I recommend a lot that the bulkhead seats are great for kids, this means that all of your stuff will have to be in the overhead compartment, so boarding early to make sure all of your bags fit is important.  However, anyone who has travelled with kids knows that young ones especially that don’t have the attention span to sit and watch TV lets say will want to move and that is not an option for the boarding process once on the plane.

So you can always send one parent in with all the bags and leave the other at the gate, running the kids around until most people are on and then board, just make sure you make the flight!! OR just board all together and stake out your overhead bin space with all your bags! Whatever your comfort level is!

For all flights ask the airlines if they have special seats for babies (if you are traveling with one).  These are reserved with the mom in mind (many international airlines have them – big brand name ones)

Regardless of section of the plane, if you have kids that move and don’t have a long attention span, look for bulkhead seats (seats where the wall is in front of you), usually at the front of every section.  This also help stop the kids who want to kick the seat in front of them, they can’t!

Also easy access to the aisle if you have movers (under 6 years old), for the older kids who are more self sufficient, anywhere is fine!

My advice on seating arrangements when traveling with a family of 4 (2 adults and 2 kids) – 3 seats total (1 infant in arms):

• Window Seat: My child that has a seat assigned to her goes here, this distracts her with everything out of the plane – opening and closing the shade, whatever! But keep her contained
  • Put the bag (diaper) or your essential bag under her seat if not sitting at the bulkhead, for easy access.  If you have the bulkhead it has to go overhead!
• Middle Seat: Whichever parent is either a. the window seat child’s favorite at the time or b. that child listens to (let’s face it all kids go through phases with parents). Nothing at your feet!
• Aisle Seat:  Put the other parent and the baby or if you only have 1 child, the other parent goes here.  This seat is the power seat because you can yes take care of the baby, or hand the baby to the middle seat parent and enjoy free time haha you have an out basically.  You might get stuck changing the diaper if needed but it’s not that bad! Also nothing at your feet.

When traveling internationally or anywhere really I also like to sit as far up on the plane cause I like a fast exit and this has been helpful when kids have been added to the equation because you will want to get out of the plane/jet bridge ASAP.  More to come on how I handle strollers while flying.