Travelling Secrets… from a Special Needs Mum

By Emily Bell

You may have read my previous post about our rather difficult flight to our holiday destination. We officially came to terms with the fact that travelling with a child with special needs was going to require us to make some changes. And so on the flight home we tried out a few strategies and found some that worked!

So here I will break down some of my secrets for you.

It might cost a little extra, but if you are travelling with a child that has special needs, this row is your life saver and worth whatever cost it may be! For starters, you have space in front of you for the kids to sit on the floor. Our kids sat and built lego, played cars, coloured in. Having a second ‘seating’ choice was amazing.   Being in the front row also prevents the disruption to other passengers – as you only have to worry about those behind you. It eliminates the dreaded kicking of the chair in front… ‘cause there is no-one in front!!
Being this close to the front also means you are in close proximity to the flight crew if needed.

Someone has to be last on… it may as well be you! This meant less time in a confined space – ok maybe 20 mins less but hey I’ll take what I can get! It also means you’re not standing in a queue, but can walk on leisurely.  I particularly found that being last on meant Ollie was far more relaxed when he got to his seat. He hadn’t been trying to stand in one place or make his way through a crowd.   We remained close to the gate so we weren’t called over the PA, but gave it time for everyone to have filtered through before heading onboard ourselves.

I have done this a few times now, and found it to be the make or break. When I enter a flight, I am sure to grab a member of the crew and let them know I am travelling with a child with Autism. I do reassure them that our family travels regularly, but I may call on them for assistance. Each and every time they have been more than helpful.  One thing that bothers Ollie is having his rubbish in front of him (this is also at home). So it helps for the crew to understand what is happening if we need something cleared quickly. We have also been in the position where a crew member has observed us trying to calm Ollie as he has escalated and they have quickly arrived with cookies and hot chocolates. Just enough distraction to the last the rest of the journey.  Flight crew are there to help, and most of them love to! So don’t be afraid to ask.

I made the mistake once of assuming an airline had WIFI, and was onboard and in the air when I realised they didn’t.  When you hand a child an iPad that suddenly doesn’t work… there are bound to be fireworks!   Airlines have a lot of information on their websites… do your research!   Likewise, invest in a good backpack and get ready to load it up. Don’t worry about packing your book – you’re not going to get a chance to open the cover! But really think out what triggers melt downs and pack accordingly. For example, Ollie hates being wet or dirty. So if he spills his drink I need to have dry clothes ready to go. If your child has a particular sensory toy they like to hold when feeling anxious, don’t leave home without it!  And if your child is anything like mine… food cures everything. Pack plenty of snacks to distract from other triggers.

 

And finally… take a deep breath mumma! You’re doing a fantastic job. Raising kids is hard, raising kids with special needs can be especially hard. But when you get to your destination, and you see the joy on your child’s face as they enjoy the experience of travel, all of this is worth it!

Happy travels!

 

I’m a wife, mum and Kingdom Entrepreneur. I have created Work Life Dream with the goal to share all the ups and downs that life throws me and how I juggle it.  Better yet… how God gives me the strength to make it all work! I’m so glad you stopped by…

 

Find Emily's blog called WorkLifeDream