How to make travelling not the worst

Last week I travelled with Jack and Rob (my little brothers) to Seattle. Gate to gate, the way there was 12 hours and the way back was about 10.

That's a lot of travel time with a 6 and 10 year old. Now, you might think this would be a frustrating experience... but you would be wrong. Let me tell you about something called the"young single mother card."

It seems every security guard and every airline attendant just assumed I was their mom. I caught some definite glances to my ring-less ring finger. And I did nay make any attempts to correct anybody because seriously, I was living the life.

For starters, you know when you go through security and you feel like a jumbo jerk for holding the line up while you repack your laptop and stuff? I feel like everybody else in the world wears slip on/off shoes and there I am fixing my orthotic then lacing up while the guy behind me mutters something about missing his flight. I get so stressed out in those situations. But when you're with kids? All the time in the world is yours. People give you kind smiles as you take your time to help your toothless freckle face get his coat back on. It's the best.
Also, security is incredibly lenient when you're with kids. For example, I accidentally had a water bottle in our carry on. I apologized and said they could just dump it. But no! Apparently, if you're with kids, they'll TEST it for you and let you keep it! What? Where were these tests in the past when I've had to throw out so much stuff?

Later, on the flight home, Jack took out his pencil case for some colouring. Guess what was in there? SCISSORS. Not just safety scissors either, but the real kind, sharp enough that I would let somebody cut my hair with them. Security had let us through with scissors. AND! I had tweezers and nail cutters. Whoops, but holy cats, right?
Also, we got full cans of pop from the drink service (the flight attendant said, "Mom, is it okay if I give the boys a full can?" and I said, "... sure!") and DOUBLE SNACKS. YA YA YA!

OH! AND! They got to go right up and visit the pilot! What? They still do that? This is the most fun any person has had post 9/11, am I right? (The pilot said, "Does your mom have a camera?" and the boys said, "yeah!"... even they were thinking I was their mom by the end of it)So the moral of the story is:

• always travel with children
  
• be a young female
  
• flash your best "just tryin' to make ends meet" smile
  
• maybe have messy hair
• make sure your children are adorable sweethearts that some people think are twins, and one of them is missing both his front teeth

and you will get:

• no hassle at security from other passengers
• no hassle at security from the staff even if you are carrying every illegal item you can think of
• to board the plane first, with wheel chair people and others who require extra time or assistance
• extra snacks
• full cans of pop
• love and attention forever

THE BEST!

(ps yes, they did get haircuts while in Seattle)