Kids are the best travel companions—two tips to ace long-haul flights

I never thought I’d have a day where I could take my little one along to explore the world with me. These memories will truly be the most precious treasures of my life. The Fattyma family lives in the U.S. due to work, but over the past year or two, since the birth of Fatty, we’ve been traveling back and forth between Taiwan and the U.S. to let the family see her more. That’s why so many moms have messaged Fattyma asking how we manage to keep Fatty so calm and well-behaved during our flights. I hope to share some tips when I can.

Actually, today’s post isn’t about teaching everyone how to make their kids as well-behaved as Fatty during travel—because I’m no expert, and I can’t really provide specific methods. Plus, every child’s personality is different, and even if I did share something, your kid might not respond the same way, right? So today, Fattyma just has one piece of advice to offer:

This is purely based on our experiences traveling with Fatty over the past two years, besides flying between Taiwan and the U.S., we’ve also visited other places. I might also summarize a bit of Fattyma’s insights along the way, hoping to give parents who are hesitant to travel with their little ones a bit more courage and impulse—because traveling with a baby is really not that hard at all. The process may be tough, but the memories are definitely sweet. Come on, join Fattyma in exploring this beautiful world with your little one.

For Fattyma, the hardest part of traveling is the journey on transportation—not just for kids, but adults also feel stiff and sore after sitting in one place for too long. So for me, as long as I get through this part, the rest of the trip becomes much easier... So let’s start with transportation first.

In fact, ever since Fatty was two and a half months old, due to Daddy’s work, we started our fate of flying back and forth between the U.S. and Taiwan. I think it’s because we had no choice in the environment that made Fatty adapt to long-haul travel early on. Fattyma deeply believes that because Fatty started this kind of environment so early, now, even though she’s only 2 years and 3 months old, flights over 12 hours are a piece of cake for her. Plus, we live on the East Coast, so any flight with connections is bound to be over 16 hours or even a full day.

But do you think Fatty is just naturally this easy to travel with? NO~~~~~ Fattyma has done her homework:

And by slightly adjusting the baby’s routine according to the flight duration, you won’t end up in a chaotic mess or exhaust the mom. This might sound confusing to many, but it basically means don’t let the trip disrupt the baby’s schedule. Stick to their regular eating and sleeping times even on the plane—no need to change them. Unless the baby falls asleep—then definitely don’t wake her up, just mentally adjust the order of the schedule. Most importantly, when the baby sleeps, you should try to nap too, otherwise once they wake up, you’re not getting any sleep @@

I’ve also heard of people intentionally not letting their babies sleep before the flight, making them more tired so they’ll sleep better on the plane. But personally, I think this works better for kids over one year old. My experience is that the more tired the baby is, the more hyper they get. No matter if it’s bedtime or they’re completely exhausted, they usually end up being the troublemaker, so for those planning to travel with a baby under one, it’s better to keep their routine stable first.

Fattyma’s experience over the past two years is that the younger the baby, the easier they are to travel with. Many people tell me there are issues with ear pressure causing babies to cry, but aside from having her drink water or nurse during takeoff and landing to reduce discomfort, Fatty rarely cries on the plane. She either eats or sleeps (especially as a newborn).

Kids over one year old generally have a fairly fixed routine, but they can get overly excited due to external novelty, making them unwilling to sleep even when it's time to do so. Pangpang has been flying since he was two and a half months old, and up to now at 2 years and 3 months, he’s already accumulated six long-haul flight experiences. What Mama Pang wants to say is — bring plenty of toys, because waiting at the airport takes time that needs to be filled, especially for an energetic child who wants to run around. Also, sometimes the airplane provides fun little toys that can help pass the time.

Throughout our trips, the items I’ve brought the most for Pangpang are drawing supplies, or else sticker books to keep her occupied.
Look at how Pangpang, who was almost two years old this August, came back with us like a little adult, watching TV with us. Back then, Mama Pang was just grateful if she didn’t make a fuss — thank goodness. But not long after getting on the plane, she fell asleep... oh yeah~ Later, I also found a travel tray that fits on any car seat, allowing the ever-growing Pangpang to comfortably do whatever she wants during long journeys.

