how do you get kids to sleep on long flights?

Flying from Europe to California with a 5-year-old and a 2-year-old is honestly making me nervous. Our flight leaves at 2pm and lands at 5pm California time, so it’s a long haul, and I’m already picturing the jet lag and cranky kids. Last time we tried a long flight, my youngest was wide awake at 3am local time, and my oldest only wanted to watch cartoons. I keep hearing about giving kids melatonin or trying to get them to nap right away, but I’m not sure if that actually works or just makes things worse. If I let them stay up, they get overtired and meltdown, but if I push them to sleep, sometimes they just get more stubborn. I’d love to hear what actually works for other parents—do you have a go-to trick for getting your kids to sleep on planes, or do you just let them ride it out? I’m torn between wanting them to rest and just surviving the flight without a total disaster. Anyone else struggle with this? #familytravel #longhaulflights #parentingstruggles #Travel