Preparing your child for a plane trip

Help your trip go smoother by talking to your children about your upcoming trip. Even two year olds need to know what is going on. If this is your child's first time flying rent a library book about airplanes and airports and read it with your child. Better yet, purchase the Shae By Air DVD Toolkit
- and watch the DVD with your child. This DVD was made especially for toddlers and walks them through the entire process of packing, airport security, the boarding process, sitting in their seats and what to expect during the flight.

Make sure you explain the various security procedures. My daughter was only two when we traveled from Minnesota to Atlanta Georgia. On the return flight home our entire family was randomly chosen for search and she was absolutely terrified when we were all separated and searched. We made it through okay by my constantly talking to her throughout the process even though I was not allowed to go to her and touch her or help her out. Still, it would have helped a lot if we had practiced the procedure at home a few times before we left on the trip.

In fact, it will help if you role play the entire flight process. Pretend to drive to the airport, check your baggage, take off your shoes and put them on a pretend "moving belt", then line up your kitchen chairs in the living room and play boarding the airplane, buckling your seatbelts and then bouncing around on the airplane. Someone can even play steward and serve beverages! What a fun way to spend some time together and education the kids all at the same time.

Here are some good books to try reading with your child: