June 30, 2025 • 26 mins
Managing Sensory Regulation During International Travel
In this episode of the Globally Thriving Families Podcast, host Clare O'Byrne, a parent coach and occupational therapist, dives into practical strategies for international travel with children. Clare addresses the various sensory needs individuals face during travel and offers concrete advice on managing these challenges. From preparing sensory systems with 'heavy work' activities to handling emotional prep with social stories, Clare provides a comprehensive guide. She also shares personal experiences and reassurances for parents, emphasizing the importance of self-care and co-regulation during stressful travel situations.
00:00 Introduction to Globally Thriving Families
01:09 Preparing for Travel with Sensory Supports
02:44 Understanding Sensory Systems
06:22 Pre-Trip Sensory Preparation
11:52 Travel Day Strategies
17:41 Managing Meltdowns and Co-Regulation
23:18 Arrival and Resetting
24:59 Final Thoughts and Encouragement
25:26 Outro and Contact Information
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Downloadable activities for kids: @keepusbuzymum (Instagram)
Connect with Clare: globally.thriving@gmail.com
Website: https://www.globallythriving.com
Connect with Clare on Instagram: http://instagram.com/globally_thriving
Book a free 20 minute call with Clare: https://tidycal.com/globallythriving/20-minute-meeting
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:06):
Are you a parent or caregiverraising your child
internationally?
Are you curious about how tonurture your child's
development?
But find all the parentinginformation out there confusing?
If so, you are in the rightplace.
Welcome to the Globally ThrivingFamilies Podcast.
I'm your host, Clare O'Byrne, aparent coach and occupational
(00:28):
therapist with a passion forsupporting children and their
families for more than 25 years.
Whether it's understanding howto build resilience to practical
tips for language development,screen time challenges, and
staying calm amongst the chaos,Globally Thriving Families is
here to help.
(00:48):
Join me as we explore the topicsthat give you the insights and
guidance you need to supportyour children to thrive.
No matter where your family'sadventures take you.
Hello and welcome to anotherepisode of Globally Thriving
Families.
(01:09):
Today we are talking abouttravel, and this is timely, I
think for many of you who aregetting to the end of the school
year right about now, andespecially for international
families who might also betraveling back to their home
countries over the long.
Break.
So as I'm recording this, I'malso preparing to travel in a
(01:30):
few days.
I want to help you think abouthow you can use sensory supports
for big journeys, and I'm goingto break it down a little bit
into what you can think aboutpre-trip on the day of travel,
and also the first day after youarrive.
To help both you and your kidsto try to optimize the
(01:51):
experience.
I have taken many, many flightswith my kids since they were
babies, and every time I travelwith them, especially when they
were younger, I felt like Ilearned a lot.
For the next time.
And I know it's not always easy.
Sometimes it's exhausting.
(02:11):
And also if you are solotraveling with your kids, which
can often happen, there's justso many layers of things that
you have to think about.
And even if your kids are older,this information isn't just
useful for parents who haveyoung kids because we all have a
(02:31):
sensory system, so we all havesensory needs.
So keep listening because theinformation can be applied to
any age group.
So firstly.
What do I even mean by sensorysupport?
So we actually have eightsenses.
Yes.
Eight, not five.
So there's hearing, vision,taste, smell, and touch.
(02:54):
But then we also have theseother three senses, which are
related to our body awareness,our balance, and our internal
body signals.
And they are just as importantas the others to guide the way
we respond to our environment,basically.
So why does sensory supportseven help?
Well.
We have to think about theexperience of travel as a whole.
(03:17):
So especially at key times ofthe year, at the end of term
travel, can often go alongsideother changes like the school
holidays coming up.
So routines that were once quitepredictable, start to really
vary.
Now, we've just had the lastweek of term and it was a very
different week to what itusually is, you know, there's
dress up days, there'scelebrations, there's like a ton
(03:40):
of snacks.
And that change in routine canreally impact our kids and
ourselves.
I'm sure if you are at the endof term right now, you could be
really frazzled and tired toobecause of all the extra things
that you had to plan and preparefor.
So we want to go into this,travel period as regulated as
(04:02):
possible.
So one way to think about thesensory system is as though it
is an empty cup.
Okay?
We're going to use this analogy.
So on travel days itself, thereare so many sensory components
to it.
So there's the unpredictabilityof the routine.
Its the waiting around.
(04:23):
Maybe there's some delays thatyou weren't expecting.
Then there could be an elementof urgency all of a sudden, and
you have to rush.
There's noise, there's smells.
You're in close proximity toother people.
You can't eat what you want whenyou want.
There's a lack of sleep, andespecially if you're starting on
a sleep deficit because you hadto get up early to take the
(04:44):
flight.
Then there's temperaturechanges.
You might be freezing in the ACor you could feel really hot and
bothered and sweaty becauseyou've just been running with
your hand luggage to get to thegate.
Your kids, they wanna buystuffies and key chains and
chocolate at every shop in thedepartures lounge.
And then there's the bodysensations.
(05:05):
When you're flying, your earsmight be popping, sensitive
stomach during the landing orduring turbulence.
So all those things addsomething to this empty cup, and
then what happens?
This cup can start to overflow.
When it overflows, that's whenyou start to see meltdowns and
(05:26):
dysregulation and crying.
And you know what happens thenis we, as the parents, we have
to manage that dysregulation andour sensory cup is starting to
overflow at the same time.
Now if your child isneurodivergent, then they may be
even a bit more sensitive tosome of these components as
(05:47):
well.
And I'm sure you've alreadynoticed, which components impact
you and your children of thoseones that I've just mentioned.
This is why tuning into your ownsensory needs and your kids'
needs is so valuable because itcan actually make or break the
whole experience.
(06:08):
When you are aware of something,you can prepare for some of
these eventualities and havesome possible strategies in
place to support the wholeexperience.
Okay, so let's get into it.
What do you need to think aboutpre-trip and what might help?
So the main thing pre-trip isthat you want to be giving your
(06:30):
body and brain a head start.
You're prepping your sensorysystem for this crazy day that's
coming up.
Okay?
The number one thing I love whenit comes to meeting sensory
needs is something called heavywork.
So if you've listened to, um, aprevious episode on afterschool
mood swings, you'll know that Italked about the power of using
(06:53):
heavy work or proprioception.
To regulate our sensory system.
What I mean by that is toregulate our sensory system
basically means our body isorganized.
It might be calm, but that's notnecessarily the goal, and it's
not overwhelmed and it's notunderstimulated.
It's kind of just at the rightlevel.
(07:14):
And so, using heavy workactivities helps us with our
proprioception sense.
That's one of our eight senses.
Now, I don't wanna get too wordyand bogged down with that today,
but this is a good one tounderstand.
So proprioception is our body'sawareness of where it is in
space.
(07:35):
It's, how we know where our armsand legs are without even
looking or knowing how muchpressure to use when we pick
something up or when we givesomebody a hug so that
information comes to us throughour joints and our muscles.
So activities like pushing andpulling or lifting something or
jumping, gives our body lots ofproprioceptive input.
(07:57):
So before travel day, you wantto give your child and yourself
lots of opportunity for heavywork.
So that could be with climbing,with jumping, with playing at
the playground, but I know ifit's too hot where you're
living, then right now, thatmight not be, feasible.
So maybe you can take them to,indoor play places where they
(08:18):
can get that kind of movement.
And heavy work in.
But if you can't get them to anindoor PlayPlace either, then
you have to think about creatingthese opportunities at home.
So building forts, moving thecouch cushions, and the chairs
and the furniture around.
Grabbing the suitcases andgetting them over to their
bedroom.
Yes, it makes a mess.
(08:40):
I know, but trust me, thebenefits that your child will be
getting, in terms of preparingtheir body will be worth it.
Okay?
Try and get them involved in thepacking too.
And I know that might not beefficient, but it gives an
opportunity for great movement.
It's that heavy work.
And it also gives somethingcalled vestibular input.
(09:03):
So our vestibular system helpsus with balance and movement.
So that's another one of thoseeight senses Think about the
cognitive benefits of themhaving to put some thought into
something they wanna bring.
Even if it's things that you endup emptying out, don't worry
about it.
All of those things are so goodfor the development, deciding
(09:24):
what clothes they're gonna wear,bringing what stuffies, or what
toys, it's also gonna keep thembusy for a little bit of time.
Okay, so that's their body prep.
Now, let's think about if theyneed some emotional prep as
well.
So some kids might benefit orneed this more than others, and
obviously you know your childthe best, but if the
(09:46):
unpredictability of travel ischallenging for them, then
previewing what's gonna happencan be really helpful to reduce
those surprises.
Sometimes that ongoingunpredictability can actually
contribute to them becomingdysregulated on those journeys,
you know?
It could be the thing that fillsthat sensory cup just a bit too
(10:09):
much.
So then it overflows.
So let's see if that supportahead of time can lessen that
chance of a meltdown.
So something you can do there toprepare them in this way.
And it's in the therapy world.
We use these social stories.
So that's a, well, it's a storythat.
(10:29):
Is a clear and simple way ofpreparing a child for something
that's gonna happen.
So let's think about the planeride specifically.
Okay.
It would be some very simplesentences with some illustration
or a picture that tells a storyof what's gonna happen.
So for instance, we will go tothe airport in a taxi.
(10:52):
We will wait in line.
We will drop off our cases.
We will get a snack.
I might get bored.
I can eat my snack or I can holdmy toy.
So.
It sounds really simple, andthese social stories are
tailored to a specific child, soyou can write something out for
them and include some pictures,and you're basically giving them
(11:14):
the heads up about what willhappen and what they will do or
what they can do.
You can also look on YouTube ifyou want some examples of that
as well.
It does not have to be fancy atall.
Simple is best because it has tobe something that makes sense to
your child.
You can also use a visualschedule with just words and
(11:36):
pictures and graphics if youdon't want to actually tell the
story about it.
