It's better to think of Air Port Security as the Gateway to the World than dread every inch closer the security line brings you to the inevitable security scramble.
Older kids should be briefed on the security process before you leave home as well as while standing in line waiting your turn. Things to include in their security briefing:
1. Before leaving the house, make sure there are no fluids including drinks (empty water bottles are ok), lip gloss, sunscreen, etc in your carryon. Also make sure there are no sharp objects that could be viewed as weapons. (I actually had a scrapbooking eyelet kit in my carryon one time - hammer and all. Luckily my husband is a brilliant frequent traveller and always travels with a self addressed stamped large envelope in his computer bag to mail any contraband back to ourselves. We just go back out of security and drop it in the mailbox and then try again. He loses much fewer pocket knives now.)
2. We're going to have to move quickly once we get to the conveyor belt because everyone wants to get through quickly.
3. Make sure you don't have an i-pod, game boy, psp, chargers, or any other electronics or metal in your pants pocket. Put them in your carryon or jacket pocket.
4. Take off your coat or jacket while standing in line. Take off your shoes quickly when you get to the conveyor and put them with your coat in a gray bin. (I think children under 12 don't have to take off their shoes, but things are constantly changing) Lay your backpack on the rollers next to the bin and push them along until they are on the conveyor belt.
5. Hold your boarding pass in your hand and walk over and stand in front of the metal detector. Look at the person on the other side and wait for them to wave for you to come through. Walk through and go where the person points for you to go.
6. Walk to the conveyor where your stuff is coming out. Grab your shoes first and slip them on (if you need to tie them, you can do that at benches after you get your stuff). Grab your backpack and jacket and wait for the rest of the family.
Most older kids can manage through security without much assistance if they are prepared.
Taking a baby though security, on the other hand, doesn't go quite as smoothly. I am going to assume you have a car seat, stroller, or both, to get through with you. I have managed to get infant twins through security all by myself without incident, so you can manage one baby with your spouse to help (hopefully).
1. Before leaving the house, make sure there are no fluids including diaper rash ointment, sunblock, vitamins, children's medicine, juice boxes, filled bottles, etc in your diaper bag carryon. I usually empty the diaper bag completely before the trip and fill with only the necessities. I don't want my diaper bag searched because I have a liquid stain remover pen somewhere in there. Place your approved 3 oz or smaller diaper rash ointment, sunblock, vitamins, and medicine in a quart ziploc bag if you must take them on the plane. Otherwise pack all the fluids in a checked bag. Your baby will need to eat and drink on the plane. They understand this. You may take a reasonable amount of mixed formula, baby food, expressed breast milk, and whole milk through security with you. They only expect you to take what is needed for the flights. All other has to go in checked bags. I usually packed mine in a gallon ziploc bag for consistency because I know that all ziplocs need to come out and be put in the gray bins. Once these items have been sent through the x-ray machine, they will pull them off and swipe one or two, ask you to open the bottles or sippie cups and hold a swipe over the top and run a scan on them.
2. Strollers and smaller car seats should be run through the x-ray scanner. Be sure to place your carseat upside down on the conveyor and make sure none of the belts are hanging off. And no, you are not the first one to have a school of gold fish crackers dumped out of your car seat onto the x-ray conveyor, that would be me. I swear I cleaned the car seats before travelling. Most airports have one scanner that has a larger opening. I always ask for that line so they don't have to pat down the car seat or stroller.
3. Put all baby items in a bin. Blankies, pacifiers, bottles, cups, toys, and anything else you have to pry out of their hands.
4. Hold your boarding passes and baby in your arms and walk through the metal detector. As of this post, they do not make you go into the new body scanners with young children or infants.
I have done it by myself with infant twins and you can do it, too. Just give yourself plenty of time and think through the process before getting there. Understanding what the rules are makes it flow much more smoothly.
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