Air travel is a test of patience if you have kids. They become restless sitting in one place, doing nothing. In addition, they have to keep control their voice levels, since there are other people sitting in the plane. The take-off and landing are the toughest times, when the pressure takes a toll on their sensitive ears.

Here are a few things you can do:

1) Always keep a stock of candies and chewing gums and things to eat, so they can munch away during the flight. It will keep them busy and occupied.

2) Give them chewing gums to chew at take-off and landing times. It helps ease the discomfort in the ears.

3) Keep small cotton balls in your bag, and give them to put it in their ears during the flight.

4) Play games with them, or get them to play themselves games such as I spy with my little eye', name, place, animal thing', or board games such as Ludo, Checkers.

5) Talk to them or tell them jokes and stories to get their mind off their surroundings.

6) Make plans with them of what you will do once you arrive at your destination. If you are going to meet some one or going on a vacation, make plans of how you all will spend your days. If you are coming back home, make fresh plans of a routine. Make them share their thoughts. Discuss your trip, what they liked best, what they did not like, make them write down their favorite memories.

7) It is a good idea to tell them stories and make them sleep. Air travel is best when the children are asleep.

And if all else fails, just drop a teaspoon of some medicine that makes you sleepy into their juices or milk. Or you may give them directly. This was one trick my mother used on all us children. When ever, we used to travel she would give the babies 2 teaspoons of Phenergen ( a sleep medicine) to them sleep. It was quite effective on us and we children used to sleep all through the 2 hour flight.

However, this trick certainly failed on my baby brother. My mother used to give him 2 teaspoons of Phenergen 30 minutes before take-off to make him sleep during the flight. It had the opposite effect. He used to stay awake and give mother a hard time during the flight and as soon as the flight landed, he used to fall asleep, which was quite ironic.

Try these tricks and have a good journey. Bon Voyage!

Learn more about this author, Khadija Abbas.
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