And again, depending on the ageand the needs of your child,
just think about what kind ofemotional prep they may need
that will help them stayregulated.
So now let's think about travelday.
So there are tangible thingsthat will support them
(11:57):
throughout the day.
And so that's things likegetting in movement wherever
possible.
So usually there are periods ofsitting around, um, at the
airport for instance.
And so using the expanse of theairport for a walk, maybe
there's the play area, but ifthere isn't the play area,
that's okay.
(12:17):
You have to get a little bitcreative with giving them some
challenges.
Like maybe how many times canthey jump in a minute?
Um, or let's walk the length ofthe airport and don't step on
the cracks on the tile, etcetera, et cetera.
Also get them to carry abackpack that's proportional to
their size.
(12:38):
And if you put some of theiressential items in a book or a
toy, a stuffy, or even theiriPad, um, that's actually also
going to give themproprioceptive input once
they're moving around.
And I'm telling you, that isgoing to be gold.
If you can stop and have alittle stretch in a corner
(12:58):
somewhere, and if you havelittle kids, think about how you
can, make that playful, youknow, if you are handing them
things, do it from a height sothey have to reach in different
directions.
Maybe you can hide something in,you know, the immediate space
around you that they can golooking for.
I mean, it sounds like nothing.
(13:18):
But.
These are just microopportunities for movement and
playfulness that can really helpadd to the whole picture of the
day.
Remember, anything that I'mtalking about here, not one
specific thing is going to bethe savior, but it's the micro
things that you do really add tothat whole picture of the day in
(13:42):
terms of how regulated you areand how regulated the kids are.
Now we have to talk aboutsnacks.
Okay.
Now, if you can have your childeat particularly chewy and
crunchy snacks, then that's alsogiving them proprioception for
the jaw.
It's so regulating.
Maybe they can have a thicksmoothie at the airport,
(14:04):
pretzels, carrot sticks, chewinggum, that kind of thing.
And also on the flight itself.
You can also use snacksperiodically to help them with
that too.
Another thing might be somelight compression.
So that could be just as simpleas having their backpack on
their lap, even with their stuffin, can help give them some
(14:26):
proprioceptive input, or ifyou've got a weighted lap pad or
something.
If you're able to, then if theycan come out of their seat and
they can sit on your kneebriefly so you can give them a
squeezy hug, all of those thingsthen can give them just the
right amount of heavy work thatthey need to help stop them,
lose it.
(14:48):
Have you noticed the patternhere?
I'm talking about proprioceptionand heavy work.
So now you know why it's sovaluable to know about and it
really is your best friend onthese travel days.
Okay, now let's talk aboutscreen.
So.
Every family has their own viewabout using screens on planes.
(15:10):
So obviously do what is rightfor you and if you don't want to
use screens, then you need tothink about what activities
you'll be bringing to keep themengaged and have that prepped
beforehand.
So bringing some lightweight andcompact stuff like stickers,
crayons, and notebooks, maybesome fidget toys, mini Lego or
(15:30):
blocks..
Something that they can keepboth hands busy at the same
time, you can also get these.
Cute, uh, gel window, stickersthat cling to the window, but
can be removed really easily.
So that's some another thingthat, uh, obviously isn't
permanent, but can keep thembusy for a few minutes at a
time.
I also love theraputty.
(15:51):
It's like Play-Doh, but withresistance in it.
So it's great actually forstrengthening little hands.
And you guessed it, it counts asheavy work too.
My friend Raffiah, whom Iinterviewed on episode six, she
also creates activities forchildren for long plane
journeys.
So I will put a link to herInstagram, keep us busy on the
(16:12):
show notes as well.
Now, of course, it's not justthe kids that have sensory
needs, you have them too.
So chewing, using lightcompression for yourself,
blocking out extra visualstimulation, maybe with a
hoodie, um, using noisecanceling headphones, et cetera,
might also help for you.
(16:34):
And getting up periodically formovement is really valuable and.
Something like even doing somestanding pushups against the
bathroom door, which I don'tknow, maybe that's grosses you
out just touching the bathroomdoor more than you need to.
But doing some standing pushupsgives you a bit of heavy work,
(16:54):
which on a plane is hard to getotherwise.
Um, and another thing, just areminder to.
Tune in to your need to go tothe bathroom for you and your
kids.
And I know that can be tough.
I remember one of my kids wasreally scared of the super loud
flush on a plane, which doessound really, really loud.
(17:17):
So it was really hard to get herto go.
Um, but it is so important tostill tune into those, internal
body signals for you and forthem, and if the flush is too
loud and they're scared, thenjust let them go out of the
bathroom and then you can flushit afterwards.
It's okay if you get funny looksfrom the passengers, you're just
doing what you need to do foryour kids.
(17:41):
Now, of course you can do all ofthe above and still find
yourself managing a meltdown onthe plane, which, oh my gosh,
it's not fun at all.
Uh, I know, but you can see howit comes about.
'cause all those components I'vementioned can overload the
nervous system.
It is filling that sensory cupjust a bit too much and
(18:03):
sometimes kids have to releasethat.
