Need help - flying

I thought I was bad with flying.
Obviously Kobe wants to go so that's great, you won't know whether Addison likes flying or not until she has been able to experience it herself.

Someone I worked with once told me you are more likely to be kicked to death by a donkey than have a plane crash (not sure if that helps or not).

The kids will be fine Robyn, and good on you for facing your fears!
I too am an incredibly anxious flyer, despite how often I fly, and the funny thing is that Maya LOVES flying, she hasn't picked up on any of my anxieties at all. In fact, on one of our worst flights we flew in thru a storm that cut power to all of Akld for nearly 24 hours (June '06, some of you may remember the chaos it caused) and I was literally saying my prayers, even the crew were nervous and Maya was going "wheeee, bumpies Mummy!"
I would recommend Travelcalm before you go, it will help calm your nerves, and maybe some Rescue Remedy too. If you are really, really anxious, your doc can prescribe a sedative, but that's never been an option for me coz I'm usually on my own with the kids.

Emma!!!!!! you have just made me feel worse! OMG what if we fly through a storm, I would be a total mess. I rely on the crew to be nice and calm, it they panicked then I would just loose it.

Becks see this is what i dont get, whats to like about flying? Seriously I would love to know what it is people like about flying so i can pretend thats what i like aswell and maybe that will make be feel better. The only good thing about flying that i can see is that you are getting somewhere exciting but that doesnt actaully help with the flying side of it

Edited by my2angels

They didn't panic, I could just tell they were nervous! And it was a freak incident - the worst storm to hit in God knows how many years AND we were fine!

my2angels...im the same as you.. i dont like flying..i used to have to 6 times a year and hated every second..but i would just use my walkman or anything with noise as soon as i was allowed..every bump worried me..weirdly i dont think I'll worry so much with Ethan if we ever fly (unlikely seeing as DH hardly ever flies and has never been out of the country) ..i guess I'd just say what the others said Kobe will be fine.. and Dh and Addison too probably.. and just think how much they will love it and talk about it for weeks to come and how you will have given them a great experience and the joy of knowing you havent passed on your fear..

but i totally understand i was a nervous wreck with panic attacks a week before i had to go and 2 days before i had to go back everytime..and i flew on sept 12 2001 (stupid stupid me):)

I love flying I've been flying since I was a little girl, both accompanied and not, and I've never had any problems.
Funny considering my mother is terrified of it. Shes prescribed Valium for flights when necessary, but rescue remedy is also helpful as far as i can tell.

You could try getting very late flights so the children sleep through, giving you more time to concentrate on calming yourself down, and if its necessary the sedative will be easier with not having to worry about the children. Good luck and enjoy yourself

Sweetie have you considered doing a fear of flying course? From what I've heard they are very worth while and once you graduate will also give you a membership number that gives you preferential seating in the plane for where is best for you to feel calm.

Just an idea.

Wow, there are other people like me out there.. Im petrafied too and we are going to OZ in August...  last time I flew my whole body was just wet with perspiration cos I was sooooo nervous.. and every little bump scares me something big... Those courses sound good.. that Paws mentioned...

Good luck my2angels.. I know the feeling...  Hope you can get something to help you and would love to know how it goes.

I have clocked up an enormous amount of airmiles (hence my name), I love flying and yet I still get scared. I always carry Rescue Remedy, and even if it's only a placebo effect, it works. There's also one specifically for flying but you'd have to ask the health store which one.

One thing I do recommend to everyone is trying to get a copy of a book called The Flying Book. I've included the link because it shows snippets of the book, especially where it explains the fact that flying through the air is like flying through liquid. Air is basically water, sometimes dense, constantly moving etc. When it gets bumpy up in the air, I visualise the plane flying through water. The bumps are just where the water is moving a bit faster or over objects in the water, and all you're doing is literally swimming with the current. The book also explains the concepts of airpockets (basically they can't exist, just as you can't get "water" pockets in a body of water, given that air is liquid".

I don't like turbulence either, but it's perfectly safe, and remember the pilots are doing everything they can to minimise flying through it because they know passengers don't like it. Planes are meant to flex and the sounds and movements you hear are just the plane doing exactly what it's designed for. It's just that we don't fly every day like we drive and therefore we're not used to it.

ETA I've just searched on Ferrit and you can buy it for about $30, way cheaper than the Air NZ course.

Edited by ItchyFeet

I've done the course, from memory it was about $800, Monday-Thursday 6.00pm till about 11.00pm and then a flight down to Wellington and back on Saturday morning.

Best money I've spent!

I went from being a confident flyer to a nervous wreck after 9/11 and back to a confident flyer (keeping positive, keeping positive...............)