Tips for traveling with tots.

• Position: YOUR LIFE

Are you excited about the holidays, but dreading those hours on the plane with your kids? Jennifer Chung, cofounder of Kinsight--an online advice-sharing community and record keeper for parents--offers some tips that mothers and fathers shared with her:

* Book a direct flight. Factor in sleep times whenever possible. Pack special lovies/blankets that will make it easier for kids to fall asleep.

* Use the Transportation Security Administration Pre-Check. This rapidly expanding program costs about $100 and allows you to speed through domestic security lines without taking off your shoes, belts, etc. Kids under 12 can go with parents who are part of the program.

* Pack some new toys along with some tried-and-loved ones. Choose favorite books, an iPad/portable DVD player if children are old enough to sit still and watch, and crafts such as sticker collages (sheets of stickers are easy to pack and provide plenty of entertainment, especially for toddlers), edible crafts (bring Fruit Loops and make edible necklaces), body art (tattoo pens are a safe, easy, and washable creative outlet).

* Must-haves in your carry on. A hungry toddler is an unhappy one, so bring plenty of snacks and empty sippies to fill on the plane. Pack more diapers than usual and a change of clothes just in case.

* Make friends with your fellow passengers. Upon finding your seats, pass out a little goody bag filled with chocolates and earplugs to everyone in your immediate vicinity, apologizing in advance for anything that might happen.

* Bring an inexpensive, lightweight stroller. Umbrella strollers are great for gate-check and they wheel around the airport easily. They also hold diaper bags and other items you are carrying when your child is not riding.

* Choose a seat in the back row. Forget about airline status and head to where the other families are. It is much easier to have understanding people around you if your child cries.

* Stretch your legs. Get up and walk up and down the aisles a couple of times with your child during the flight when possible. This is better as a...