How to Help Your Child Sleep on a Plane
Book red eye flights and night flights., Try role playing before the flight to make sure that your child understand that she needs to follow the rules., Try role playing to teach your child how to go to sleep on a plane., Check in early.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Book red eye flights and night flights.
Night flights are considered the last flights that leave the airport for the day; red eye flights are the flights that leave at night and do not land at their destination until the next morning.
These types of flights are recommended because your child will already be sleepy and less stimulated because it is nighttime.
Pick out a window seat for your child.
Your child will feel more protected because she gets to sit between you and a wall.
Being in the window seat also helps because your child can place her pillow against the wall and lean on it, making her flight more comfortable.
If you are traveling with an infant, request a FAA-approved restraint call the airline and make sure that they allow car seats of your own to come on the plane (note that not all car seats are approved for airline use). -
Step 2: Try role playing before the flight to make sure that your child understand that she needs to follow the rules.
Some kids may operate better in structured environments and if you constantly talk to them about the upcoming flight, then you can set proper expectations.Communicate with your child and set expectations for the flight.
Tell your child that you know she’s excited about her first (or second or third) ride on a plane but there are certain rules that she needs to follow.
Make her understand that she needs to respect the rules, as well as the other passengers, by not being disruptive.
You can tell your child that when on a plane, it’s like living in a small “country” where the pilot is the “president” and the “flight attendants” are the cops.
Tell your child that she has to follow the rules and obey you, as well as the flight attendants and pilot. , During bedtime a few nights before the flight, play pretend with your child that you are both getting ready to go sleep on the plane.
Tell your child that you expect to her to act in the same way that she would act while getting ready for bed at home.
If you do not have control over the schedule of your flight and you end up traveling in the morning or mid-morning, you can still role play with your child a few days before the trip by pretending to be on the plane during nap time in the afternoon.
You can slowly, over the days, introduce an eye-cover to your child so she can use it during the flight to cover her eyes to help her to sleep. , Getting to the airport and checking in early will allow you the time before your flight to help prepare your child for bed.
This could mean changing your child’s diaper, getting her dressed in her pajamas, and getting your child a snack.
When you check in, find out if there are any extra seats on your flight.
If so, you may be able to switch your seats around so that you are your child sit next to an empty seat.
Your child will then be able to lie down in both her seat and the empty seat, making sleep more easily attainable. -
Step 3: Try role playing to teach your child how to go to sleep on a plane.
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Step 4: Check in early.
Detailed Guide
Night flights are considered the last flights that leave the airport for the day; red eye flights are the flights that leave at night and do not land at their destination until the next morning.
These types of flights are recommended because your child will already be sleepy and less stimulated because it is nighttime.
Pick out a window seat for your child.
Your child will feel more protected because she gets to sit between you and a wall.
Being in the window seat also helps because your child can place her pillow against the wall and lean on it, making her flight more comfortable.
If you are traveling with an infant, request a FAA-approved restraint call the airline and make sure that they allow car seats of your own to come on the plane (note that not all car seats are approved for airline use).
Some kids may operate better in structured environments and if you constantly talk to them about the upcoming flight, then you can set proper expectations.Communicate with your child and set expectations for the flight.
Tell your child that you know she’s excited about her first (or second or third) ride on a plane but there are certain rules that she needs to follow.
Make her understand that she needs to respect the rules, as well as the other passengers, by not being disruptive.
You can tell your child that when on a plane, it’s like living in a small “country” where the pilot is the “president” and the “flight attendants” are the cops.
Tell your child that she has to follow the rules and obey you, as well as the flight attendants and pilot. , During bedtime a few nights before the flight, play pretend with your child that you are both getting ready to go sleep on the plane.
Tell your child that you expect to her to act in the same way that she would act while getting ready for bed at home.
If you do not have control over the schedule of your flight and you end up traveling in the morning or mid-morning, you can still role play with your child a few days before the trip by pretending to be on the plane during nap time in the afternoon.
You can slowly, over the days, introduce an eye-cover to your child so she can use it during the flight to cover her eyes to help her to sleep. , Getting to the airport and checking in early will allow you the time before your flight to help prepare your child for bed.
This could mean changing your child’s diaper, getting her dressed in her pajamas, and getting your child a snack.
When you check in, find out if there are any extra seats on your flight.
If so, you may be able to switch your seats around so that you are your child sit next to an empty seat.
Your child will then be able to lie down in both her seat and the empty seat, making sleep more easily attainable.
About the Author
Natalie Gutierrez
Specializes in breaking down complex home improvement topics into simple steps.
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