Flying With Preschoolers Tip 587: Bring Diapers For Potty Trained Kids

Here are two family travel horror stories worth sharing.

In the first, my friend and her daughter were stuck on the tarmac for an hour waiting for permission to take off. It stands to reason that in the middle, her newly potty trained daughter realized she needed to "go." The flight attendants insisted she stay put, however, a preschooler takes a long time in the bathroom and she might jeopardize the flight's ability to take off should permission arrive. So, while adults used the restroom as needed, my friend's newly potty trained toddler sat in her seat. (Honestly, I can't imagine what the flight attendants were thinking. A potty accident in an airplane seat cannot be a good thing). Luckily my friend had an old diaper in her carryon, and she finally put it it on her daughter, averting certain disaster.

Another friend flew recently with her newly potty trained son. Unbeknownst to her, he is deathly afraid of the airplane toilets (I can't say I blame him). He dug in his heels as only a 3 year old can, and refused to use the toilet. No amount of bribing, cajoling or threatening worked, so on their 6 hour flight, potty "accident" followed potty accident, and they left the plane with their son wrapped in an airplane blanket.

So, a word to the wise, even if your child is totally potty trained... pack a few diapers in your carryon. Consider slipping one on your child before takeoff. You never know whether you might need them.

Related Links
Flying With Babies, Toddlers, and Kids
Packing List: Airplane Carryon with Babies, Toddlers and Kids

Filed Under: flying-with-kids packing-with kids packing-with-babies

5 comments | Posted on November 24, 2008 | Save to del.icio.us

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Comments

  1. jamie

    http://www.travelsavvymom.com/
    November 24, 2008 at 9:18 a.m.

    Uh, Debbie? Some time (over a few dozen margaritas) I'll tell you a story about a pregnant woman (who may or may not have been me), an overturned big rig, a 2-hour traffic jam, a large coffee, and an extra diaper.

    Oh wait, I already did.

  2. Debbie

    November 24, 2008 at 9:50 p.m.

    As I was writing this post, I thought to myself "this would be much funnier if a TravelSavvyMom wrote it! Thanks so much for coming over and adding some humor ;)

    Hope you're loving our fancy new "link back to your website so that people can find out who you are" feature. We've officially joined the 21st century ;)

  3. Marina

    http://muchacostarica.com/blog.aspx
    November 25, 2008 at 9:39 a.m.

    My kid has been potty trained for ages, but he still sleeps with diapers and we always have tons extras for when we travel.
    <a href="http://muchacostarica.com/blog/2008/11/23/muchacostarica-weekly-roundup-.aspx">Happy Thanksgiving!</a>

  4. Bill

    September 29, 2009 at 10:15 a.m.

    I personally saw my 11 year old daughter pee in her pants after the plane landed but before she could get off the plane to a bathroom. She was obviously mortified; I don't think she had peed her pants in at least two years. She is now 12 and gets very nervous for both car and plane travel and has wet herself numerous times since in travel situations. However, ever since the first time, she has had a pullup on. It is DEFINITELY recommended to use pullups with kids on planes; I have told friends and co-workers, and they have in turn gone to pullups with their kids too (ages 3-12 or so). So, tell your kid their not the only one and make them wear it; either they use the toilet just as normal, or they wet their pullup. No downside.

  5. Tricia

    March 31, 2010 at 1 p.m.

    Bill - your daughter sounds like my daughter. She is 16 and has always had the occasional small accident, but nothing that big of a deal. Last week, we flew back from a couple days of shopping in NYC together, and she wet herself right after we took off. She realized she had to go as soon as we backed away from the gate, and it was a good hour before we took off. After crying a bit, I got her calmed down, wrapped in a blanket, and we were okay. By the time we landed her pants were dry. After we landed, I saw her start to fidget again. I asked her if she had to pee, and she said yes, and instantly, I could see her starrt to panic. I think she started worrying so much that she'd have another accident that it made it more likely. As we got out of the jetway and tried to find the closest bathroom, she peed her pants again. This was much more public, and she was completely mortified. As soon as we got her suitcase, she changed her pants, but now she panics as soon as she has to go if she can't get to a toilet right away. We have had a few more accidents. She's 16! She woke up bursting to pee this morning and immediately began to panic and ran to the potty, but her little brother was in there. She proceeded to completely wet her pajama pants right in the hallway. And then the worst happened. I got a call at 1:00 from the school; she had wet her pants in school and I had to bring her new pants. I got to the school and it was obvious she had been crying. I'm really tempted to step her back into pull-ups when she's out of the house, but at 16! Thoughts?

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