The perfect flight with kids on board

We cleared Customs and Immigration together. At the pre-departure lounge, he went to the snack counter while I sat down with a magazine. Looking up, I saw him holding a small dish with a bite-size portion of a cucumber-cheese sandwich, a choco chip cookie, and a bottle of water.

"I got these for you, Nonna," he said. "Oh, the cookie is mine," he added.

Of course, I knew that. He was my favorite traveling companion, my six-year-old grandson.

Ever since we started flying together, my logic has also shifted. "Grandson is comfortable, happy and entertained, ergo (this) grandma is comfortable, happy and entertained."

It was not always like this. Airlines paid little attention to young travelers except for the obligatory re-heated milk, the baby cot on board and the airsick bag. The mother was the most harassed person inside the aircraft, followed by the father, with grandparents trailing behind. Duffel bags were squashed tight with toys, books, and baby stuff. By the time the plane touched down, the adults were much too exhausted to make any sense of the trip.

One friend whispered to me her own, desperate, quick-fix solution. She lined up her energy-packed little devils in a row and said, "Honey bunch, buttercups, stand up straight." She then drops non-addictive, fruit-flavored, sleep-inducing cold tablets into their mouths. The kids, ages three, four and 5-1/2, become nice and agreeable. Eventually, they flop their pretty, little heads to sleep. The moment they start snoring, my friend pushes back her headrest, snuggles close to her pillow and sighs, "Ah… what bliss!"

When it was my turn to travel with kids in tow, I went through the whole duffel bag routine, but I was not brave enough to try the pill-popping portion. Oh, yes, I went through some of the wet, gross and despicable aspects of traveling with a baby that hasn’t been toilet-trained. My poise vanished, and I was reduced to rubble. What did my husband say? "You’ve totally lost it, my dear."

Thank goodness, times have changed. Not soon enough, I know, but hey, this granny is just ventilating.

Airlines are now sensitive to the woes of traveling parents. There are kid-friendly amenities to delight and thrill young globetrotters. I simply strap my grandson to his seat, and when that’s done, the services onboard take over. When I see him relax, I automatically sit back to enjoy my leg of the trip.

What do you like? A video game, sing-along, story telling or an on-demand movie?

"Maybe," he replies. (Nowadays, you can block the violent, gory movies from his monitor).

How about stuffed toys, puzzle-solving, connect-the-dots, a coloring book or stickers?

"Hmm, not now," as he smiles back at the flight attendant.

Are you hungry?

"Yup, yup," he says, with his eyes growing big with anticipation.

You cannot trick children. They are clever and direct. When it comes to toys and giveaways, the cute and the cuddly are not enough. They also need to be current with all the rage. Kids are so sharp that they can master electronic/interactive games in just one demo. To guard against boredom, the control pad enables them to switch from one program to another.

When it comes to in-flight food, it must be tempting, tasty, balanced and easy to chew and swallow. Keep the macaroni-and-cheese and spaghetti-and-meatballs in the menu, but introduce other appetizing and attractive choices as well. My grandson loves to butter warm buns. Ice cream on a stick remains his favorite dessert.

So, what is a perfect flight?

I asked a group of anxious parents and grandparents, and their answer was unanimous: "We like to see our children traveling in comfort, while keeping their heads and hands busy, just long enough to make them sleep like a baby."

Hmm, how sure are you?

They laughed and replied, "Straight from the mouth of babes."

There you are. The experts have spoken.