Hype me up and tell me I CAN do a short international flight alone with my two kids (3 years and 9 months)

@docmrm Another option is a car seat backpack. We have a lightweight car seat that we use just for travel, and then we pop it into a backpack for walking through the airport. It’s still bulky but manageable!
 
@docmrm I bought a fold up set of wheels (very light) and a slim light car seat. My kids sit in Nuna Rava in the car and that seat is like 27 pounds. I bought a Graco contender slim for plane travel. I am guessing it weighs in the 10 pound-ish range. The rolling wheels are called “airport car seat stroller cart” on Amazon.
 
@docmrm I also have an only child but have flown alone with her lots. The biggest help to me in the horrible toddler years was always remembering that it was a limited time and no matter how horrible it was it would be over soon.

Other than that, bring a stroller for the airport plus carrier for baby, especially if in Europe. You can gate check the stroller but may then have to walk up stairs to the plane or even get a bus, and after the flight it's only returned with the rest of the luggage. I know some people bring the small ones on board but I think it might take the place of hand luggage, plus you might also have to carry it up stairs. For the toddler one of those ride on suitcases might be useful.

Bring hand luggage with plenty of snacks (don't depend on plane food) and spare clothes for everyone, even you if possible. But check your main luggage, you have enough to juggle. Download some bluey or whatever your toddler likes to watch on a tablet. This is not a time to restrict screens.
 
@docmrm If you're from the US, I'd suggest seeing if you can get Global Entry, or at least the TSA Pre-check. Pre-check only takes a couple weeks to get approved (mine was less than a week) and it's nice not having to take off your shoes and stop to put them back on when wrangling kids through the airport.

Also, be careful what kind of water bottles you take on the plane. I took both my kids with me and gave them each a water bottle with a pop-up lid. Turns out, those will pressurize if left closed at take off then water will explode up if you open the mid flight. Learned that the hard way
 
@labyrinthmama It was so bad. My youngest did it, and while I was already panicked, trying to stop it and clean up the mess, my oldest said "whoa, will mine do that too?". Then like the little scientist he is, he opened his before I could react. Of course my boys don't drink plain water, there was bright red mio added to it so we all turned pink. The only good thing was it didn't hit any neighbors. Just us, our seats and the ceiling above us.
 
@docmrm Yes, you can do it - mind over matter!

3 hour flight will actually go by very quickly - dress baby in pyjamas and do normal bedtime routine ahead of taking the flight whilst you are at the airport. Get to the airport early, do dinner at the airport, allow for time in playspace (if you live in the UK this is a pre-flight ritual for my kids at Heathrow and Gatwick!)

For the three year old, bring snacks - I find starch based snacks like cheerios/crackers/breadsticks work best, allow a few shows on the ipad, sticker books, they probably will fall asleep more easily than you think.

Be prepared that the ride to your final destination is probably going to be the hardest part - enlist your family to meet you at the airport, help with transportation, and help with the kids.

I've taken multiple solo flights - key is to just bring extra clothes (for everyone) get there early, expect that things won't go as planned, and bring nice fancy snacks for yourself (I always pack a fancy bar of chocolate just for me!)
 
@docmrm You can and totally SHOULD do it!! Worst case is you have a really crappy 3 hours and then a few weeks of family and destress time. Best case, the flight is great and you have a few weeks of family and destress time. I also have to travel internationally to go home (about 9-10 hour flight) and sometimes it’s just necessary.
 
@docmrm This is one of those times where all your normal rules go out the window, toddlers want candy and chips for the flight, you got it. You want to watch nothing but cartoons for 3 hours, done. I haven't done a solo trip but we did a major remodel of our house and there was a weekend where we all had to live in one room for 2 days, we did nothing but play games, watch TV and eat junk food, my kids still talk about how awesome that weekend was, they certainly don't remember the construction or the fighting, you've got this!
 
@docmrm I think I you can do it! Just make sure they are both sucking on something on the way up and on the way down. There is no shame and in my screens and suckers game on a flight with my kids.
 
@docmrm Even if things don’t go well (and there is good reason to believe they will) you can survive anything for half a day. Plan ahead as well as you can and then just let it ride. At the end of the trip you’ll be with your family and have some real help.
 
@docmrm The hardest part with two kiddos is getting to and from the plane, after that you have plenty of people who are willing to help so do whatever you need to make it easier. Check your luggage, baby wear and put toddler in a stroller that you will gate check so you have it when you get off the plane. They also make little cart attachments for car seats with wheels and I've seen plenty of people in the airport wearing a baby and have their toddler sit in it while they pulled them if that's easier than your stroller options. Here's an example below. Other than that all the snacks and screentime for your toddler, it's one day do whatever you need to do to make it easier on yourself!

https://www.amazon.com/Zhtangrui-Ca...MIsJaMk9yKhgMVqUp_AB1WDw9sEAQYASABEgJHivD_BwE
 
@docmrm My MIL used to do this with my husband and his sister every summer! And that was a 6 hour flight, in the 80s with a lot less stuff to entertain the kiddos. My husband really treasures that time spent in his abuelos' village growing up.

Just relax all your screen/snack rules and remember, we're not above bribery here. You can do it!!!
 
@docmrm Did a 6 hour international flight + 2 hour layover + second flight of 1.5 hours + shuttle to the parking lot to get our car with my the. 3.5 year old by myself. It was an overnight flight but we didn’t leave until 11pm and he had been up allllll day. He slept exactly 2 hours on our flight and then was up the entire rest of the time until we got home. So my little guy was up well over 24 hours. He was an absolute champ. I was shocked.

You can do it! Your kiddoes might surprise you with how well they do!
 
@docmrm I fly a lot and did it alone for 10+ hour flights with both of mine when they were little. Not really an issue. What you need to do is go zen. Don't let anything stress you, don't plan on sleep from anyone and when the baby is crying while the toddler is jumping in the seat when they're supposed to have their seat belt on, do NOT look around to cringe at some stupid boomer giving you the stink eye.

It's just 3 hours. You'll be fine!
 
@docmrm The phrasing around your husband had me rolling. Amazing.

You can absolutely do this. Take an iPad with your 3 year olds favorite shows queued up. If they watch the entire three hours, cool. If it goes poorly, it’s just a few hours and not an overnight flight or anything.

It sounds like this is what you need. What your kids need is a mom who’s taking care of herself. Do it!!!
 
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