Car Trips With Kids

What to write, what to write?
Well, a friend asked me for advice on taking young kids on long car trips. I replied, and then decided to repost it here.

What do you do to make long car trips tolerable with kids?

It seems to me that the key to traveling with very small children is timing. Timing, breaks and supplies. Try to structure the trip to maximize potential sleepy-times: be sure that whenever a nap is likely everyone is fed, pottied/diapered and the car is gassed up. That way you can drive as long as they sleep without interrupting them. When they are awake, take pretty frequent breaks so they can stretch and move about outside of the carseat. Help them have fun and burn off some energy at this time.

We have never had in-car movies, so we've never used them to entertain on a car trip. I hear they are the bee's knees, though! I'd be tempted to go forward facing, too. If you do, just be sure he's in the middle of the back seat. You can always turn him rear-facing again after the trip. (I tend to go longer rearfacing than most people, as I go by the carseat's weight/height limits rather than by age. Sweetcheeks is still rearfacing!)

Have a bag full of books and toys that he can play with while strapped into his seat, including a couple cool things that are new to him. You'll know what toys are likely to hold his attention. Keep the bag up where you are, so you can easily reach in and hand something new to him when he tires of what he has. (At each break, collect all the discarded toys back into the bag to replenish your supply.) You should also pack plenty of snacks- don't rely on stopping for food alone, because the timing might not be right. Try to stick with wholesome stuff- sugar and artificial ingredients can cause hyperactivity and mood swings. Fruit, cheese, crackers, etc. Pack something with protein, too- grahm crackers spread with peanut butter, for instance, or chicken salad. Drink way more water than juice. Bring tons of wet wipes. Plan to wash the car seat's cover at the end of the trip.

Have a selection of music on hand that he enjoys, if that might help, or story CDs checked out from the library. And despite everything, do be prepared for rough traveling sometimes. Just do your best, pack some Bach's Rescue Remedy for your nerves, and have a nice drink when you arrive at your destination. :)

old times, and harbringers of the season

August 28, 2007 - Tuesday

old times, and harbringers of the season Current mood: nostalgic Wow, it's rather like old times here! (Except I am pregnant, typing on a laptop connected wirelessly to the internet, I drive a minivan, am waiting for my 3 1/2 year old to wake up and I don't actually live here anymore. . . yeah. . .) But it really is a deja vu experience. I'm at the studio, hanging out in the control room while Billy works, listening while I quietly do my own thing here on the couch. (Used to be reading a book or knitting, these days I check my email and blog. . . hmm. . .) I've done a fair bit of the "carseat shuffle" today: I installed Littleman's seat in the van, swapped cars with Billy, swapped back, removed Littleman's seat from the van, removed Sweetcheeks' seat and installed it in my Mom's car, and soon I should put Littleman's seat back into the van. All this is due to a series of appointments, and fun activities for the boys. Anyhow Littleman has been here at the studio today, and he finally fell asleep for a much-needed nap just before I arrived to pick him up. Sweetcheeks is staying the night with my Mom, so I am free to veg out here on the studio couch until Littleman finally wakes up. It's pretty nice, actually. (Not to mention I am not wearing myself out doing dishes or laundry right now!) I get to see my husband. :) And I get to talk to adults. Cool. * * * Lately I have begun hearing the geese, again. Almost as soon as the rain started showing up and the 100 degree+ temperatures calmed down a bit, I started hearing them outside in the evenings. Sunday evening I saw a big, beautiful V-formation of honking geese sail across the sky. Then today, on my way to the studio from my prenatal appointment I stopped at Starbucks- and discovered that the pumpkin spice latte has returned. Geese, pumpkin spice lattes, and temps in the 80s. . . sure signs that Fall is right around the corner. Rejoice!

Mommy Amnesia, and minivans

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Mommy Amnesia, and minivans Current mood: tired OK. Kids in bed, and we ended up with a compromise: washcloth to the important bits, and straight on to brush teeth, story and sleepytime. I think it was the best route for tonight. Not that y'all probably care, come to think of it! LOL, I'm just functioning on a lesser level these days. Pregnancy is Nature's way to prepare mamas for newborns. Usually the second trimester is pretty good for me. I'm hoping the same will be true this time- if so, only about a month to go before I cross that threshold! I'm not sure, since Mommy Amnesia works just as well on me as anyone, but I don't think my other first trimesters were as bad as this one has been. It seems my nausea and fatigue are lasting a lot longer this time. . . but hell if I know, because Nature also makes sure mommies forget how bad pregnancy, childbirth and the first few months of newborn care can be. It's all a rose-colored blur and the details go all fuzzy- Mommy Amnesia. Has happened to every Mom I know. Makes sense, as far as Nature is concerned. If we remembered all the details, would we really put ourselves through it all over again?? (Oh and yes. . . I am thinking pink, though of course we'll be pleased either way- blah blah- LOL, yes a girl sure would be nice. Last chance! Geeez, if it's a boy Billy and I will have to come up with ANOTHER boy name we can agree on. . .) We may have all the baby stuff we could possibly need by now, but the third kid brings a new necessity: bigger car! It is a physical impossibility to have three carseats in the back seat of our Subaru. Sigh. I think carseats are great, but it has occured to me that they have something to do with this American love affair with large vehicles. I would prefer to keep our smaller, good-gas-mileage Forester, but we simply can't fit more than two carseats in. We are forced to go bigger. Granted the extra space will be welcome, and I will still be looking for something reliable and efficient. But If it were not for carseats, I bet many families would be driving something a bit smaller (thus more environmentally-friendly). I'm probably oversimplifying to a ridiculous degree. . . but I bet the carseats are a factor. However I am grateful for good carseats. Well I'm afraid I really must go. . . I'm rambling now, and I need to check on the diapers in the laundry, and get ready for bed. I am exhausted. I'll probably sleep soundly all night, and wake up exhausted. So it goes. It's a damn good thing all this trouble ends up being worth it in the end!! :)