First time flying — what should I expect at Pearson?

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This might sound like a silly question, but I've never been on a plane before and I'm flying out of Pearson with my 5-year-old in January.

I've been doing a ton of research, but I think hearing from people who actually fly out of Pearson regularly would help calm my nerves 😂

Could someone basically explain what to expect from the time we arrive at the airport until we're sitting at our gate?

Things I'm especially wondering about:

-How early would you recommend arriving for an international flight?

-Is it pretty obvious where to go when you first walk into the terminal?

-What is the check-in/bag drop process like?

-What should I expect going through security with a child?

-After security, is it easy to find your gate?

Is there anything about Pearson that tends to confuse first-time flyers?

-Anything you wish you'd known before your first flight?

I'm probably overthinking this, but I've literally never flown before, so the whole airport experience is completely new to me 😅

Any tips or a basic "Pearson for dummies" walkthrough would be very appreciated!