One of the reasons parents hesitate to take long plane journeys with their children has to do with not only the plane ride (and the cost), but also dealing with the unknown when it comes to adjusting to jet lag. In 15 years of traveling with kids we have learned many tricks to make the adjustment easier for everyone in the family. We feel it is much easier to fly from east to west, when the only significant change we make is keeping the kids up to their typical bed time on the local clock. When you fly from west to east, things can get more complicated, so here are some quick tips to prevent jet lag (and potential meltdowns) on your next adventure.
12 Awesome Tips for Preventing Jet Lag
1) Book the last flight of the evening, preferably a non-stop one
We have found this extremely helpful flying west to east. The closer it is to bedtime, the more likely your children will actually sleep on the plane. You should arrive sometime early to mid morning at your destination, allowing you to spend most of the day in your arrival city, or easily transfer to another flight.
Fly at night if possible.
2) Try to adjust to the new time zone by setting your clocks ahead before you leave home
In the 5-6 days before we travel, we try to set the clocks forward one hour every night (usually around 5:00 or 6:00 local time, the “witching” hour), which results in kids heading to bed an hour earlier and waking up an hour earlier the next morning (I would advise doing this for yourself as well, if possible). If we can increase it to two hours, we will. With kids’ busy schedules it can be difficult to pull this off, but it definitely helps if you can make it work. Just be sure to reset the clock to the correct time the next morning!
3) Arrive early to the airport and let the kids burn off energy
Most airlines recommend arriving three hours early for an international flight, which allows for plenty of time to explore the airport. We like to find a quiet area of the airport and let the kids play on the moving sidewalks, run if they need, and play games. We are huge proponents of anything that gets the energy and the excitement out so they can (hopefully) sleep on the plane.
4) Eat a light dinner before you get on the plane
Almost all airline terminals have food options. We prefer to eat a light meal before boarding to make the most efficient use of our time on the plane. Stay away from heavy, fatty food that can make for an uncomfortable journey. We avoid the dinner service because our only priority on the flight is to have the kids sleep. They know this ahead of time, so they have no expectation of any food or entertainment until breakfast service in the morning. We made the mistake once of not feeding them beforehand, and by the time the food came they had watched an entire movie and were bouncing out of their seats. Not to mention they missed out on some valuable shut eye.
Don’t eat a heavy meal before you get on a flight.
5) Have your children use the bathroom and brush teeth before they get on the plane
This is another one we learned the hard way. We have been standing in the boarding line when someone is desperate to use the bathroom, or worse yet, sitting on the runway and there’s a line five people deep for the toilet on the plane. Do yourself a favor, have everyone use the restroom and brush their teeth before they get on the plane. You’ll thank me for it.
6) Have kids wear comfortable clothes on the plane
There are parents who want their child dressed and ready to go exploring once they step foot off the plane. That’s not us. Our kids have traveled in pajamas before (yes, we had some strange looks on London’s Tube), but I think sweats or anything they can sleep in comfortably is a great option.
7) Don’t drink alcohol or caffeine on the plane
Hopefully this comment is geared more for the adults. It sure is tempting when an airlines offers free alcohol, but do yourself a favor and skip it. Dehydration can worsen jet lag, so skip the coffee or vino and opt for water instead.
Try and avoid alcohol when flying.
8) Drink a lot of water or 100% fruit juice to keep hydrated
Following on the no caffeine, no alcohol policy, be sure to keep yourself and your children well hydrated. The dry air in the cabin can dry you out, so be sure to drink plenty of water. Just remember, this will mean more trips to the bathroom, but the walks back and forth are good for you.
9) Sleep on the plane, using whatever methods necessary
I can fall asleep in a movie theater, so sleeping on a plane is not a problem for me. My husband and children however, are a bit more restless. We now bring with us: earplugs, eye shades, and favorite blankets. My husband uses melatonin, an over the counter sleep aid that he swears is a life saver on these long flights. Pull down the window shade as soon as you board the plane and plan for some shut eye once everyone is settled.
This one has sleeping on planes down to a science!
10) Upon arrival, immediately get everyone acclimated to the local time
When you walk off the plane, set your watches to the local time. If anyone is still hungry after the morning breakfast service on the plane, get them a light snack such as fruit, cheese and crackers, or almonds to tide them over until the next meal time on the local clock. Hungry kids are cranky kids so make sure everyone has something in their bellies before you head out for the day.
11) Have a short rest at your hotel before you head out again
Try as you may, everyone will be tired the first day. Once you have arrived at your hotel and settled in, take about 30 minutes to get your bearings and head back out. If your kids must nap, make it a short one, or they’ll be out for the rest of the day and your good efforts to prevent jet lag have now failed.
12) Plan a light itinerary on the first day
Hopefully you do not plan to climb the Eiffel Tower or tour the Colosseum on the first day of your trip. Nothing spells meltdown more than an over scheduled, tired child. Take the kids walking around the neighborhood, to a local park or square, something relaxing and low key. They need to be out in the sun exercising, and the more time you can spend outdoors on your first day, the easier the adjustment to the new time zone will be for everyone. Make sure to have them back to the hotel by 7 or 8 p.m. so you can all go to bed and get some much needed rest. Try not to sleep in too long the next morning. Set your alarm to make sure everyone wakes up at a decent hour.
Take a walk around town and let them get those crazies out!
Hopefully these tips will help make the prospect of traveling with children less intimidating. Children are resilient, I find it is usually my husband and myself that struggle more with the time adjustment.