You know, we feel this stufftoo, but we're mostly able to
control how we respond to it,but they can't.
So we have to switch in thatmoment to support mode and
co-regulation and asuncomfortable as it is for us
because of the noise of thecrying.
(18:24):
And we are also dealing with ourown sensory cup.
And knowing that otherpassengers are maybe not
enjoying it either and gettingfed up with us, that adds to our
discomfort.
You know, I wanna tell you astory.
Something that happened to meyears and years ago, it reminded
me just talking about this of atime when my kids were seven
(18:46):
months, and then the other onewould've been 26 months.
We were on a night flight fromCanada to the UK to visit my
family.
And there was this one point inthe journey, my toddler was
getting quite overtired and shewas crying a bit.
She was getting dysregulated.
And I had my baby in a carrieron me asleep.
(19:11):
And my husband and I, we wereboth trying to help my daughter
and we were getting a little bitstressed ourselves because, you
know, it was nighttime andpeople were starting to.
Fall asleep on the plane and wereally just wanted her to fall
asleep too.
But I remember on the flight,the woman in front of my
(19:31):
daughter's seat, she was lookingback at us a couple of times.
She didn't say anything, but Iremember noticing that she was
looking back at us.
And eventually my daughter fellasleep.
I'm not sure how long it took.
Um, but I do remember thinkingas well when the flight
finished, you know, oh, thatwasn't so bad.
There was a bit of a periodwhere there was crying, but
(19:51):
overall I thought it went well.
But as we were getting off theflight and walking down that
tunnel to go to towardsarrivals, the woman as she
walked past me.
She said, and I remember itreally clearly, she said as she
walked past, you are a bad momnow.
(20:17):
She didn't look at me and Iwasn't looking straight at her
because, um, I was just tendingto my kids.
But I heard it really clearly,.
And my stomach, it just sank.
And I was so shocked.
I couldn't believe somebody hadactually said this out loud to
(20:38):
me.
And you know, I also hadn'tslept that entire flight and I
was exhausted and I just burstinto tears.
It was so surreal.
I actually thought that thatflight went pretty well, all
things considered.
So I was trying to figure outlike why she would've said that,
(21:01):
what was so bad, um, that itwould've caused her to actually
say to me out loud that I'm abad mom.
But you know, thinking about it10 years out, having 10 years
distance from that situation, Ihave so much compassion for me
(21:22):
and my husband at the timebecause we spent that flight so
devoted to just getting throughit without too much stress and
doing what we needed to do forthe kids.
And that in itself isexhausting.
It's that hypervigilance, right?
Not only to our kids' needs, butalso thinking of the people
around us because.
We don't want to feel thatjudgment and then that shame, do
(21:45):
we, you know, that lady, she sawa snapshot of us and I really
don't know what stirred up suchstrong feelings for her.
Um, you know, but as parents, wecan't control our kids entirely.
Kids can't stay perfectly calmand they don't need to.
They are going to cry in public.
(22:07):
It's an essential way for themto communicate their needs, and
it's, it's developmentallyappropriate and you know I
know,, in those really hardmoments, we are doing our
absolute best.
You can't stop a meltdown onceit's happening.
At that point, you can onlyprovide comfort and support, and
(22:28):
it's called co-regulation.
So we offer our presence to ourkids through being close to
them, maybe holding them,comforting them, using our
voice, talking to them, and eventhe way we are looking at them,
we are lending our calm to themin that moment.
(22:48):
And that is how they graduallyreturn to a more regulated
state, not by telling them tostop crying.
As hard as it is if we can tryto block out the others around
us.
And in those moments, just focussolely on our child.
Take some deep breaths forourself and remember that what
we are doing and saying in thosemoments are so valuable to our
(23:12):
child.
And that is how you get throughthose situations.
Okay, so now you've finallyarrived to your destination.
Taking the next day or two toreset a little bit in these new
surroundings, if possible, isgoing to be so beneficial.
So if you can get fresh air andmorning sunlight to help reset
(23:36):
the circadian rhythm a bit andgiving your kids lots of
unstructured play and movementso that they can get some
freedom back.
And focusing on those simpleroutines, just the movement, the
fresh air, hydration, and food,getting used to the different
surroundings and sleepingarrangements.
And if you're able to keep someroutines familiar, like the
(23:59):
bedtime, um, the books, thesongs, the stories, even what
they eat, that will help givethem a sense of safety in that
time.
So.
Hopefully looking at travel froma sensory point of view has
given you some insights into allthe ways in which travel can be
(24:20):
a lot for our sensory system andour nervous system as a whole.
And hopefully that analogy ofthe sensory cup helps you
visualize what kind of thingsadd to it and, and why those
meltdowns might occur.
Um, you know, sensory supports,they don't have to be fancy and
remember that they are neededfor you too.
(24:42):
It's not just about your kids.
Also, this is just a snapshot ofsome of the things that might
help.
There are tons of things thatyou can try and check out
because you kind of have toexperiment with what works for
you and what works for yourkids.
