Flying with kids- how young is too young?

Paul Folbrecht wrote:

I'm especially concerned about the younger one for the obvious reason
that 3 is pretty young. To the folks that have a lot of experience
taking up little kids- what are the rough odds that he'll be just fine
vs. having a cow? I need to decide if I should suggest that this isn't
a great idea or not. TIA.

Paul,

I have taken my niece and nephew up. We took each one seperately. Both
are just under 2 years old.

To get them familiar with the plane, on my prior visits to their maiden
flight, we let them walk around the plane, and we identified major parts
(wing, rudder, wheels, gas tanks and so on) to make a game of it.

When they were comfortable with it, we then introduced them to getting
in the plane. This was a little harder as I have a low wing, and the
slope of the wing made them unnerved getting in. We insisted they walk
in on their own, only assistance given was I would be in the plane for
them to walk to me, and my brother inlaw was behind them so they didn't
fall back. Once they were in the plane, they were absolutely great.

My brother in law is a pilot, so he flew the plane. I held them in my
lap with just the lapbelt on. We had ear protection for them as I didn't
have child size headsets.

First flight, we never left the pattern, just made a little longer
downwind to extend the flight. We only went to 1,500 feet to see if
they would be ok with ears, and no effects. Second flight, was 15
minutes. Other then taking it easy on altitude, we did standard rate
turns so that they would know that 30 degree banks are normal.

We flew just before sunset, so turbulence was not an issue.

Both were better then my sister who remained on the ground *smile*. My
nephew absolutely loved it and my niece well could take it or leave it.
Getting him out of the plane was extremely difficult! I don't know if
they understood the "significance" of what they did, but it didn't
matter, they enjoyed it.

Really, kids do not know any better, and I believe it's the adults that
will instill the fear of flying.

Needless to say, I did set a "dangerous precedent" as now everytime I
fly down to see them, they want to take a ride my sister said. And my
answer to that, was whats the problem with that? *smile*.

Allen