I took one of the world's longest flights with 2 toddlers. Here's what got me through it.

02.03.2024 - 14:31 / insider.com

"You're a masochist!" another dad exclaimed during our daughters' playdate when I told him our flight itinerary.

I'll admit that it sounded bad — the first leg of our family trip to Cambodia consisted of an almost 18-hour flight from Los Angeles to Singapore. At one time, it was the world's third-longest flight, and we'd be doing it with a 3-year-old and a 1-year-old with a lap ticket.

I was terrified. But did I have a few tricks up my, er, carry-on to get us through? Definitely.

Here's how we survived the flight and the almost 14-hour return as well.

Crazy as it sounds, I actually chosethe LA-Singapore route over others that consisted of shorter first connecting flights.

I did so because Singapore Airlines consistently ranks among the world's best airlines. I knew the on-time departure, excellent customer service, and endless snacks would make the experience much easier.

Like many long-haul flights, ours offered a bassinet for our child under 2. Though I was iffy as to whether he'd actually sleep in it, I still made sure to book early enough to reserve one.

That's because the rows in which bassinets can be hung happen to be the best seats in economy — typically the first row (meaning faster deplaning and no reclining front neighbors) and with nearly double the legroom. At 5'10", I was fully able to extend my legs to the wall in front of me.

Plus, that extra bit of space came in handy for the toys, snacks, and diaper bag.

If there's a time and place for unlimited screen time, a long-haul flight is it. For my almost 4-year-old, I packed her tablet and Bluetooth headphones and let her go wild.

In-flight entertainment for kids can be hit-or-miss, so I wanted to be prepared with some of her favorites. While she actually loved Singapore Airlines' offerings, I'm glad we brought the headphones — we used them to secure the adult-sized airline-provided earpods, which otherwise slipped off.

I'm generally of the belief that you cannot overpack toddler snacks. Dried fruit, Cheerios, puffs, cheddar bunnies, Cerebelly bars — we were prepared.

Many long-haul flights offer a snack cart, and Singapore Airlines' was particularly robust. While my daughter loved the instant noodles and puffy pastries, my son wanted to stick to his tried-and-trues. I'm glad we had both.

Shortly before leaving on our trip, an Australian mom friend familiar with long flights tipped me off to this simple hack. The opening and closing of compartments added an extra level of engagement, lengthening the time they spent occupied eating. Plus it was great fine motor practice. While it did take a few minutes to load the snacks, I found it paid off.

I initially packed blue painter's tape based on an Instagram video I saw: tear little pieces and