And finally, I want you toremember that somebody else's
(25:03):
discomfort with your child'semotions says nothing about you
as a parent.
Okay?
So keep going.
Good luck with any big traveland.
If you do implement any of thesestrategies or think about this
kind of framework, I would loveto know how it worked for you.
(25:26):
Thanks so much for listening.
See you next time.
If anything in this episodesparked something for you, I'd
love to hear about it.
You can find me on Instagram atglobally_thriving, or you can
reach out to me on my website.
Globally thriving.com Also, ifyou are curious about parent
(25:48):
coaching and if it might beright for you, you can book a
free 20 minute call via the linkin the show notes, and we can
have a no pressure conversationjust to find out more about it.
See you next time.
Are you a parent or caregiverraising your child
internationally?
Are you curious about how tonurture your child's
development?
But find all the parentinginformation out there confusing?
If so, you are in the rightplace.
Welcome to the Globally ThrivingFamilies Podcast.
I'm your host, Clare O'Byrne, aparent coach and occupational
(00:28):
therapist with a passion forsupporting children and their
families for more than 25 years.
Whether it's understanding howto build resilience to practical
tips for language development,screen time challenges, and
staying calm amongst the chaos,Globally Thriving Families is
here to help.
(00:48):
Join me as we explore the topicsthat give you the insights and
guidance you need to supportyour children to thrive.
No matter where your family'sadventures take you.
Hello and welcome to anotherepisode of Globally Thriving
Families.
(01:09):
Today we are talking abouttravel, and this is timely, I
think for many of you who aregetting to the end of the school
year right about now, andespecially for international
families who might also betraveling back to their home
countries over the long.
Break.
So as I'm recording this, I'malso preparing to travel in a
(01:30):
few days.
I want to help you think abouthow you can use sensory supports
for big journeys, and I'm goingto break it down a little bit
into what you can think aboutpre-trip on the day of travel,
and also the first day after youarrive.
To help both you and your kidsto try to optimize the
(01:51):
experience.
I have taken many, many flightswith my kids since they were
babies, and every time I travelwith them, especially when they
were younger, I felt like Ilearned a lot.
For the next time.
And I know it's not always easy.
Sometimes it's exhausting.
(02:11):
And also if you are solotraveling with your kids, which
can often happen, there's justso many layers of things that
you have to think about.
And even if your kids are older,this information isn't just
useful for parents who haveyoung kids because we all have a
(02:31):
sensory system, so we all havesensory needs.
So keep listening because theinformation can be applied to
any age group.
So firstly.
What do I even mean by sensorysupport?
So we actually have eightsenses.
Yes.
Eight, not five.
So there's hearing, vision,taste, smell, and touch.
(02:54):
But then we also have theseother three senses, which are
related to our body awareness,our balance, and our internal
body signals.
And they are just as importantas the others to guide the way
we respond to our environment,basically.
So why does sensory supportseven help?
Well.
We have to think about theexperience of travel as a whole.
(03:17):
So especially at key times ofthe year, at the end of term
travel, can often go alongsideother changes like the school
holidays coming up.
So routines that were once quitepredictable, start to really
vary.
Now, we've just had the lastweek of term and it was a very
different week to what itusually is, you know, there's
dress up days, there'scelebrations, there's like a ton
(03:40):
of snacks.
And that change in routine canreally impact our kids and
ourselves.
I'm sure if you are at the endof term right now, you could be
really frazzled and tired toobecause of all the extra things
that you had to plan and preparefor.
So we want to go into this,travel period as regulated as
(04:02):
possible.
So one way to think about thesensory system is as though it
is an empty cup.
Okay?
We're going to use this analogy.
So on travel days itself, thereare so many sensory components
to it.
So there's the unpredictabilityof the routine.
Its the waiting around.
(04:23):
Maybe there's some delays thatyou weren't expecting.
Then there could be an elementof urgency all of a sudden, and
you have to rush.
There's noise, there's smells.
You're in close proximity toother people.
You can't eat what you want whenyou want.
There's a lack of sleep, andespecially if you're starting on
a sleep deficit because you hadto get up early to take the
(04:44):
flight.
Then there's temperaturechanges.
You might be freezing in the ACor you could feel really hot and
bothered and sweaty becauseyou've just been running with
your hand luggage to get to thegate.
Your kids, they wanna buystuffies and key chains and
chocolate at every shop in thedepartures lounge.
And then there's the bodysensations.
(05:05):
When you're flying, your earsmight be popping, sensitive
stomach during the landing orduring turbulence.
So all those things addsomething to this empty cup, and
then what happens?
This cup can start to overflow.
When it overflows, that's whenyou start to see meltdowns and
(05:26):
dysregulation and crying.
And you know what happens thenis we, as the parents, we have
to manage that dysregulation andour sensory cup is starting to
overflow at the same time.
Now if your child isneurodivergent, then they may be
even a bit more sensitive tosome of these components as
(05:47):
well.
And I'm sure you've alreadynoticed, which components impact
you and your children of thoseones that I've just mentioned.
This is why tuning into your ownsensory needs and your kids'
needs is so valuable because itcan actually make or break the
whole experience.
