The best advice I can give is for parents to buy their older toddlers their own seat on the airplane. Most 20-24 month old toddlers are too big to comfortably lap sit, particularly if you are sitting next to strangers.

Worst flight ever was a very long 4 hours stuck between a 300+lb guy and a woman with a 24 month old on her lap. It went downhill fast when the woman had to shut the DVD player upon take-off and the kid threw a kicking/hitting/screaming temper tantrum. I had bruises on my legs the next day. I understand that people try to save money wherever they can, but it was truly the worst flight ever.

Kat, I don't think airlines allow children over 1 year old on the lap - that must have been a LONG time ago. We have always bought a ticket for our son, and having one of those seats that approved to be latched to the seat on flight was wonderful when he was a 3-4 month old.
As our son is approaching 5 years old, our favourite travel gadget is trunkie, which serves as a seat for him when waiting at airports, and he can pull it on his own, carries his toys or his own clothes. He also loves to draw, so we found some pattern making car designs, that he can fill in his own car colors and design - this was wonderful on our last trip.

I have a kiddo with severe ADHD, ODD, sensory issues, and suspected social anxiety. Traveling with him multiple times a year since he was only 4 months old has been very trying. My best tip for any parent is to give them a purpose. A backpack or suitcase is awesome because it gives them something to be responsible for. I fill his backpack with entertainment and snacks to be used at his discretion. Also let them know what's going on before it happens. Explain security and seating to them days beforehand, on they to the airport, and just before each ent. Traveling can be quite scary for little ones.

As far as products go, I admit we did a leash pack. At first I so didn't want to but after chasing him from one end of the Milwaukee airport to the other I decided it was a safety issue. He probably didn't even need it after the first three times he tried running and got stopped. I just looped the end on my wrist and held his hand.

@Anusha73
I don't have kids, so I probably got the age guidelines wrong. Regardless, the average toddler bumping up the upper end of the age cutoff are too big to be sitting on laps. Unfortunately, my bad experience was last Christmas, so it is pretty fresh in my mind.

@Anusha73

Nope, I wasn't wrong. Per United's website, kids can sit on laps up to age 2.

http://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/travel/specialneeds/infants/default.aspx?Mobile=1

I think airlines should schedule family only flights so all the kids and parents can fly at the same time on the same flight. I am actually pretty sympathetic to babies crying on planes. It is the untamed older kids I cannot handle. Plus, most of my friends with kids find it utterly nerve wracking traveling with their children. They don't want to be "that" parent with the crying baby. I saw let the families all fly together as a fun, frolicking, family friendly trip in the sky.

I second the Maya wrap. We have the beautiful multicolor wrap and use it ALL the time. The Beco or the Ergo is best for long walks, as it does distribute weight the most comfortably. But the Maya wrap wins for ease of use and for looks --- it is so pretty and so quick to put on and off for quick trips into a store, etc. For lighter babies, it's quite comfortable, and for toddlers, it makes a hip carry into a hands-free experience. I purposely bought an extra large so the extra length could be used as a nap blanket/nursing cover.

I wouldn't pay extra for a family only flight, but I would book one if everything were equal. My kids (9 & 11) have traveled a ton since they were babies, and I haven't had any anxiety about their behavior since they were toddlers. But, they definitely know that that pressure is on for them to be well behaved, especially toward flight attendants or if they are sitting next to a stranger. I think a family only flight would be relaxing for them, and the possibility would exist for making a friend for the time to pass faster.

I had no idea that car seat accessory thing existed! Definitely getting this for an upcomign trip. We had purchased one of those carts to which you attach the car seat and it broke after getting bonked the wrong way during a trip.

A friend of mine recently flew from London to Melbourne on an airline that offers a child free section (the second story of the plane, but not first or business class - same price as regular).

I'm not sure what the point of a family only flight would be... is it to just make sure everyone is aware that kids will be on board? I believe that is the norm, isn't it?

I'm sympathetic to babies on planes, they can't pop their ears and I'm sure the whole event is pretty terrifying for them. The only negative experience I've had on a plane with a child was a 5 or 6 year old who was kicking my seat from behind. I politely asked her to stop directly and she complied for the whole flight. The parent's scoffed at me when I spoke to her, yet for the first 10 minutes of chair kicking they didn't correct her behaviour at all.

