You’ve read all the tips for toddler travel: bring new toys, wrap them as gifts, encourage naps (Benadryl always an option), ply with candy (most effective: long-lasting lollipops). But the simplest and longest-duration amusement for toddlers and preschoolers on a long flight is TV or a DVD. But there’s a pitfall to this easy, drug-free travel solution, and it’s name is battery-life. I’d like to suggest a few ways you can mitigate this when flying with small children.

1. Before buying your ticket, check seatguru.com.There you can see if your aircraft…

So, you travel for work sometimes, and you connect with your kids in the classic manner: a phone call each night. That may work just fine, but sometimes it’s fun to shake things up a bit and connect in different ways, using the marvels of modern technology. Here are seven ways to mix it up that I think are fun and unexpected (kids love surprises):

1. Send photos. Thanks to camera phones, it’s never been easier. Snap shots of yourself in context (airport gate, hotel front desk, Golden Gate Bridge…