(06:08):
When you are aware of something,you can prepare for some of
these eventualities and havesome possible strategies in
place to support the wholeexperience.
Okay, so let's get into it.
What do you need to think aboutpre-trip and what might help?
So the main thing pre-trip isthat you want to be giving your
(06:30):
body and brain a head start.
You're prepping your sensorysystem for this crazy day that's
coming up.
Okay?
The number one thing I love whenit comes to meeting sensory
needs is something called heavywork.
So if you've listened to, um, aprevious episode on afterschool
mood swings, you'll know that Italked about the power of using
(06:53):
heavy work or proprioception.
To regulate our sensory system.
What I mean by that is toregulate our sensory system
basically means our body isorganized.
It might be calm, but that's notnecessarily the goal, and it's
not overwhelmed and it's notunderstimulated.
It's kind of just at the rightlevel.
(07:14):
And so, using heavy workactivities helps us with our
proprioception sense.
That's one of our eight senses.
Now, I don't wanna get too wordyand bogged down with that today,
but this is a good one tounderstand.
So proprioception is our body'sawareness of where it is in
space.
(07:35):
It's, how we know where our armsand legs are without even
looking or knowing how muchpressure to use when we pick
something up or when we givesomebody a hug so that
information comes to us throughour joints and our muscles.
So activities like pushing andpulling or lifting something or
jumping, gives our body lots ofproprioceptive input.
(07:57):
So before travel day, you wantto give your child and yourself
lots of opportunity for heavywork.
So that could be with climbing,with jumping, with playing at
the playground, but I know ifit's too hot where you're
living, then right now, thatmight not be, feasible.
So maybe you can take them to,indoor play places where they
(08:18):
can get that kind of movement.
And heavy work in.
But if you can't get them to anindoor PlayPlace either, then
you have to think about creatingthese opportunities at home.
So building forts, moving thecouch cushions, and the chairs
and the furniture around.
Grabbing the suitcases andgetting them over to their
bedroom.
Yes, it makes a mess.
(08:40):
I know, but trust me, thebenefits that your child will be
getting, in terms of preparingtheir body will be worth it.
Okay?
Try and get them involved in thepacking too.
And I know that might not beefficient, but it gives an
opportunity for great movement.
It's that heavy work.
And it also gives somethingcalled vestibular input.
(09:03):
So our vestibular system helpsus with balance and movement.
So that's another one of thoseeight senses Think about the
cognitive benefits of themhaving to put some thought into
something they wanna bring.
Even if it's things that you endup emptying out, don't worry
about it.
All of those things are so goodfor the development, deciding
(09:24):
what clothes they're gonna wear,bringing what stuffies, or what
toys, it's also gonna keep thembusy for a little bit of time.
Okay, so that's their body prep.
Now, let's think about if theyneed some emotional prep as
well.
So some kids might benefit orneed this more than others, and
obviously you know your childthe best, but if the
(09:46):
unpredictability of travel ischallenging for them, then
previewing what's gonna happencan be really helpful to reduce
those surprises.
Sometimes that ongoingunpredictability can actually
contribute to them becomingdysregulated on those journeys,
you know?
It could be the thing that fillsthat sensory cup just a bit too
(10:09):
much.
So then it overflows.
So let's see if that supportahead of time can lessen that
chance of a meltdown.
So something you can do there toprepare them in this way.
And it's in the therapy world.
We use these social stories.
So that's a, well, it's a storythat.
(10:29):
Is a clear and simple way ofpreparing a child for something
that's gonna happen.
So let's think about the planeride specifically.
Okay.
It would be some very simplesentences with some illustration
or a picture that tells a storyof what's gonna happen.
So for instance, we will go tothe airport in a taxi.
(10:52):
We will wait in line.
We will drop off our cases.
We will get a snack.
I might get bored.
I can eat my snack or I can holdmy toy.
So.
It sounds really simple, andthese social stories are
tailored to a specific child, soyou can write something out for
them and include some pictures,and you're basically giving them
(11:14):
the heads up about what willhappen and what they will do or
what they can do.
You can also look on YouTube ifyou want some examples of that
as well.
It does not have to be fancy atall.
Simple is best because it has tobe something that makes sense to
your child.
You can also use a visualschedule with just words and
(11:36):
pictures and graphics if youdon't want to actually tell the
story about it.
And again, depending on the ageand the needs of your child,
just think about what kind ofemotional prep they may need
that will help them stayregulated.
So now let's think about travelday.
So there are tangible thingsthat will support them
(11:57):
throughout the day.
And so that's things likegetting in movement wherever
possible.
So usually there are periods ofsitting around, um, at the
airport for instance.
And so using the expanse of theairport for a walk, maybe
there's the play area, but ifthere isn't the play area,
that's okay.
(12:17):
You have to get a little bitcreative with giving them some
challenges.
Like maybe how many times canthey jump in a minute?
Um, or let's walk the length ofthe airport and don't step on
the cracks on the tile, etcetera, et cetera.
Also get them to carry abackpack that's proportional to
their size.
