Preparing my 10 year old for her first flight

[WillFlyToDisney2]

My sister is having a gallery show in ATL next weekend and I am thinking about taking my oldest daughter (age 10 going on 20) with me to see her. It is a 5 hour drive from here or a 47 minute flight. I have wanted to take her on a short flight to get her used to flying but she is VERY nervous.

What can I do to prepare her to fly? Any suggestions?

Thanks!
Kelley

[Chelle]

Ooh, sounds like fun! Do you have an airport nearby you can take her and let her watch the planes take off and land for awhile?

Maybe if she has a specific fear or question you can let her post to Capt Ray, she'd probably get a kick out of that :)

[JPenny]

You've probably already done this, but talk her through the whole flight, describe the sensations, the sounds, etc. Play up how cool it is to take off (yeah RIGHT!) and to see the earth from so far up. Talk about how safe it is, and how privileged we are to be able to travel like this (compared to, say, the settlers?). She will get her confidence from you, so hopefully you'll be hiding your own anxiety well. :anon

Another idea: get her a disposable camera and a journal so she can record her experience as it happens: "My first flight." That will give her something to distract her from any fear she may have. You could take her to meet the Captain, and get pictures of the cockpit (If they let you). How cool would THAT be? Then she can go home and show all her friends.

Jean :wave

[MadScientist]

JPenny gave some great advice and I don't have anything more to contribute. However, that's never seemed to stop me before. :D

I recall a flight a few years ago where a woman was taking her daughter on her first plane ride. I don't know how old the girl was but I would guess somewhere between 7 to 10 years old. Anyway, this girl was a first class BRAT and kept whining and complaining while we were on the ground that she wanted to take off her seatbelt and get up. Her mother told her: "Not now. Just wait until we get up in the air and then you can take off your seatbelt." The girl paused for about 3 seconds and exclaimed in a fearful and loud voice: "I DON'T WANT TO TAKE MY SEATBELT OFF UP IN THE AIR! MOMMY, I DON'T WANT TO". The poor girl thought she would fly out the window if she took it off in flight. Needless to say, I :rolling my butt off. She shut up after that. :lol

[CaptainStark]

All the above suggestions look like good ones.

I had a 4-year old on today who wanted to peek in th cockpit. I noticed he and his mom peering in from the galley.

"Go on up" I said.
"Don't touch anything!" siad his mom.

He sat in the FO's seat and I sat in my seat and he looked at me thoughfully and said in the cutest 4-year old voice:

"My mom doesn't know about the waydar system!"
"SHE DOESN'T!" I exclaimed....
"NO!" he said. "She doesn't know that when other airplanes are in your airspace, you can see them on waydar."

(I swear I am not making this up. I was amazed. This kid must have listened to "My Little Einstein" CD's from the point of conception to just before he got on the plane!)

Wow! Kids!

Ray

[Chelle]

OMG that's cute :D waydar, hehehe

[beaugest]

Kelley, I have had worked hard with my kids since they were little to like flying and it worked. Now, I realize what an expensive habit I started...
Anyway, I think there's good advice here .You might also want to remember how sensitive kids are to our moods. If you think she's picking up on your anxiety talk to her about what you're doing to get over it and how you are. If she's not picking up on it just stay as calm as possible and convey that all is well with the world...
Has she shared with you what she's nervous about? You might be able to address her concerns easily enough.
The one thing I do see parents do that you probably want to avoid is playing 20 questions. You know"honey, are you afraid the wing will fall off? Or are you afraid we will get lost..." I've seen many a well intentioned parent do that and if the kid wasn't worried about it before they are now...
One of my daughters when she was about 8 or 9 became unexpectedly afraid right before a flight. She told me she was afraid the plane wouldn't be able to stay in the air. I give her some basic facts, then when we walked by the cockpit asked the pilot if there was any possibility the plane wouldn't stay up. The wonderful man caught right on and did a great job of joking with her while seriously addressing her concerns. She totally relaxed after that.
In the same way it helps us to meet the pilot it can help our kids.

[Passenger Mark]

Somehow I missed this post...

So two things... first, Ray... Waydar! ha ha. Now I know the tech term for that gizmo!

Second... Kelley... Did yall go? huh huh...

[WillFlyToDisney2]

We ended up not going because the flight prices were unreal! I am hoping to take both girls up to NYC to see my sister for Spring Break. Delta/Comair has a direct from CHS to Laguardia. I figure if their first flight is on a CRJ then they wont develop small plane phobia like me. LOL

Kelley

[noflyingfan]

I'm surprised you didn't tell him it was called "RAYdar," after you.

That's why it's called that, right?