The tips to survive that long flight with a little one

You know how it is: a day before you go on vacation, your to-do list seems endless. Sending packages back, final appointments, making a few calls, doing the last shopping, and not unimportantly: packing your suitcase. This whole routine seemed never-ending last Monday. And when I thought I had finally tackled everything in the evening and could finally start packing my suitcase, I still forgot one of the most important things: stocking up on provisions for the long flight. While I was cycling to the supermarket in a hurry, I had a friend on the phone who completely declared me crazy: ’They have all those little jars on board, you don't need to take anything with you.‘ Believe me, Otis is really not going to agree to live off jars for eleven hours.

Now I'm sweating bullets for that long ride with a one-and-a-half-year-old (read: compared to all previous flights, he now has a will of his own AND can walk), so I want to be as well-prepared as possible. And I can tell you: that panic run to the supermarket was more than worth it. Thanks to my delicious raw vegetables with hummus, currant rolls with cheese, veggie balls, fresh fruit, and cheese dippers, he had a nice snack moment every hour where he could refuel. The only two crying moments were when we tried to force him to sleep (with no result), but other than that, he was relaxed and sweet the whole trip, which earned us a lot of compliments from fellow passengers during landing. If you're also planning a long trip with your little one soon, hopefully, you'll find these tips helpful to make the flight as smooth as possible for yourself and everyone around you.

• Take a few gifts for on board: absolutely no big things; even if you pack a box of raisins. The unwrapping itself is the biggest party, and when they are done with that little book, stuffed animal, or toy, you still have a few unwrapping moments up your sleeve.
• Enough food: for us a lifesaver. If Otis was really done with it, that bag of ‘treats’ would open again, and he would enjoy a bowl of strawberries or a sandwich. For us, ‘dipping’ was a huge success: dipping crackers or raw vegetables in the hummus; that action brought a lot of joy.
• Rescue Remedy drops from Bach: I got this tip from a friend, but I haven't used it myself. If your little one panics or cries incessantly, you can give a few of these homeopathic drops as a natural ‘stress reliever’.
• Have a plethora of songs ready: make sure you can switch it up enough so that you and your fellow passengers don't get the urge to strangle someone after hearing ‘In de maneschijn’ for the 50th time.
• You not panicking, them not panicking: don't stress out if that little one starts crying or doesn't want to sleep. Many people on board have probably been in the same boat at some point, and if not: let them stare at you in disbelief. Children only panic more if you do.