(12:38):
And if you put some of theiressential items in a book or a
toy, a stuffy, or even theiriPad, um, that's actually also
going to give themproprioceptive input once
they're moving around.
And I'm telling you, that isgoing to be gold.
If you can stop and have alittle stretch in a corner
(12:58):
somewhere, and if you havelittle kids, think about how you
can, make that playful, youknow, if you are handing them
things, do it from a height sothey have to reach in different
directions.
Maybe you can hide something in,you know, the immediate space
around you that they can golooking for.
I mean, it sounds like nothing.
(13:18):
But.
These are just microopportunities for movement and
playfulness that can really helpadd to the whole picture of the
day.
Remember, anything that I'mtalking about here, not one
specific thing is going to bethe savior, but it's the micro
things that you do really add tothat whole picture of the day in
(13:42):
terms of how regulated you areand how regulated the kids are.
Now we have to talk aboutsnacks.
Okay.
Now, if you can have your childeat particularly chewy and
crunchy snacks, then that's alsogiving them proprioception for
the jaw.
It's so regulating.
Maybe they can have a thicksmoothie at the airport,
(14:04):
pretzels, carrot sticks, chewinggum, that kind of thing.
And also on the flight itself.
You can also use snacksperiodically to help them with
that too.
Another thing might be somelight compression.
So that could be just as simpleas having their backpack on
their lap, even with their stuffin, can help give them some
(14:26):
proprioceptive input, or ifyou've got a weighted lap pad or
something.
If you're able to, then if theycan come out of their seat and
they can sit on your kneebriefly so you can give them a
squeezy hug, all of those thingsthen can give them just the
right amount of heavy work thatthey need to help stop them,
lose it.
(14:48):
Have you noticed the patternhere?
I'm talking about proprioceptionand heavy work.
So now you know why it's sovaluable to know about and it
really is your best friend onthese travel days.
Okay, now let's talk aboutscreen.
So.
Every family has their own viewabout using screens on planes.
(15:10):
So obviously do what is rightfor you and if you don't want to
use screens, then you need tothink about what activities
you'll be bringing to keep themengaged and have that prepped
beforehand.
So bringing some lightweight andcompact stuff like stickers,
crayons, and notebooks, maybesome fidget toys, mini Lego or
(15:30):
blocks..
Something that they can keepboth hands busy at the same
time, you can also get these.
Cute, uh, gel window, stickersthat cling to the window, but
can be removed really easily.
So that's some another thingthat, uh, obviously isn't
permanent, but can keep thembusy for a few minutes at a
time.
I also love theraputty.
(15:51):
It's like Play-Doh, but withresistance in it.
So it's great actually forstrengthening little hands.
And you guessed it, it counts asheavy work too.
My friend Raffiah, whom Iinterviewed on episode six, she
also creates activities forchildren for long plane
journeys.
So I will put a link to herInstagram, keep us busy on the
(16:12):
show notes as well.
Now, of course, it's not justthe kids that have sensory
needs, you have them too.
So chewing, using lightcompression for yourself,
blocking out extra visualstimulation, maybe with a
hoodie, um, using noisecanceling headphones, et cetera,
might also help for you.
(16:34):
And getting up periodically formovement is really valuable and.
Something like even doing somestanding pushups against the
bathroom door, which I don'tknow, maybe that's grosses you
out just touching the bathroomdoor more than you need to.
But doing some standing pushupsgives you a bit of heavy work,
(16:54):
which on a plane is hard to getotherwise.
Um, and another thing, just areminder to.
Tune in to your need to go tothe bathroom for you and your
kids.
And I know that can be tough.
I remember one of my kids wasreally scared of the super loud
flush on a plane, which doessound really, really loud.
(17:17):
So it was really hard to get herto go.
Um, but it is so important tostill tune into those, internal
body signals for you and forthem, and if the flush is too
loud and they're scared, thenjust let them go out of the
bathroom and then you can flushit afterwards.
It's okay if you get funny looksfrom the passengers, you're just
doing what you need to do foryour kids.
(17:41):
Now, of course you can do all ofthe above and still find
yourself managing a meltdown onthe plane, which, oh my gosh,
it's not fun at all.
Uh, I know, but you can see howit comes about.
'cause all those components I'vementioned can overload the
nervous system.
It is filling that sensory cupjust a bit too much and
(18:03):
sometimes kids have to releasethat.
You know, we feel this stufftoo, but we're mostly able to
control how we respond to it,but they can't.
So we have to switch in thatmoment to support mode and
co-regulation and asuncomfortable as it is for us
because of the noise of thecrying.
(18:24):
And we are also dealing with ourown sensory cup.
And knowing that otherpassengers are maybe not
enjoying it either and gettingfed up with us, that adds to our
discomfort.
You know, I wanna tell you astory.
Something that happened to meyears and years ago, it reminded
me just talking about this of atime when my kids were seven
(18:46):
months, and then the other onewould've been 26 months.
We were on a night flight fromCanada to the UK to visit my
family.
