For the Love of Your Kids, Stay Calm at the Airport
Kids are great. They make you laugh, they get into all sorts of bother and, most of all, they instill an intense love within you, a feeling like there’s no way you could have made something so perfect.
We’re chaotic beings, yet the fact that a child that’s so innocent and full of love can spring from us is surely heartening.
Yet no matter how deep your love for your kids, travelling with them can be nightmarish if you’re not prepared.
And when you’re flying, stress will pile upon stress, snowballing into a head-exploding tension that could ruin a holiday for you and your kids.
The solution is this – you’ve got to be prepared, making your airport visit brisk and entertaining enough for your children.
In a place where everyone is stressed, a little bit of preparation could make you an anomaly in an airport. You and your family will be that little center of calm amidst the storm.
With that in mind, here are a few tips to help you get through the airport stress-free – and without snapping at your little ones.
To be Met and Greeted
The parking situation at airports is notoriously nightmarish. You’ll loop around multi-storey architectural carbuncles for potentially hours, searching for a free spot with all the hope of a serial gambler convinced they’re about to win the lottery.
It is, however, a problem with a solution – in some airports, at least.
Plenty of larger flight hubs allow third-party companies to offer their own parking services. Meet and greet parking at Stansted Airport, for example, will employ a valet to pick up your car at your terminal, and drive it to a secure location where it will be ready and waiting for you upon your return.
The stress of travelling is already lessened.
Bring the Right Materials
Kids get bored. This is a fact of life, as sure as the sun rising in the morning and falling in the evening. They need constant stimulation if they’re going to behave on your journey.
Unless your children are good at sticking to one task, you’ll need plenty of activities to keep them occupied. A Nintendo, a few books, a colouring book – the more they have to feel chilled out in a fusty departure lounge, the happier your journey will be.
Have a Small Upgrade
The bog-standard departure lounge isn’t your only option. If you’ve got an extra £30 or so in your back pocket, you could splash out on a VIP departure lounge experience.
Available at most larger airports, luxury departure lounges consist of free drinks, snacks, widescreen televisions, and a games room for the kids. You’ll jet off in style – and your kids will love it.
Guest Post Author: Kevin Fullerton , Apr 2016
