8:28 PM Tue, Jul 24, 2007 | Permalink
|
Flying with a Toddler
I just returned from a wonderful visit home to see my family and boy, what a trip....in more ways than one! Peter is 19 months now and all energy as I've explained before. However, this was one flight I won't soon forget. It was a direct flight returning late from Chicago to Austin and I thought that maybe he'd sleep...well, he did, for awhile. But, about 15 minutes before the plane was about to land (12:15 am) the pilot came on the load speaker to talk about...well, a lot of things. Things that really weren't necessary when it's 12:15 am and I'm concentrating on keeping Peter asleep. Actually, there were a lot of kids on the plane -- so you would have thought he would have tried to keep the volume down. Instead, the crew flashed the lights over and over again and the pilot went on about the normal things only it seemed to be at record volume. Peter couldn't stay asleep -- instead he was scared out of his mind. He screamed at a pitch and intensity even I hadn't heard before and it went on for about 15 minutes. There was nothing I could do to comfort him -- he was tired, hungry, jet lagged, hot, uncomfortable and ticked off. I can't tell you how happy I was to get off that plane! I'm sure my fellow passengers were feeling equally thrilled with our parting of ways. I just hope he isn't going to think of that horrible 15 minute experience every
time he gets on a plane. He was pretty good the rest of the trip -- just the typical toddler issues. So, I am hoping to seek out the advice of fellow parents for my future travels. Let me just say I won't be doing anything other than direct flights until he's about 18. It's either that -- or I'll be riding on the exterior of the plane!
Thanks for checking in!
1:58 PM Wed, Jul 11, 2007 | Permalink
|
The talking and the whining!
I admit it -- I'm one of those mothers. I am a worrier! Maybe it's because Peter is my first child..and he's a boy.. but, I am not "ok" with jumping on or off of anything! Peter is truly a very agile child. He can climb onto beds, couches, chairs, you name it. But, what's worse? He can jump off of them, too. His dad and I go back and forth about what's normal boy behavior. Here's what I can't help but consider. Someday, if I let him climb on everything and walk on every couch, he's going to do a nose dive off of the pew in church! Peter is also starting to show his "challenging" side. Moms, does this sound familiar? I say "NO" when he decides to stand up on an office chair or on the bed. I tell him he can only stay on the chair if he sits. So, he does. I then look back and I see this little smirk come across his face and then, yep, a standing 19 month old! I say "no" -- he giggles and sits back down. Oh, and the cycle goes on and on and on! I have been reading some parenting books and trying to reflect on the days of my parents reprimanding me for my "challenging" behavior. If you have any good books/programs you can recommend, please let me know!
Have a great day!!!