I think family-only flights would be destined to fail, commercially - people have other considerations to take into account, and those would probably win out. However, I have long thought family sections and child-free sections would be a good idea. Families would feel more at ease knowing they were all in together, that there wasn't such high pressure for their kids' behavior, etc. Kids might be much more amused being able to see/talk to other children as well. Meanwhile, those traveling without children would be better able to relax/nap/read/work/etc. Yes, a screaming kid in the back of the plane might still be audible, but it wouldn't be as disruptive as the same screaming kid in the next seat over.

ITA that little children don't get to me on planes. After all, they're reacting to air travel the way most of us WOULD act if we were really expressing how we felt about it! But older kids who have the ability to act better -- that steams me. I had a kid about 8 or 8 years old kick my seat, I swear to God, the whole way from Istanbul to New York. Every hour or so I would turn and ask him to stop, and he would for about two minutes. He'd start again, and his mother would go, "Oh, Henry," in this tone of voice like she was disappointed but it was just impossible for her to do anything about it. He did not appear to have any disabilities/social tics/etc. that would make it impossible for him to behave. Seriously, kids that age should be capable of acting with some consideration, particularly if reminded.

I don't have kids but I find it incredible that airlines make it so difficult for families to sit together. I've had friends call a week in advance try to ensure seats together only to be told no.

Families ONLY; there's not a stewardess in the world that would want that route! Last thing any country needs is an airliner full of chaos; be it the parents, the kids or both!
I really have to sympathize with DovieAnn. Makes general complaining about flying seem so petty and insignificant.

@Red Zinger: looks can be deceiving.

Regarding the issue of families sitting together, we've never had that issue. Of course they were always small, short flights so maybe it's different on a larger flight?

this is best product in the UK - ride on suitcases http://www.trunki.com/

@JenPDX. A tip for your friend: when i find i'm not sitting with my children, i installe them and give them in a kind of loud way the sickness bag saying: Darling, you know you ALWAYS vomit in planes, be careful with this sir's trousers. " And people are ALWAYS kind and help you sit with the little one.

I've long considered the trunki but each time I check one out in a store, it's broken. Do these things hold up at all?

@ mardete LOL great idea.

#2 and #3 are essential baby gear, traveling or not. But they are so great when you are traveling.

We bring toys/books/crayons, etc and spend the whole time interacting and entertaining the kids which helps keep them quiet. It's exhausting for us but it works *most* of the time. There's going to be times the kid just flips out or misbehaves but you just hope people understand. We were all kids once and we all misbehaved at some point and not always at the most convenient moment.

We just booked our tix for Xmas last week, and we ended up with three of us together and one of us elsewhere. That's just how the remaining seats were arranged. But I do find that when my family is separated like that on a flight, people who would otherwise end up right next to me and my small children gladly trade seats with my husband so that *he* can sit next to us instead.

To those complaining about crying kids on planes, please understand the parent(s)/guardian(s) of those crying surely want them to stop even more than you do. Because they actually care about the kids and their comfort/happiness, rather than just the noise. Also, you were a crying baby once too, and the public dealt with you. Please, have some compassion. Segregating families is not the answer.

My child had traveled since 4 months, with overnight fights, too. When babies, it is helpful to have a bottle to suck at take off and landing. A paci with a cord attached, so that it will no fall. A small umbrella stoller, that can be left at the plane door. Plenty of diapers, and I used a clean diaper as a bib, when feeding (that was a while back, no disposable bibs yet). When he was a toddler, there was the prep: talk about the trip with excitement, explain the noises, since my child has sinus problems, I give him a decongestionant. In the terminal, let the kid walk away the energy, after seating give a new simple toy, a couple of books, paper and a few crayons. Explain the no-nos: no hitting the chair in front, show there is someone sitting there.
Try not to pass the nervous energy to the child. They catch a lot from you, so keep a good attitude.

Trunki was great for my kidlet: he could use as a push-toy, roll on it, pull it, sit on it, be pulled on it... ours held up to some serious abuse.

Also, AquaDraw (travel) (no crayons or markers!), a blanket, wipes and headphones.

HEADPHONES! Big soft things that stay on their heads. In-flight entertainment has all kinds of kids' shows; as we don't watch at home, in-flight television keeps my boy rapt and I can read a book. :)

We have been traveling internationally with our kids since our 4.5 year old was 11 weeks old, and it does get easier. Ipads are great for us - and get a CARES harness for the 3 year old!

