.

Schedule flights for the morning, as the likelihood for these to be delayed is slim. Plus, your little energizer bunny will be ready to take his or her nap once on board. If you can’t leave in the morning, try to schedule the flight around your child’s naptime.

Shoot for direct flights. Even though my last toddler adventure was now years ago, it was for a combination of long flights to get to our final destination, plus a longish layover in between. The 12 hours of travel time was coupled with 2 1/2 hours on the front end getting to the airport plus maneuvering through security with all of the "gear" in tow. Needless to say, my tiny tot slept for nearly the entire flight once we were onboard.

Get there early if your little one is walking. Let them burn off some energy. Plus, they won’t feel too restricted if they were mobile before getting on the plane.

Grab the bulkhead if possible. If your infant or toddler will have a seat, go bulkhead. The rows are so narrow that when the passenger who is in front of your child, leans back- forget about it. Your tot who was very content in his own seat is now being knocked over and over again.

It is recommended that children sit in their own car seat during air travel even though infants through age 2 can fly free on an adult’s lap. I’m all for making full use of freebies whenever possible, but if the flight is longer than 3 hours - I’m buying a seat.  Happy baby, happy flight.

Security checkpoint- go through the family line. This is usually the same line as used by airline security. Also, follow the TSA guidelines for liquids and other essentials and you’ll be golden. Check it out: http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/children.

As long as you are prepared for the adventures of traveling with your little bundle of joy - the journey itself can be relatively enjoyable.