Swell Travel with Children: Is it an Oxymoron?

At the end of this month, my family of five will be traveling back to Philadelphia to reunite with dear family.  The kids are thrilled.  They will have grandparents to spoil them, cousins to frolic with,  normally "off limits" foods to indulging in, and an airplane ride. 
 It seems odd to me that they are so excited about the airplane ride.  As I remember it, when we traveled last September, the thrill of the plane lasted just about as long as take off.  After that, it was a 5 hour flight, a long layover, and another 2 hour flight of discontent.  To be fair to my children, they were not all unhappy at the same time.  They graciously took turns.  Sometimes, when everyone had been served a drink or pacified with electronics, we got a break too.  If you have ever traveled with small children, you know that I should insert air quotes around the word break.  So I will.  Sometimes, John and I got a "break".  I will over dramtically compare this "break" with the struggles of a master climber (or what I imagine them to be).  On an extreme climb,  they sometimes take a few hours of rest propped up on one of those crazy platform contraptions suspended off the side of a cliff.  You may have time to relax, but the fear of the unknown consequences of closing your eyes keeps you dead awake and strung out.
As a parent, I have learned to be perpetually over prepared.  This trip will be no exception.  So, for the next two weeks, I will share some of the tested (and untested) tricks that I plan to use this time around.  Not only for the flight, but also for a smooth transition into overstimulation and East Coast time.  I plan to spend some time on a new focus as well.  I will focus on easing my own travels and transitions.   I hope that you will read on and add in any of your own success tips.  I will certainly need them.

This week:

Tuesday:  Swell Music:  Music is a Tool for Travel Success. 
Wednesday: Swell Kitchen:  Healthy, Simple Travel Fuel.
Thursday:   Swell Ladies (and Gents!):  Happy and Healthy Travel.
Friday:  Swell Arts and Crafts:  Compact Busy Bags.