Welcome to Gaia! ::

Oy. Tomorrow my four year old son and I will be flying to CA to visit my parents. I'm looking forward to my boy enjoying the plane, but it's the logistics that are haunting me. Flying unto itself has become worrisome due to all the new security precautions. Please don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for the safety that these measures ensure. But I haven't flown since our nation's tragedy, and so I have no refrence from which to make plans and prepare my son for what we will be doing.

I'm the sort of personality who feels more comfortable when I know what's going to happen... and my son is more so. LOL, ah well. At any rate, we've been scrambling about, trying to understand instructions and allowances concerning several things, one of which is carseats on the plane. After some confusing rules on the airline's website, I finally just decided I'd check the carseat and let the boy ride without it on the plane. ::sighs:: Which I am okay with, really. It makes my job easier, in fact. I'm somewhat concerned that the carseat cover will come off in transit, though.

I've practised what the website has told me of the security gate process, including him having to step through the secuirty gate without me. That absolutely must be practised, since I've drummed it into him that he is not to walk away from me in such a crowded place.

I'm just generally stressing over this process. I'll be relieved to finally get ON the plane! Any reassurances or shared info would be lovely, to help calm and settle me.

Having travelled with my gf's 2-year old nephew last May, I know it can be very difficult. We did not travel with a carseat since we didn't use a car, but we did have to get him on and off the plane twice. It sounds like it'll just be the two of you which makes it more difficult, but you can see if you can modify what Will's parents did--which may work since he's 4 and can hopefully understand (and be willing to follow!!!) directions.

You ask one of the security guards to a) stand with your son as you walk through b) be on the other side to take his hand/be there when he walks through first. I would think if you walked through first and had him go to you it might make the ordeal easier, but it all depends on his own comfort level with strangers.

the only tip i have (sinec I've never flown with kids) is remember you have to take your shoes off when you go thru the security checkpoint. So you might wanna wear sandals easy to take on and off. I wish you the best tho. heart

You've probably already left, but I've flown with Jade a number of times, and the only extra security hassle (for me) is the long wait in lines. The security door wasn't a problem.. I just stand right behind her, give her a nudge and say walk through! Then when she's through, I join her.

I wish I knew where is CA she is... I would love the chance to meet a purkle. If you're in Orange County anywhere near even let me know...

Well, we are home with two flights under our belts! I made sure we were there VERY early. I learned how to use the quick check-in machine, and then headed for the security checkpoint. Apparently all my reading up did help me in dealing with things. At the checkpoint, I slipped off my sandals, plopped the bag up there, tucked his teddy in with my sandals, and stepped to the gate. Josh had no problem walking carefully through. The secuirty guard was very nice to him and Josh handled himself very well. After getting things back together again, it was much easier to go from there to our departure gate than I feared it would be. We got there two hours ahead of time, and surprisingly that time went by quickly as we watched people coming off of and getting onto the plane before us, watched it leave, and then our plane come in and empty itself. I was VERY pleased with how smoothly it all went.

(Oh, and we were going to the Sacramento area, Nibbles, so I'm afraid I was nowhere NEAR Orange County, lol.)

On our way BACK to Vegas, however, there were a couple complications. First our plane was delayed before reaching us by needing a crew. THEN it had a mechanical problem! Two hours later, all was well again. The GOOD part about this was that the Sacramento airport had a play area for littles! This was a huge boon, as it kept him occupied playing with other children while we all waited. If I had to spend FOUR hours waiting at an airport terminal, that's the way to have done it.

So thanks for all the advice and encouragement, even after I left! This story definitely has a happy ending. And thank heavens for being HOME!!!!!!!!!!

tal so glad that everything went well and that you are both home safe....i myself have a great fear of heights so being on a plane just isnt the thing for me stressed ...only transportation i can do is car...lol....but i have only left my state maybe 4 times in my life...and very rarely do i leave my town...lol

jelly that is a wicked awesome picture right there...it is really beautiful...kinda like christmas...all the lites up xd

I don't mind flying at all. I've been on over 100 planes since I was 2, having flown all over the world just to see family, for starters. Reading this, I was already preparing myself for all the standing in lines for security again next month when we to go North Carolina, but I just remembered that I'm actually not flying (darn!) and agreed to go on the 30 hour road trip instead rolleyes to help my husband drive. It was either that or let my 20 year old brother in law and his friend ride with Jason, and he does NOT want them to help drive his new car! They don't really drive standards anyway. And I was so worried about Jason falling asleep if he had to drive the whole way, even if he stopped to rest. So I'll suffer the 30 hours and make the best of it, even though my back hurts sitting in that car.