There are few parenting moments that feel quite as long as a meltdown on an airplane.

You're in a confined space. You can't simply leave. You know everyone around you can hear it. And somehow every minute of crying feels approximately 45 minutes long.

We've been there.

And unfortunately, there isn't a magic trick that suddenly makes a crying baby or upset child happy again. Sometimes something works immediately. Other times, you're going to cycle through quite a few options before anything makes a difference.

The biggest thing we've learned? Prepare yourself for the possibility that it may take a while!

Going into it with that expectation can help keep you from reaching your own breaking point when the first - or fourth - thing you try doesn't work.

Start with the obvious

Before getting creative, run through the basics.

Hungry? Offer food or a bottle. Tired? See if you can help them settle. Bored? Pull out the toys, activities or entertainment you packed.

Sometimes it really is that simple.

If the snack fixes everything, fantastic. If the favorite toy buys you another peaceful half hour, even better.

And if none of it works? At least you've ruled out the obvious. Time to try something else.

Get up and move

If the seatbelt sign is off and it's safe to do so, walking the aisle can be surprisingly helpful.

A little movement, different scenery and simply getting out of the seat can sometimes interrupt whatever you've gotten stuck in.

Does walking a crying child down the aisle put you slightly more on display?

Absolutely.

There may be a moment when it feels like you're announcing to the entire cabin, Hi, yes. It's us. We're the ones with the crying child.

But at that point, what have you got to lose?

And remember: plenty of those people watching you have been exactly where you are. The parents and grandparents onboard especially are far more likely to be thinking, Oh, I remember those days, than judging your parenting.

Don't be afraid to ask the flight attendants

Flight attendants have seen a lot of children have a lot of difficult flights.

Of course, this doesn't mean handing over your crying child and expecting them to take it from there. But we've encountered some incredibly kind flight attendants over the years who were happy to lend a hand when they could.

Sometimes that's something practical, like getting hot water for a bottle. Sometimes they'll chat with your child for a minute or point out something interesting. And occasionally, simply seeing a new face is enough of a distraction to change the mood.

If you desperately need to get out of your row for a few minutes, you can also ask whether there's somewhere appropriate to stand with your child. Depending on what's happening onboard, they may be able to help you find a spot out of the main flow of passengers.

Different crews will have different amounts of time and flexibility, of course. But it doesn't hurt to ask - and sometimes a particularly wonderful flight attendant can make a difficult flight feel a whole lot easier.

Make the boring stuff interesting

This is where you stop thinking like an adult.

Something completely mundane to you may be fascinating to a child who's desperate for something new.

Open the window shade. Close it. Open it again.

Lower the tray table and put it back up. Flip through the airline magazine. Adjust the air vent. Look out the window together. Point at something and act like it's the most interesting thing you've seen all day.

If the seatbelt sign is off, even clicking and unclicking the seatbelt can suddenly become entertainment.

You're not trying to come up with an amazing activity. You're just looking for something different that might grab their attention and help shift the mood.

And yes, pull out the screen

If you've been saving the phone or tablet for later, this may officially be later.

Put on the favorite show. Open the game. Pull up the ridiculous video they inexplicably love.

A mid-flight meltdown is not the moment we're going to worry about screen-time rules.

If 20 minutes of Bluey restores peace to your row and gives everyone a chance to reset, we're calling that a win.

And if nothing seems to work...

This is probably the hardest part.

Sometimes you've offered the snack, walked the aisle, pulled out every toy, turned on the tablet and performed what feels like a one-parent variety show - and your child is still upset.

It is miserable. It's frustrating. It can be embarrassing. And it can feel like time has completely stopped.

But it will pass.

Yes, there may be passengers who are annoyed. They'll get over it.

Your job in that moment isn't to make every person on the airplane happy. It's to take care of your child and get your family through the moment as best you can.

And believe us: nobody on that airplane wants the meltdown to end more than you do.