1) Do NOT psych yourself out. Have a plan (a plan A, B & C) on what would work best for you and your kids but do NOT overthink it and go to worst case scenario in your mind every time. Almost 95% of everyone I talked to about my upcoming trip alone was discouraging. Choose to IGNORE them. If you are brave enough to want to try this then go for it and don't let any Negative Nellie get in your head.
2) Pray. Pray. Pray. Pray some more and then pray again. Then, ask others for prayer. I know, you think I'm joking but I'm not. My trip was kind of last minute (less than a month from time plane tickets were purchased until we took off) but you better believe I prayed as many times as I remembered. My husband and I prayed for safety, for the flights to be on time (are they ever?), for our kids to cooperate, wisdom (LOTS of it. Refer to James 1:5-6) for health (for all of us), etc.
3) Check your bags and pack minimally! Yes, I hate paying baggage fees too but it's 100% worth it. I packed as minimally as I could (since my mom had most things at her house and I borrowed the rest). I carried one small backpack on the plane with me and kept necessities with me (several diapers, wipes, infant Tylenol, Tylenol for me too, small toys [that I didn't care if they got lost], lots and lots of snacks, bottle with breastmilk, change of clothes for both kids, Nalgene sippy cup, etc).
4) Get a direct flight. This was VERY important to me. It may not be for you though. I did not want the hassle of getting off and on ANOTHER plane. I would rather suffer through it all at once.
5) Don't be afraid to ask for help (even from strangers). To be honest, I hate doing this (and most of the time, I don't do it) but I had to rely on others. I had a flight attendant buckle me in and lots of friendly people asked if they could help me and I tried to let them when I could!
6) Think and plan ahead. You don't need a million pieces of clothes for you or your kids. My mom had a Pack 'n Play for my son but we needed a bed for my daughter who was used to sleeping in a Rock n' Play. So I contacted one of my friends back home where I was headed and she let me borrow hers that her daughter had outgrown. It was such a LIFESAVER that I didn't have to buy one while I was home or drag it across the country. She also let me borrow a convertible car seat for my son. My parents brought it when they picked us up from the airport. It was SO nice not to have to bring it across country too. HOWEVER, if I had to do this all over again (my BIGGEST take away) was that I would have brought that car seat on the plane and strapped my son in it. He has been on MANY road trips (over 20,000+ miles combined) and he does great! He would have been super content in the car seat since he's used to it. If you're staying at a hotel at your final destination, call and ask what they offer there for kids for beds (some offer Pack 'n Plays, cribs or cots). If you're staying at a friend or family members house, ask what they have that you don't have to bring along with you. Bring a few diapers and buy the rest there. Don't forget to check with the specific airlines and airports about what kind/how much liquids you can take on the plane (I had no problem carrying breastmilk, extra bottles and my son's water cup with us). Cover your bases; only you know what those are.
Would I do this again now that my kids are a little older (Judah is now 2 1/2 and Alexa is 15 months)? Probably! Judah is still not completely potty trained so it might be easier now than we when he is 100% potty training and having to get up every few minutes. I would definitely want to find a harness to strap Judah in or bring his carseat (although it's very bulky). I would bring lots and lots of snacks like last time. Now, my son is super into electronics (he's obsessed with Paw Patrol, Blaze and the Monster Machines and lots of apps) so I would definitely make sure my phone and iPad were completely charged for him to watch or play. In February, I flew with just Alexa who was 11 months at the time and she was SUPER busy and would not stop moving so I would be more worried about her the next flight since I would be holding her. And she is not into electronics at all so it would be more of a challenge to keep her entertained. But on the other hand, maybe my kids would keep each other entertained. I would probably lather some lavender scented lotion on them to help calm them and give them special treats (like chocolate milk) that we don't normally give them.
If you are considering this, only you know if you can do this without freaking out. You just have to take deep breaths and remember that the plane ride won't last forever and your final destination is going to be worth it. If you have any questions, I'd love to help in any way I can.
Philippians 4:13 (NKJV)
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
