Take Flight

Five years ago today, I wrote the following blog article on the plane from Connecticut to California. I had recently had that very difficult "talk" with my now ex spouse about separating because our marriage was seriously broken. I was taking a flight to sort things out, see family and have a little alone time. I knew that my life was about to take a drastic turn and I guess I needed a weekend to help cushion the fall. I still like to travel with my kids and now they are MUCH easier travelers. Oh what a difference time makes. October 23, 2009: I am sitting on an airplane on my way to California. I am originally from CA, so flying across country has become something I am accustomed to. This flight is especially relaxing because I am without my children. Usually, I am fixing portable DVD players, coaxing them to stay in their seat belts, getting them snacks and drinks and praying that we don’t create too much of a distraction for the rest of the passengers. We usually do cause a ruckus however. We all flew to Texas last spring and my then 3 year old was absolutely exhausted! The flight attendant came over at one point and very rudely pointed out to him that he was not a very well behaved child. He didn't care. At the end of the flight we were sitting on the runway, waiting for a gate to open up. I quietly pointed out to him as he was whining, that he was just tired and cranky. Not such a smooth move on my part. He took the opportunity at that moment to yell at the top of his lungs, “I'M NOT CRANKY!” At that point, his statement broke the tension on the plane and everyone started laughing. That was a good moment. It was always very interesting on flights throughout the past 10 years, when my kids were babies, crammed into a coach seat trying to breast feed, with an absolute stranger sitting on one side, that you might as well just let it all hang out. I lost all sense of modesty after that. It’s always fun when you board the plane with your kids and you get those looks from passengers. You know those looks, the one’s of worry and panic that your kids are going to make the flight horrendous. What the heck, there are no flights just for kids where they are quarantined from the rest of the passengers. You book a ticket on an airline and yes, there are bound to be families on the planes. If you want peace and quiet, book a private charter or stay home. It’s always fun being in mid air when one of the kids throws up. That is just a barrel of laughs. The toddler stage is really fun too, when they just want down and it is like a circus act, trying to get them to stay in their seats! I always consider it a success or a miracle when one, let alone all of them fall asleep, then I can actually have a few moments to myself. Flying is not easy with kids, but I never focus on the difficulty in getting to our destination. I always focus on the goal.....the fun we will have when we get there. I know some people who refuse to embark on the adventures of traveling with their kids, because it might be tough. Again, like anything worthwhile in life, you have to focus on the end result, not the work it takes to get there. Don’t limit yourself, just because it may be stressful or take some effort on your part. If you do, you’re missing out on all the freedom and all of the opportunities you could have. My kids are sure glad that I make the effort. They are easier travelers now that they are older and I have smartened up too and learned from trail and error. I always travel non-stop when possible, bring extra snacks and I always have a bottle of Benadryl handy (just joking, sort of). As I sit, enjoying the flight, I smile as I hear other people’s kids screaming and whining, knowing that as long as they aren't my kids, they can scream all they want......I brought my Ipod.