Griffin,

Firstly, I haven't read any negative posts about babies crying. Yes, it's annoying, but it's also normal and I think most people get that.

I think the child free area (or floor, if available) is a great idea. Why not? Why subject the childless to the sounds of children (babies included) when you can mitigate it? It seems to make sense to maximize everyone's comfort when travelling and this seems to be a step in that direction.

Anyway, my experience with children on airplanes has been mostly good. I find the parents who are constantly shushing their kids, or worse, threatening them into being quiet are more disruptive than the kids themselves.

We just flew for the 2nd time over thanksgiving with our now 9 month old and I noticed someone with the car seat carrier for rolling suitacases for the first time....they had the car seat strapped to their bag WITH THE BABY IN IT! They were chugging through the airport and the kid was literally hanging by the seatbelt. She was screaming, obviously scared. My husband and I were shocked no one stopped them.

if you click the link the amazon website demonstrates the use of the product WITH THE BABY IN IT. So I assume that's why the parents you saw were using it that way...Though it is advertised as for use with toddlers... Couldnt imagine using it that way with a younger child

jenrepps- sorry, forgot to clarify it was an infant carseat with a child maybe 6 months old. And since it was an infant seat, the seat was tilted far too much so rather than leaning back the baby was almost facing the ground.

I've been traveling alone with my now 4 year old since he was 10 weeks old. We fly 3-4 times a year. I 100% agree with the sling and Beco! My baby carriers were great, esp since it was just me and him and I had to wrangle all the luggage and car seat as well. I wish I had known about that car seat carrier, would have made several trips MUCH easier.

I always buy a small book or two and some cheap toys (like hot wheels cars) before the trip as well. I break them out one at a time as needed, the novelty keeps my son occupied a little longer than normal. Washable crayons are great, they come right off airline trays with a baby wipe (I obviously have paper, but 2yos are messy). I bring treats for the plane ride that he's not normally allowed to have at home: fruit chewies (which are perfect for popping ears during landing/take off), yogurt-covered raisins, Goldfish, etc. Nothing crumbly and nothing sticky though.

I also discovered that once my son was mobile, it was better to board last instead of first. It gave him more time to walk around and expend energy and less time sitting in his seat waiting for everyone to board.

A wrap or baby carrier is an absolute life saver at airports, especially if you have to change any flights or juggle a lot of luggage, but just a warning - most airlines have flight regulations that say you should never wear them during flight, and absolutely not wear them during takeoff or landing. So be ready to take them off if the steward asks.

We have traveled several times a year internationally with our kiddos. This list floors me, I can't picture bringing all that.

My seat-buying kid has Trunki as her carryon, and it is great. For the four of us, we take three Dakine wheeled bags that zip into two separate bags each if we go overweight, so we never get stuck on weight again for a half ounce over.

My tip is fly during their daytime if you can. Worst case, they miss a nap. Night flights mean missing night sleep, which is territory I've learned to be wary of. There are a hundred other tips I've learned one flight at a time, but nothing makes it more than an endurance test. Good luck to us all; thirty years from now I'll be the grandma who doesn't say one word while your kid screams for six hours straight because I HAVE BEEN THERE. And that is how I got the gray hair.

For every jerk on a plane who gets visibly agitated and starts eye-rolling when near a crying (or not) child -- and I write as was one of them before I had my own kids -- I've found there are twice as many kind souls on flights who have been there and are understanding. A blanket apology from me for my past nasty looks as I try to restore my karma by also being understanding and kind.

I've traveled with infants through preschoolers, on long flights 18 months was the most difficult. I package smallish non-precious toys in many ziploc bags and pull them out throughout the flight, the variety kept my kids occupied, easy access/cleanup in my carryon.

I would highly recommend the Go-Go Kids Babyz Travelmate--a contraption that you bolt your toddler car seat to and it turns it into a makeshift stroller. It is heavenly to just wheel your kid through the airport. It can be a bit cumbersome getting it through security (doesn't fit in all the xray machines), but most will just "wand" it. I would advise taking off the wheels if you decide to check the seat at the gate, as we lost a wheel that way. BUT we got excellent customer service from Go-go Kidz, and they sent us a replacement wheel before we left our destination.

