Life is a Highway, Fly Away, Drive, Chattanooga Choo Choo, Truckin'...What's your summer travel tune?

Dear Devra and Aviva,
I would like to fly across the country with my 7 month old and my 3 year old. Both require car seats and I know I will have to take the seats on the plane with me. I will be traveling by myself and feel like I am going to end up struggling through the airport with the baby in his car seat, carrying the toddler's seat, carrying a bag with things to keep the children busy during the flight, not to mention keeping the toddler within arms reach. Here is my question are there any suggestions on making this trip easier and are there any magical carseats that fold up and can be slipped on to my back.
-Travelin' Mama

Traveling with children is always an unexpected adventure, the "with children" part that is. The travel partly is usually planned. Just when you are sure you have thought of everything, life makes a u-turn and many times it involves barf.

Fortunately, you have come to the right place...for us to refer you on to our favorite travel site. The creme de la creme of sites is www.MomsMinivan.Com. This site offers up all kinds of ideas; everything from recommended travel gear to how to keep your kids entertained while keeping your sanity. We feel it is the one stop travel site for families as it has many different ideas for various ages and stages of kids and travel. Regarding your carseat questions, Momsminivan recommends a toddler carseat that converts to a stroller such as this seat trolley or better yet, check the toddler's carseat with your luggage and use a flight vest made especially for traveling by plane with infants and toddlers.

Here are some of our recommendations to make airport travel easier:
1. Gate check your stroller. This means you can take your stoller to the gate, the gate agent gives you a special receipt and you can drop your stroller off as you walk down the gangway onto the airplane. After you land, your stroller is brought back to the same spot on the gangway at your destination and you can plop a child, or two, into the stroller and cruise on to the baggage claim or your connecting flight.

2. Check with the airlines about getting some help. Those electric carts are not just for the elderly, they are for others who may need assistance, so inquire. If you never ask, you never get!

3. As you board the airplane, repeat the mantra "All of these peopler were once children themselves" and greet your new-found row of friends with "Lucky! You get to sit with us!"

4. Bring an extra change of clothes for your kids AND you!

5. Pack your own snacks; airport food is expensive and doesn't usually come in child friendly portions.