Real travel fun is traveling with small children. My wife is flying out for a funeral with our 2-year old son. It becomes a nightmare to get the kid through security and onto the flight. Here are a couple thoughts and things I do to make it easier and safer for my wife.
I’ll park in the short-term parking and walk in with them (most of the time it turns out to be free, but is less then $5). I’ll leave my knife and anything else that won’t get through security in the car. I stay with my wife the entire time in line. At the check in counter you can ask for a pass to help the kids onto the plane. That pass will get you through security (that’s why I have to leave everything). I go through security with my family. Since I don’t have anything I can handle some of her stuff and/or the kid. This can take real work.
Last time TSA made the kid walk through by himself and he wouldn’t unless mom was on one side and I was on the other. I don’t know what TSA will do if you are traveling alone with a child and the kid refuses to do what they want.
Once through security I’ll stay with my family until they board the plane. I make sure we are there early enough for the kid to run around for a while and so my wife can board early. When you board early, you have your pick of overhead bin space. If you don’t then who knows where the kid’s toys can end up. My kid does better when he gets to watch everyone else walk in instead of having everyone look at him.
On the other end of the flight, I have someone waiting in the terminal for them. It’s easy when you can have family or friends waiting. If you are going somewhere that family or friends can’t pick you up us a car service. The car services have to be arranged a head of time. They are only marginally more expensive then a cab and will have someone waiting to help you with bags and know where to go. Either way makes my wife and son safer. Walking around like you are lost with a bunch of stuff and young child just screams, “rob me” to a predator.
Is there anything you do extra when traveling with young kids?
Stay Safe,
Ben