We live 3700 km from our family. The flights are extremely expensive so when we had to fly with our 20 month old on our lap there wasn't the option to buy another ticket. During the four hour flight my son cried the whole time and then vomited on myself and the lady next to me. Trust me when I say I had a worst time than anyone around me. There are times when parents have to travel and while everyone hates it, the parents usually have it the worst.

@ladyear

It sounds like the lady next to you had it "the worst". Having paid full fare for her ticket and then getting vomited on and enduring a stranger's child's crying for 3,700 km

I've flown solo long haul with my son since he was 7 months old to many destinations. Hands down the worst flight I've had was midweek to Hong Kong.

Every single adult sitting near us put a face mask on or covered their noses with a scarf when they saw my son. When the flight attendant asked a passenger to switch seats to accommodate us (she was the only person sitting in the row) she informed me that she did mind and hoped this child wasn't spreading germs as she was pregnant. I said good luck with the pregnancy and thanked her for switching seats. My son was sleeping quietly in my arms during all of this- and he was not sick.

When we landed I had my son on my back, and collected my luggage. Two suitcases, a stroller and our carry on. Not a single person offered to help but rather stared at us and tsked. Next time I travel there, I'll lower my expectations of human civility and pack less.

@ayb922 - i want to add a second recommendation for the CARES harness. It has helped keep our fidgety 3 yo in check on several flights.

@barking ants and babybamf - we also have found wrapping small toys and bringing them out over the course of a flight has helped. Also, lots of snacks. We also use lollipops with abandon on takeoff and landing. Even bringing extras for others.

Finally, I keep a stash of Southwest drink coupons acquired on business trips and distribute to those around me in case we annoy them. That helps build some goodwill. Usually not necessary, but doesn't hurt.

Paley, that sounds absolutely terrible! My sympathies.

Original post author here... Just wanted to add that we do not bring every item on this recommended list on any individual trip! I select what we need with a lot of planning and questions asked per our destination and pack accordingly. For example, I almost never fly with a stroller and prefer the carrier (even for longer trips. my kid just naps on me, rather than in a stroller). All of these items above are lightweight however, and hold up well for long term (multi-child) use which for me are the two top qualifications for investing in baby gear, whether for traveling or home.

Couple more things that I have found thru trial and error for our family personally - traveling at night for us has actually worked better than daytime for fussiness, but the key for us to make this very successful was to haul his carseat on board rather than checking it. He sleeps wonderfully in it and he is used to being strapped in for travel anyway - it's been worth it now he that he has his own seat. (I have traveled 8 red-eye trips by myself and with my baby/toddler with 100% success).

I also starting bringing small items of interest (1 per 15 min of flight time. Like a matchbox car, sheet of stickers, lollypop, etc.) and taking them out one at a time during the flight and as needed. They are continuously used for the remainder of the trip and are packed away once we get back for our next trip so that keeps them fresh and interesting each time! While we don't eat candy much at home, I have no problem with gum, candy, and suckers for flights!! I bring all sorts of special food treats - it works and it's not a regular thing, so I don't sweat it nutritionally. That said, I also pack good protein rich food as well for happy and full bellies at any moment needed.

Co-sleeping in hotel rooms has worked well for us also, rather than checking travel beds on a flight, but for road trips by car the beds proved helpful and worth the extra space. FWIW, I have never been charged extra for child gear checked by flight... If it's a stroller, carseat, or pack play - no charge for "extra baggage". Who knows if this change in the future, but last 3 years it hasn't happened.

Some of the travel with kids blog links above have some genius tips and travel gems passed on. Like, making an "apology/appreciation bag" for giving to your row mates and the person in front of your child. Contains a note (like from your kid, apologizing ahead of time for any kicks or crying) and thanking them for their patience and understanding. Also contains a set of ear plugs, a pack of gum, a drink coupon, etc) Makes people smile every time!

Lastly, I have to say that being comfortable with nursing on flight has helped greatly for our baby and if you are nursing your child, go for it and don't worry about the close proximity. Take-off, landing, and for falling asleep... Works like a charm. The only time I ever felt awkward was when I had a 15 yr old boy seated next to me, but I just apologized and nursed with more cover than I normally would.

Many more tips to pass on, but hope this helps to clarify a bit!

I don't understand the issue with families sitting together - book as early as you can and reserve seats at that time. If you are booking late, you will have the same horrible problems with seat assignments that everyone else does.

