Preparing Our Children for Something New

We can always try to plan ahead of time for things, like visits to the park,  going to the supermarket, the first day of school or moving to a new home. Then there are things that are almost impossible to prepare for or rehearse, like flying on a plane for the first time. 

We know from experience that it's best to help our kids prepare for changes, especially if they have autism or other developmental and cognitive delays. As parents, we often get stressed out about how our kids will react to a new environment or setting. The outcome will depend on a variety of things like their mood on that day, how many people are around, or if our kids had enough sleep the night before. It makes it even harder if our kids have difficulty communicating their wants and needs. So, how do we prepare for something like that first flight on a plane? 

In a perfect world, we would have access to all types of training. Where we are allowed to visit the airport ahead of time. Show our kids social stories with real pictures so they know what to expect and what the experience will be like. It would be ideal if we could be allowed to participate in a mock flight, just like the real thing. 

Though there are cities that actually have those types of training available, most places don’t. What should you do if you have to fly with your child for the first time?

There are a lot of things that we can do in order to help them prepare for the trip. A social story is a great way to visually show our child what the trip will look like. In a social story, it is best to try to use real pictures of the airport and the parking lot. Show the inside and outside of the plane. And even a picture of a flight attendant and a pilot. A social story could also be in a form of a social script, depending on how your child learns and understands best.

It is always best to call the airline ahead and make them aware that you are bringing a person with a disability. Kindly ask for priority boarding if you think your child would do better going in first. 

Once you arrive, let the people at the gate know as well, so they can alert the flight staff. It's amazing to watch what happens when we let others into our world, and let them help! Sometimes all we need to do is ask for help. During my son's first flight experience, he was treated with so much love and patience.   He was even given a diploma for his first flight. 

Make sure to get plenty of rest the night before, pack snacks and try to get as ready as you can. Obviously, not everything will be under our control, but all we can do is try! 

Here is another article on tips for flying with your child.