Summer Survival Series: The Airplane Store

When our first child was born a few weeks before Christmas, staying home was Unthinkable. I was bound and determined for him to meet his extended family who lived a plane ride away.  So I packed up our newborn and ALL his paraphernalia and boarded the flight to Chicago, solo.  Due to work, Jon would come later.  I remember sweating a lot during that trip. And not because it was hot. 

Two years later Katie was born.  As I prepared for our semi-annual trek, I knew handling a toddler and newborn was going to be challenging.  As usual, Jon had to come later. What could I do to entertain David for the 3 ½ hour journey—especially when my hands would be full with a newborn? 

The Airplane Store was invented.  The secret of the Airplane Store is using anticipation plus reward to structure time. Whether the travel time is 1 hour or 14 hours, in an airplane or car, this works. 

The Airplane Store is simply contained in my school-size travel backpack.  In the front half, I have my books, a magazine, etc.  The back section is reserved for the Store–age-appropriate stuff which the kids “buy” at designated times with imaginary money.  (We stopped using pretend or real coins because they rolled away or got lost between the seats.) In my stash, I have items such as: a coloring book, a new story book, wind up toys, unopened McDonalds toys, cars, small stuffed animals, plastic animals, padlock with keys, a new DVD, Slinkys, fruit snacks, sugar-free gum, Pez. All that matters is that the items are new to them.  My Store fits in one plastic grocery bag.

 When the kids were young, I looked for things that had multiple attached moving parts for more entertainment value such as a plastic Swiss army style tool by PlayDoh or a travel size Magna Doodle.  I avoided anything with tiny pieces that could get lost.  Pairs of things sparked their play together; a boy & girl dog, or a blue and purple notebook with a small box of crayons for each that I saved from a restaurant.  I’d find things in my desk drawers like a 3 color pen or a small notebook. I watched for free stuff all year and stashed it for the Airplane Store. 

Leveraging the power of anticipation or “looking forward to something” is the key to helping the time pass quickly.  At the start of the trip, the Store wasn’t open.  I wanted them to be “in” the moment, experiencing the novelty of the trip, the thrill of take-off, to learn to observe and enjoy their environment.  Of course, they were eager for the Store to open. But I replied as I consulted my watch in a mock businesslike manner, “The Airplane Store doesn’t open for 15 minutes.” 

When the kids were really young, the Airplane Store opened sooner.  As they got older, I could wait to open the Store until after the drinks were served. The anticipation of the food enabled then to wait more patiently.  After a purchase, they often asked for something else right away.  “The Store is closed,” I’d answered with a smile, once again consulting my watch.  Then they would settle down and play with what they had. I always planned one climactic prize for each child; a beanie baby, an electronic travel game or a big coloring book. It stood out from the other toys and of course appeared later in the trip.  I typically spent a bit more money on these, but still not much.

As the children grew older, the Airplane Store didn’t need to open as often because their attention span grew longer.  On our most recent trip, my 10-year-old still enjoyed the anticipation and surprise of the Airplane Store, but candy and a new DVD scored higher than the trinkets his 8-year-old sister still relished.

On our car trips, I adapted the principles of anticipation plus reward to the road.  The Store would open when there was a long stretch without a stop.  I would say, “The Store will open after we stop for the bathroom in ½ an hour.” Or, “The Store will open after we have our ice cream stop in so many miles.”  The DVD player is a relatively recent addition to our trips, however because we want to encourage reading, creative play and family interaction on trips, I use the DVD player sparingly. On one 14 hour road trip, they anticipated watching a DVD selection in the late morning and again the last two hours of our trip when I knew they could no longer easily entertain themselves.

By the time our destination was nearing, by car or by plane, we were often tired, more than ready to be there, tired of seat games and treats, but we rarely if ever experienced a melt down.  An unexpected opening of the Store with a stick of licorice would buy ½ an hour of peace. 

Remember to use the secret formula of anticipation plus reward in your summer travels. You can adapt this idea for your family and come up with something new, or open your own Airplane or Car Store. It needn’t be complicated.  If your kids always know there is something to look forward to, time flies faster. 

With Airplane or Car Store planned and stocked, I have enjoyed some of my best parenting moments. Not only have we gotten to see loved ones and visit interesting places, but the trips themselves have been part of the treasured family memories.  Because I have been relaxed on our trips, we’ve laughed and enjoyed our relationships and been better able to handle difficulties that inevitably arise. Result:  Our children love to travel!

-posted by Donna Mershon Detweiler, who finds that Lunchables slide perfectly into her backpack for airplane trips where food is not served.