Hi all,

My baby is 11 months old and we have traveled internationally with him eight times-- with 4 flights being longer than 13 hours. I think the above list is mostly impractical for international travel. First of all, if you are traveling to many countries in Asia or Africa, there are no seat belts in the cars, so no point in dragging along a car seat-- we just got home from Nepal, and I can assure you, a car seat would have been pointless. Also, if you need to pack light, you can't drag along most of these things, with the exception of the maya wrap (although hot and can be awkward for men) and the smaller booster seat. If ya'll are interested, here is my list for hardcore travelers with babies:

1. Peapod travel sleep tent-- weighs only a few pounds and is easy to pack-- (has a self-inflatable mattress think thermarest). I wouldn't use with very young babies though. Our baby slept great in his.

2. Tonga baby carrier from France-- is much easier to use than the Maya wrap and takes almost no space and is not hot to wear. Is comfortable and good looking for men or women to use-- low profile and streamlined- can fit in your back pocket when folded.

3. Aden and Anais muslin cotton blankets-- great to use for swaddle, blanket, burp cloth, breast feeding cover, peek-a-boo on the plane, etc. Easy to wash in the sink for backpackers and dries quickly.

4. Dr. Bronner's soap to wash bottles and clothes while traveling

5. Milton's sterilizing tablets-- to sterilize bottles without a microwave or sterilizer while traveling (esp. important in less-developed nations). We also travel with a pop-up "sink" to sterilize the bottles in-

6. One special book for baby

7. A few toys (one or two) that don't make too much noise (for plane ride) or take up too much room.-- we usually buy some cool little toys during our travels

8. One small pack for plane with several diapers, wipes, a change of clothes, a few plastic bags for dirty clothes/diapers, a muslin cotton blanket, a toy, formula or milk, a bottle, and hand sanitizer. You don't need to take a whole bunch of "stuff" on the plane-- snacks are usually available on the plane, as is plain milk. Bottles can be rinsed out by the attendants. Our baby eats solid food, but we usually just give him milk on the plane as it is streamlined and less messy-- we feed him solids before we get on the plane and after we land.

I hope this list may be helpful!

Check out http://www.pacback.com/ if you want to carry the carseat on your back. I used it on a couple of trips. Just try not to bonk unsuspecting folks. ; )

Booking early is not always a panacea - we've booked 4+ months early for our flight to Australia and still couldn't get 4 seats together.

We do a trans-Pacific flight every year and several shorter flights with our kids who are now 4 and 6. What works for us is packing them each a backpack of small toys/stickers/Color Wonder/treats and a fresh bag of M&Ms for each leg of the flight. It's the only time they get M&Ms...

We also find that what works best for us is to get seats 3+1 with the single a couple of rows ahead or behind ... we switch off which parent is off-duty and it is lovely to get a real rest. And sitting near the wing means the engine noise is loud enough that people near you can't really hear the kids' noise, plus the white noise makes it easier for the kids to sleep

As a non-parent, I applaud the original poster's suggestion of an apology bag for fellow travelers, complete with earplugs, drink coupons, candy and so on. I've read similar suggestions elsewhere before and think it's a wonderful idea.

I understand that parents sometimes have to travel with kids who are too young (or otherwise unequipped) to deal with travel, but if some ornery kid is going to kick my seat for hours on end, as one poster described above, I think the parent should, at the very least, change seats and sit in front of their little darling. That should take care of that problem.

As for the child who vomits on someone, that parent better be prepared to pony up for drink tickets, dry cleaning and maybe more.

i was always grateful that i could nurse my child when we flew and let her play on the floor of the bulkhead seat (with a dvd player and numerous bags of novelties). unfortunately, some flight attendants are more encouraging of this play on the floor than others; so this option varies. and some attendants intervened to keep me from nursing; so there was another vital tool randomly missing from my traveling toolbox. this caused an otherwise calm baby to wail! for those of you without kids and an aversion to the nursing mother, nursing on a plane may be the ideal way to calm and soothe the baby in numerous ways and times on a flight. so just take a peek, and then take a nap next to my quiet kiddo :)

to Paley: reminds me of a visa run I made to HK a few years back - 8 months pregnant, carrying 19month old in my arms as she was not feeling so great - had to waddle the entire length of the terminal twice [our gate was changed at the last minute from the far end to the near end]; the 19 month old felt much better once she overflowed her diaper with diarrhea but unfortunately it overflowed all over my white linen pants. Made it onto the plane; the attendant let me clean her up in the toilet quickly even though we were the last ones onto the plane, went to find our seats and the fellow in the aisle seat did not even want to put up his tray table to let us in, much less stand up to let us pass.