Writing all this may sound easy,

Apart from flying, I think the most commonly used mode of transportation for travel is by car. Although Taiwan is small, it still takes five to six hours to travel from the north to the south. But for Fatty, who can easily endure flights over 10 hours, a family trip like last year’s direct dash from Taipei to Kenting was really just a piece of cake in terms of travel fatigue. Still, I didn’t forget to bring anything essential—even though being strapped into a car seat on long drives can be uncomfortable, so those little travel essentials are absolutely indispensable. Looking back now, no wonder my bag is always so heavy XD

I think because Fatty has more travel experience than most kids his age, he’s basically trained himself to do one thing as soon as he gets into the car and settles into his car seat—fall asleep. The same goes for buses too. I feel most fortunate that, over time, Fatty has developed such resilient stamina. Now, even on long road trips, he can find ways to entertain himself in the back seat, or he just falls asleep as soon as we start driving.

As for the boat travel section,

The experiences of traveling by [mode of transportation] mentioned above are all recorded and shared based on Pangpang's personal experiences. Of course, every child is different, and the insights shared by Pangma can serve as a reference for everyone.

Next, we’re about to enter the most Up~

Before I had kids, when I traveled alone, I always walked quickly to make sure I had enough time to see all the attractions. But ever since having children, my pace has slowed down, and traveling has become even more fun—because even I stop to explore new things with Pangpang when she gets excited about them. I remember there was a big butterfly in a tree that really caught her attention, but what I wanted to capture in that moment was how Pangpang was completely absorbed by the butterfly, and how her focused expression captivated me. Isn't that just too interesting...

I still remember the first time PANGPANG saw sand—his expression was like seeing a ghost, totally melting down and unable to calm down for ages. Half a year later, he was already able to blend in with the sand (?). Of course, we tried taking him to the sand a few more times in between, but the meltdowns kept happening… Until our trip to Xiaoliuyu two months ago, when PANGPANG went completely crazy for playing in the sand, making mom over the moon. My baby has grown up so much.

For the first time, Pangpang saw an excavator up close right in front of him, and experienced hermit crabs for the very first time—no longer something he could only see on the Discovery Channel. It turns out that Little Liuqiu has flowers that only bloom at night, and they wither the same day after blooming... Without seeing it in person through travel, you really wouldn't know or be able to experience its beauty just by reading about it.

Honestly, I’m a pretty easygoing mom, because I love to travel—I wish I could be out exploring all day long (though that’s obviously not realistic). So ever since my daughter started on solids, I’ve been gently training her, especially after she turned one and could eat table food like the rest of us. Since we were in the U.S., pediatricians generally recommend switching babies to fresh milk after age one instead of formula. My daughter was super cooperative and gave up formula/breastmilk for fresh milk, so before age one, of course we still had to carry around lots of formula. Once she started solids, I’d prepare canned baby food for her. Some people also use insulated food jars or prepare simple meals on the go, but when we travel, my husband and I prioritize keeping things simple—and we really want to raise a child who adapts to our routine (I know that sounds tough), rather than the other way around. That’s why we don’t insist on making meals from scratch when we travel—how could we travel with peace of mind otherwise?

After the age of one, it gets even more convenient. When you need fresh milk while traveling, just pick some up at a convenience store.

This article is purely a personal experience sharing, just like the thoughts I've had over the past two years. It's really not about acting like an expert or telling others how to do things. For me, a travel enthusiast, going on trips is a must. No matter what, I first sort out the travel plans, then arrange everything for the kids. Sometimes try not to be too uptight about "traveling with children," loosen up a bit, take your grip off just a little, shift your mindset, and you might find that traveling with kids isn’t such a difficult thing after all.

Looking back now, although PANGPANG is only three years old, he has traveled to many places with his parents. My mind is like a database with unlimited capacity, deeply etching every moment we shared. Though PANGPANG may not remember them now, at least when we hold hands in the future and reminisce over these photos, the images will record the footsteps you once took with mommy and daddy. You’ll never have to ask mommy again: “Why isn’t there a picture of PANGPANG?” or “Where is PANGPANG?”

Finally, I want to thank my sweet and well-behaved baby.

I hope that after reading this article, you can set off with the full blessings and courage given by Pang Ma, and bravely create your own unique and precious memories with your little ones!

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