I flew with my children in business class in over 35 countries

This essay is based on conversations with Monet Hambrick, a 36-year-old travel blogger who writes on her blog The traveling child Itineraries and tips for traveling with children. Monet has two daughters with her husband James Hambrick – Jordyn, who is ten, and Kennedy, who is eight. Monet has traveled to 50 countries in her life so far, while her daughters have been to over 35 countries. The following has been condensed and edited.

I'm a first generation American. Both of my parents are Jamaican, so I had a passport as a child because we would go to Jamaica all the time. Although I didn't travel internationally much back then, except to Jamaica, I have a lot of relatives all over the United States. We also went on a lot of road trips.

My children have already been to 6 continents

My husband and I met at the University of Florida. We love to travel and have been traveling together since we started dating. When we had kids, everyone said, “Oh, you'll never be able to travel now that you have kids.”

The traveling child

And we said, “Do you know us?” This is the lifestyle we created as a couple. We wanted to continue this lifestyle whether we had children or not. And we did. Our oldest daughter took her first domestic flight at six weeks old, and before she was two we had been to Jamaica, Italy and Greece.

This also

Travelling with 4 children is a challenge: With these tips we master the holiday together

When we had our second daughter, I went on maternity leave because I was working in the corporate world at the time. I thought, 'Twelve weeks of not having to beg anyone for vacation days?' I guess I should do something.” We traveled to Colombia when she was ten weeks old. Since then, they have been to over 35 countries and six continents.

Children belong in business class like any other passenger who has paid for it

We only flew business class when we had points to fly business class. Luckily, I can say that my children, especially at this age, are perfectly fine. People keep complimenting us and saying, “Oh my God, they were so well behaved on the flight.” I didn't even notice there were children here.”

Kids cry on airplanes sometimes. I've definitely been on flights where kids won. I put my headphones on. But kids know how to behave. Kids aren't these weird things that automatically cry.

There are people of all ages who do things on airplanes that will annoy us – adults, for example, who are drunk or who cause problems. I was actually on a flight once where adults were fighting. These were not young people. They were two couples in their 70s who were shouting at each other. They were thrown off the plane.

The traveling child

This also

Why I recommend all parents to go on holiday alone with their children and without a partner

The other day, an adult sitting behind me stuck his bare foot in the gap between my seat. I asked, “Why is your foot there?” How can you possibly think that's appropriate?”

Often, families are more comfortable sitting in business class anyway. The children will probably make less noise because it is more comfortable for them. The idea that business class belongs to adults is not correct. It is public transport. If you don't want to be surrounded by children, take your own plane.