Let me just say, I wasn't going to offer to pay for his dry cleaning.

As a parent, I find it incredibly frustrating that people think seating families together (or at the back of the plane) is somehow a solution ... I don't want to be exposed to someone else's grumpy child any more than you do! If I'm playing the same fare as anyone else, I should have access to the same seating options.

You have to be careful with those tie-on high chair replacements... our daughter tipped over a light bistro chair when she shifted her weight. They need to be used on a pretty hefty chair to ensure safety. We love the Baby Bjorn travel crib: super light, compact and practically instant to set up. Our strategy to stress-free travel with a toddler (and we've done a lot of it) is to time flights/trains to naptime so that she sleeps through most of it. Easy for us and for those sitting nearby.

@in the desert sun... Tonga baby carrier looks very cool! Do you happen to know where it can be purchased for US residents? Every link I saw online was international, wasn't able to spot a US distributor.

We use the Maya Ring Sling, not the Maya Wrap which is a different product (5 meters of fabric you wrap around your body and baby). Some people really love the wrap, but I felt it was too much fabric to contend with regularly and near impossible to use on a flight (unless you board with it already on and don't plan on removing it during flight). Whereas the ring sling folds very small (fits in my purse, but not a pocket) and also gives nursing cover or extra shade if needed. The photo I included above was taken in 100' heat with tons of biting insects... the cover it provided my 5 month old then was essential! I didn't find it too hot and he stayed cool as well, but we also have the one made out of Linen and I think that adds greatly to the breath-ability.

Thanks also for the reminder of the Aden & Annis muslin swaddle blankets (there are other muslin blankets now on the market as well, but I only have personal experience with A&A) - we still use our blankets as well and they are the best for traveling with both babies and toddlers, the blanket size and weight is perfect. Great shower gift!!

Thank you you so much for this post! We are traveling w/ our just 3 year old and 2 month old for Christmas. The three year old has traveled a lot, but we had a hard time on our last trip when he finally had to be in his own seat and he hated it. I was debating bringing his car seat on board, but didn't want to lug it through all the airports - that carryon strap is perfect!

Also, love the idea of a sucker for the kiddo and drink tickets for neighbors!

I've been annoyed way more times by obnoxious adults on airplanes than by kids.

After reading these comments I don't think I will be taking my three small kids on a plane until they are all school age. Sounds like a nightmare and the anxiety knowing that many of the people around me were wishing my family and I would disappear to some other family only flight would be unbearable. It sucks that our culture is so intolerant of children; how easy it must be to forget that we were all once there ourselves.

It's actually 2 and under, still. I just flew with my 23 month old child in lap, and I have to say that I am so glad she is old enough for her own seat now (we didn't buy our tickets, so I couldn't justify asking for a second ticket). Almost 2 is definitely too big for laps.

I agree with other posters, have found adults to be waaaay more annoying than kids/babies. As a seasoned long haul traveler the time I can recall being annoyed by a kid was when it was my own! Flying is kinda like public transport people, it's not an adults only zone.

If you're traveling with a young child and another adult have one adult board as early as possible with the carry on luggage and any older kids. The adult who boards will set up the carseat or CARES harness for the young child along with stocking the front pocket of the youngest child with stuff to distract/entertain plus easy to reach diaper changer under the seat of the attending parent. Then that adult can get stuff ready for the rest of the party. The other adult is busy doing a last minute diaper change so the youngest has a pristine diaper. Those two will board at the last minute. These less time a baby or toddler spends on the plane the better.

I like to bring for our toddler a CARES harness, sippie, new board books, travel magnadoodle, travel DVD player (the older child gets the Ipad), and travel magnets set. I also pack snacks and gummies for takeoff and landing since he loves gummies but rarely gets them. The chewing helps his ears and is a good bribe.

Now that we have kids we've given up the wheeled carry ons until they are older and don't have to be chased down. We bring a backpack, and a large diaper bag that can be swung over the handlebar of the stroller. Our goal is for one of us to have our hands free in case we have to run after a child. The child wrangler wears the backpack.