While the debate over family-friendly and child-free airplane zones rages on, Spring break is upon us and families are hitting the wide-open skies. If mama feels overloaded with gear when simply out for an afternoon stroll, she'll feel like a pack mule once she gathers all of her goods to get her tots from the airport door to the gate. Having the right tools on hand makes the airport experience – including the security line – a breeze. Check out these five items to get you to your plane on time.
Flying with Baby
As Summer comes to a close, many families take their last warm weather hurrah over Labor Day weekend. Before boarding the next flight, check out airplane gear that ensures your tot will be safe on board. These goodies also make a parent's life a bit easier.
The Amazing Race: Traveling With Child
In order to attend a wedding in Florida last weekend, I left my daughter with my family back in Texas. An excellent plan when it was hatched, our strategy was to fly through the Houston airport, where we had an hour layover, and grab our daughter for the second leg of the trip back to San Francisco.
I was prepared with a DVD player, snacks, water and books for the long flight, but I did not anticipate delays. At the Jacksonville airport, we were delayed 30 minutes, which took a significant chunk out of my layover lapse. With determination on the brain, I was set to run my own Amazing Race.
To see what happened, read more
Mommy's Lil Helper: Gogo Kidz Travelmate

One of the biggest dilemmas parents face when flying with their kids is whether or not they should take their convertible car seat on board the plane. While the FAA strongly recommends that children under 40 lbs. be seated in a car seat on an airplane, the weight, bulkiness and over all inconvenience of lugging the seats through the airport, security and then onto the plane prevent many parents from doing so.
The folks at GoGo Baby Z have come up with an ingenious solution to this problem. Their GoGo Kidz Travelmate ($79.99) attaches directly to your convertible car seat, allowing you to wheel it through the airport (with your child in it), thus alleviating the balancing act that comes with carrying the seat.
Weighing only five pounds, it easily mounts to most toddler car seats and can be kept attached to the seat during your flight for even greater convenience. Best of all, when you arrive at your destination, you will have peace of mind knowing that your child is safe in their car seat as you drive to your hotel.
For a full list of car seats compatible with the Travelmate, just read more
