These are a few of my favorite things

Keep track of your kids, luggage, dogs, keys... LOL

Keep track of your kids with a four pack of Apple AirTags. We have purchased these TWICE from Amazon and have them on our dogs too. We put them in our luggage on travel days to, just in case, and then put one on each little kid. It gives us a sense of comfort being able to track them around large properties we like the additional sense of comfort knowing we can track them down on a map with step by step directions if necessary. Of course they only go out independently with permission and they know the way around too. These have been a game changer, especially in Disneyland, at The Grand Hyatt Kauai and in DC.

Here is the link to this product again.

AirTag Holders

Here is a link to the very best, waterproof, secure, AirTag holder that we use for our pups. We attach these waterproof keychain AirTag holders to out littlest's puddle jumper life vest or wrist band. If you look you can see in this picture, when he's at the pools or beach we can always track him. For non water activities we purchased and use these cute colorful fabric band AirTag holders.

BEST LUGGAGE FOR BIG FAMILIES

It seems cute to have all your little kids wearing their own backpacks and pulling around their own little kid sized character luggage. In an ideal world it probably works just the way you pictured in your head just now. However, we tend to be more of a shitshow, traipsing through the airports. The more separate things we have to keep track of the more chances we have o leave something behind, that is why I love THIS LUGGAGE SYSTEM! They all attach together, hence the name TACH, and move smoothly as one big glob! We can pile all the carryons on top and even the littlest's carseat, even the littlest!! Here is the Amazon link.

Speaking of carseats...

I am a firm believer in installing the carseat on the plane, for two reasons. 1.) They are trained from birth to sit in the carseat. So if you little one seems to have a motor and will prefer to parquor the plane seats, installing the carseat will prevent any discussion about how we need to stay in the seat, because they already know. 2.) I've seen the way that luggage handlers treat the luggage and if a carseat is checked then the handling process definitely should count as an accident, many accidents probably and is probably not structurally safe for use in a car in case of an accident after being checked. So I scoured the webs and found this carseat that is for travel only. It is the LIGHTEST weight narrowest carseat that is FAA approved for airlines, we attach it to the top of our carry on size rolling luggage with this strap. I install it on the window seat, then install it right into the rental car that we pick up at the airport. When he was even smaller and couldn't keep up around the airport we had these wheels to make the carseat its own stroller and pulled him around, he loved it and so did everyone we walked by. He looks pissed off here because its early, I swear he loved being pulled around.

Inflatable Booster

When our younger daughter was still in a booster we got her this infladable Bubble Bum booster for travel. It deflates and rolls up small enough to fit in a carryon or backpack so she could still fit safely in rental cars. I'll get a new one for our littlest when he's ready. Click here for the Amazon link!

Making sardine cans more tolerable...

We, so far, have not flown in any seats that don't make us squeeze in as tightly as possible. Those seats aren't great for short legs long legs or any legs really, this foot rest helps me get comfortable, then when the littlest's legs start getting "stretchy" and hurting I switch it over to him. . Also, because of Southwest Airline's generous companion pass we pretty much exclusively fly with them and they don't have an entertainment screen, so the kids all have iPads that they got from Santa, I'm pretty sure his elves would have purchased these refurbished earlier model iPads that are perfect for Netflix and Disney+ that came with these very helpful cases.