And there was this one point inthe journey, my toddler was
getting quite overtired and shewas crying a bit.
She was getting dysregulated.
And I had my baby in a carrieron me asleep.
(19:11):
And my husband and I, we wereboth trying to help my daughter
and we were getting a little bitstressed ourselves because, you
know, it was nighttime andpeople were starting to.
Fall asleep on the plane and wereally just wanted her to fall
asleep too.
But I remember on the flight,the woman in front of my
(19:31):
daughter's seat, she was lookingback at us a couple of times.
She didn't say anything, but Iremember noticing that she was
looking back at us.
And eventually my daughter fellasleep.
I'm not sure how long it took.
Um, but I do remember thinkingas well when the flight
finished, you know, oh, thatwasn't so bad.
There was a bit of a periodwhere there was crying, but
(19:51):
overall I thought it went well.
But as we were getting off theflight and walking down that
tunnel to go to towardsarrivals, the woman as she
walked past me.
She said, and I remember itreally clearly, she said as she
walked past, you are a bad momnow.
(20:17):
She didn't look at me and Iwasn't looking straight at her
because, um, I was just tendingto my kids.
But I heard it really clearly,.
And my stomach, it just sank.
And I was so shocked.
I couldn't believe somebody hadactually said this out loud to
(20:38):
me.
And you know, I also hadn'tslept that entire flight and I
was exhausted and I just burstinto tears.
It was so surreal.
I actually thought that thatflight went pretty well, all
things considered.
So I was trying to figure outlike why she would've said that,
(21:01):
what was so bad, um, that itwould've caused her to actually
say to me out loud that I'm abad mom.
But you know, thinking about it10 years out, having 10 years
distance from that situation, Ihave so much compassion for me
(21:22):
and my husband at the timebecause we spent that flight so
devoted to just getting throughit without too much stress and
doing what we needed to do forthe kids.
And that in itself isexhausting.
It's that hypervigilance, right?
Not only to our kids' needs, butalso thinking of the people
around us because.
We don't want to feel thatjudgment and then that shame, do
(21:45):
we, you know, that lady, she sawa snapshot of us and I really
don't know what stirred up suchstrong feelings for her.
Um, you know, but as parents, wecan't control our kids entirely.
Kids can't stay perfectly calmand they don't need to.
They are going to cry in public.
(22:07):
It's an essential way for themto communicate their needs, and
it's, it's developmentallyappropriate and you know I
know,, in those really hardmoments, we are doing our
absolute best.
You can't stop a meltdown onceit's happening.
At that point, you can onlyprovide comfort and support, and
(22:28):
it's called co-regulation.
So we offer our presence to ourkids through being close to
them, maybe holding them,comforting them, using our
voice, talking to them, and eventhe way we are looking at them,
we are lending our calm to themin that moment.
(22:48):
And that is how they graduallyreturn to a more regulated
state, not by telling them tostop crying.
As hard as it is if we can tryto block out the others around
us.
And in those moments, just focussolely on our child.
Take some deep breaths forourself and remember that what
we are doing and saying in thosemoments are so valuable to our
(23:12):
child.
And that is how you get throughthose situations.
Okay, so now you've finallyarrived to your destination.
Taking the next day or two toreset a little bit in these new
surroundings, if possible, isgoing to be so beneficial.
So if you can get fresh air andmorning sunlight to help reset
(23:36):
the circadian rhythm a bit andgiving your kids lots of
unstructured play and movementso that they can get some
freedom back.
And focusing on those simpleroutines, just the movement, the
fresh air, hydration, and food,getting used to the different
surroundings and sleepingarrangements.
And if you're able to keep someroutines familiar, like the
(23:59):
bedtime, um, the books, thesongs, the stories, even what
they eat, that will help givethem a sense of safety in that
time.
So.
Hopefully looking at travel froma sensory point of view has
given you some insights into allthe ways in which travel can be
(24:20):
a lot for our sensory system andour nervous system as a whole.
And hopefully that analogy ofthe sensory cup helps you
visualize what kind of thingsadd to it and, and why those
meltdowns might occur.
Um, you know, sensory supports,they don't have to be fancy and
remember that they are neededfor you too.
(24:42):
It's not just about your kids.
Also, this is just a snapshot ofsome of the things that might
help.
There are tons of things thatyou can try and check out
because you kind of have toexperiment with what works for
you and what works for yourkids.
And finally, I want you toremember that somebody else's
(25:03):
discomfort with your child'semotions says nothing about you
as a parent.
Okay?
So keep going.
Good luck with any big traveland.
If you do implement any of thesestrategies or think about this
kind of framework, I would loveto know how it worked for you.
(25:26):
Thanks so much for listening.
See you next time.
If anything in this episodesparked something for you, I'd
love to hear about it.
You can find me on Instagram atglobally_thriving, or you can
reach out to me on my website.
Globally thriving.com Also, ifyou are curious about parent
(25:48):
coaching and if it might beright for you, you can book a
free 20 minute call via the linkin the show notes, and we can
have a no pressure conversationjust to find out more about it.
See you next time.
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