Tell him you will be back, that he will be safe and well-taken care of while you are away. Tell the caregiver to talk to your child in this reassuring way as well. Be sure to say goodbye when the time comes. Do not stay away more than 2 or 3 days.
Experienced traveling families already know this, but in most cases the hardest time to travel with a child is from when they become squirmy and mobile by about 9 months old until they hit the age of reason bargaining/cartooning/snacking at about 18 months.
A baby must be under two years of age to qualify as a lap infant. Once your infant turns 2 years old, they will be considered a child and will need to travel in their own seat.
It isn't just the actual act of traveling itself that can throw a kid out of sorts and increase their stress level. Literally everything around your child has to change when you travel for the holidays, and those changes can be huge for them.
Small children can get irritable in the evening, especially if they've been cooped up in a car, train, or plane for several hours. Flying or driving in the evening can have advantages, too. If your journey coincides with bedtime or starts shortly after a feeding, your child may sleep through the trip.
The best time to fly with kids
The best times, most agree, are between three and nine months, when kids aren't yet mobile, and any time after age two or three. The idea here is to bypass the toddler phase, and, more importantly, to avoid flying with young infants.
Does My Baby Miss Me? Young babies may recognize the faces of their parents and other relatives, but it isn't until later that they'll miss a loved one who's not around. That's because it takes time for babies to understand object permanence.
Making a custody schedule for a toddler
Your custody schedule should give your toddler frequent contact with both parents and provide both parents opportunities to feed, bathe, play with, read to, arrange playdates for, and put the toddler to sleep. Toddlers can be away from either parent for 2 or 3 days.
It's Good for Your Kids
A little time away can benefit them greatly. Your toddler will learn to trust other adults to care for them. They'll probably gain a little independence because mom isn't there to do everything for them. And it will ease any separation anxiety your kids might experience.
Make the sleep environment as familiar as possible for your child. This includes bringing familiar smelling sheets for the pack'n'play or crib for babies or blow up mattress travel for toddlers (here is what we use and love), having their lovey (12 months and older!), and the same sleep sack or blanket.
A toddler travel bed is the perfect solution for families whose children are in between needing a pack '-n -play or travel crib and sleeping safely in a bed. A portable toddler bed is designed to provide a safe, comfortable space for your tot to sleep on vacation.
Where will my baby sleep on a plane? On long-haul flights, you can request a bassinet/sky cot for your baby to sleep in. You'll need to book a bulkhead seat (a row with no other seats in front) to get those though.
Giving your child melatonin can help them fall asleep and stay asleep through the night – and on long-haul flights! Of course, before giving your child any supplement, it's always best to speak with your pediatrician first.
The good news is, I think flying with a 2-year-old is much easier than traveling with a 1-year-old toddler. 1-year-olds have no attention span, and just want to crawl or walk and explore. 2-year-olds are slightly more reasonable, and a bit more easily bribed to sit for a while.
Each airline will have its rules about who can sit where, but a bulkhead seat is generally considered an excellent option for families traveling with young children. The bulkhead is at the front of the cabin and sitting in those seats usually guarantees you some extra leg room.
Children under the age of 5 must always be accompanied by someone at least 12 years of age flying in the same cabin (18 years of age on some airlines); airlines do not allow kids under 5 to fly alone.
Some airlines require you to buy a full adult fare for children aged 2 and older, while others offer child fares that are drastically discounted. However, once children reach the age of 2, they will need to sit in their own reserved seat with a purchased ticket.