【2006 Archives】

Long flights006 Archivesbe hard enough for anyone, but for parents of bored children they might just be the worst hours of their lives.

Now, with new restrictions banning the use of laptops and tablets on many flights into the U.S. and UK, parents are freaking out on Twitter.

Many parents turn to one perfectly distracting weapon of choice on long haul journeys -- the tablet, oftentimes the iPad, which can be a lifesaver when it comes to those gruelling flights.

As the news sunk in, parents and concerned humans everywhere wondered what it will mean for the future of our bored children on flights. Tantrums were predicted on both sides of the aisle.

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The ban could mean a much less enjoyable flight for travelers coming from the Muslim-majority countries impacted. But fear not, plane-riding parents, for there was once a world without iPads.

Children can find a few other ways to burn through the boredom. The BBC suggests some good old-fashioned pen and paper activities like coloring or reading, or even some puzzles and mini board games.

Those ideas might be enough for a child in 2017, but they're no tablet -- the gadget that's won a special place in the hearts of stressed out parents everywhere.

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