How Not to Be the Family with Obnoxious Kids on the Plane

Have you ever been on a flight and the people in front of or behind you are on the plane with children, and they are driving you so crazy you want to scream at them? Well, how would you feel if you were that obnoxious family with kids? Yeah, no one wants to be the person with the unruly child on the plane, so to avoid being this person, try the following:

1. Plan ahead. Part of having well behaved children is planning and organization. If you plan smart, your family, especially your children, will be well behaved and happy on the plane.
2. Talk to your children about expected behaviors. One of the things you need to do to keep your children from misbehaving on the plane is to talk to them about it in advance. You will want to let them know what you expect from them, and what the consequences will be if they let you down.
3. Keep them entertained. While we all would like to be able to just talk to our children, most of us are aware that is not going to be enough to keep them happy and quiet on the plane. Children need stimulation and entertainment. So have your children choose a few items to take on the plane with them to keep them entertained. Let them pick their own. Some good ideas include: books, quiet toys, coloring books and colored pencils, crayons, etc., hand-held games, spiral notebooks for tic-tac-toe, etc.
4. Bribe your kids. It is true that you should probably not bribe your kids. However, in the case of avoiding being the obnoxious family, you may want to make an exception.

5. Feed your kids. You will want to make sure your child is fed. A child who is not hungry, and a child who is entertained, is not likely to misbehave. So, even though the flight usually has snacks, drinks, etc. you will want to be sure you have a nice stash of the same. Pack your child’s favorites so that they have nothing to complain about. That way, when they want a snack, and the plane does not have what they want, the whole cabin does not have to hear about it. You can just pull it out and let them enjoy.
6. Remove them from the situation. It is true that there is little room to move on a plane, however, one of the things that can really make you the obnoxious family is yelling at your children to stop fighting, or having to scream over them to get them to hear you. So, if your child does act up, apologize to those around you, then take your child by the arm (gently) and lead them back to the bathroom area. Have a quiet talk with them about your disappointment in their behavior; do not raise your voice, and do not let them raise theirs. Apologize that they are unhappy. Ask what needs to be done to help them behave properly. Remind them of the consequences of misbehavior, and let them know that it will not be put up with.