How to Help to Ease a Child's Fear of Flying
There are adventurous children who love to fly and then there are the kids who are afraid of the unknown. A big, loud, pressurized tin can that floats a mile in the air is enough to make even adults scared. In fact, the most popular place in the airport is the bar -- where adults have that last gin and tonic before takeoff, to take the edge off their fears.
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Things You'll Need
- Children's books
- Video
- Video games
- MP3 player
- Puzzles
- Toy airplane
- Snacks
- Stuffed animals
- Blanket
Instructions
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Buy the child a toy airplane well before the trip and talk about how much fun it is to fly. If you tell the child he will soon be flying on an airplane and leave it at that, his imagination will wander and could turn to fear. Instead, fill the child's imagination with images of how awesome it is to fly. Buy children's books about airplanes with pictures, and tell the child about your personal -- and good -- flying experiences.
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Don't tell children about the dangers of flying. It is almost always preferred to level with children and tell them the truth. In this case, throw that wisdom out the window. If a child brings it up, tell her that flying is perfectly safe and promise her that the plane will not crash. If she persists, tell her the plane is crash-proof. If the child has an inkling of doubt, his imagination may conjure the worst and this could lead to anxiety.
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Keep children occupied from the moment they get on the plane. As any parent knows, a child's attention span is short. Keeping this in mind, have a variety of toys and games to keep the child distracted from being afraid. Bring a safe electronic device that shows movies or supports video games, and offer children puzzles or crayons. Come prepared with interesting activities that your children enjoy.
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Read a book to your children. Bring a favorite book and a new book your kids have never read. Reading may also make your children fall asleep.
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Bring a comfort object that your child enjoys. Most kids have a stuffed animal or a blanket that they love. Be sure to bring this along as it will provide a mental safety net for the child and help with any fears. Having this object along might also help him fall asleep.
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Bring snacks. Many airlines have cut back on food service unless the flight is international. Also, children are picky eaters and may not like the food being offered. Three to five hours can be a long time on an airplane without food. Children, like adults, get crabby when they are hungry. When they are in a foul mood, it is easier to let fear of the unknown take control.
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Tips & Warnings
Bring a sweet treat that the child loves to reward good behavior. Yummy treats can take his mind of his fear.
Never lose your patience and yell at a frightened child on an airplane. This will only give her another thing to fear.
