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Parenting & Farm Kids:  driving cross country with little ones  |
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Merryday
Farmgirl in Training
30 Posts
Mary
Kansas
30 Posts |
 Posted - Jun 09 2006 : 09:07:23 AM
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We are getting ready to drive to Montana later this summer with our one year old (approx. 20 hour drive ) Any advice on how to make the trip the most comfortable/fun?
"As you travel through life, remember your goal, keep your eye on the doughnut, and not on the hole" - something my Pop used to say |
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G-G
Farmgirl at Heart
6 Posts
Venessa
Eureka
Montana
USA
6 Posts |
Posted - Jun 09 2006 : 09:43:27 AM
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I've had plenty of road trips with young children. My husband's job caused us to live far away from family and so we logged lots of road time! I'm sure you already know that the easiest way to travel with a little one in the car is when they're sleeping! The best way to ensure long naps is to take plenty of breaks and get out of the car to exercise. I know it adds time to the drive, but it helps in the long run. My husband always wanted to get to the destination as quickly as possible, but honestly on the trips where I drove alone, it may have taken a little longer, but we weren't so frazzled when we got there. There are no magic solutions, however. My advice is to try and enjoy the journey and remember that you will eventually get there!  Have a great time!
Venessa |
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sunshine
True Blue Farmgirl
4877 Posts
Wendy
Utah
USA
4877 Posts |
Posted - Jun 09 2006 : 09:44:34 AM
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My husband and I use to drive to california a 12 hour drive and to Miles city montana (14 hours) and to panaca nevada ( 6 hours) every summer to visit great grand parents. With little kids we liked to travel at night as the kids would just sleep and not know they had been in the car so long. As they got older no diapers or potty training ( it was better to have them sleep if this is the case as the trip gets about 3 - 4 hours longer with diaper changes and potty runs in the middle of no where plus the panic of a 3 year old who has to when ther is no rest stops for 1 hour). When they are older we started breaking the trip in to multiple days. Figured out where there was national monuments or museums or any thing like that. Now every trip takes more time but we stop and see sites and don't try to rush where we are going and the kids have more fun. We have set spots we always stop at to get homemade ice cream ( on the way to calif) and things of this sort. There is one place that sells squeeky cheese ( curds and way) that is a treat my kids only get on the way to nevada to see their great grand father or on the way to see their great grand mother in california. Find something your kids like and do that if you have time. If no time I recommend flying cost more but you get to spend more quality time at your final destination and no jet lag from being in the car for so long.
have a lovely day |
Edited by - sunshine on Jun 09 2006 09:47:47 AM |
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_Rebecca_
True Blue Farmgirl
568 Posts
Rebecca
OK
USA
568 Posts |
Posted - Jun 09 2006 : 10:08:38 AM
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From Kansas to Montana---
Hmm. I would keep about 6 bags of goodies already prepared and rotate them throughout the day. Squirrel away some drive-thru happy meal toys---children love those, I think it's all the research the advertising people do for them, some little snacks, some things you don't normally give your one yr old at home. Little mirrors, etch-a-sketches. Keep a bag made up that is only for when you are at your wits end. Put the talking toys in it or the books with buttons that make noise or little pianos or something. I never let my children have those on a regular basis, they only come out for emergency use! LOL!
Remember that one year olds need feed & water 6 times a day, so each time you do that, let them out to run around. Drive as much as you can during their naptime.
Then invest in a dvd player. If you have a long way to go and your little one does really good on the way there---chances are your trip home is going to feel twice as long and maybe a couple of cartoons on the way back would help. I would save it for the way back. That way when you are tired, you have something to fall back on.
That's just my .02--our children always travel very well except for at night or in heavy traffic.
.·:*¨¨* :·.Rebecca.·:*¨¨* :·.
Wife of Jonathan, Mother of Joel, Caitlyn, Elia |
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Mumof3
True Blue Farmgirl
3890 Posts
Karin
Ellenwood
GA
USA
3890 Posts |
Posted - Jun 10 2006 : 3:19:53 PM
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We always drove at night when my children were small so that they could sleep on their (somewhat) normal schedule. I always packed little bags of favorite finger foods for them. You might try getting a new cookie sheet and put magnets on some small toys ( not small enough to eat though!) Just the newness of seeing things stick can occupy a small child forever and saves you from hunting for things that have become lost.
I wish you luck. One of the longest trips we took was to Delaware. 2 days to get there but my DH thought we should do it in a straight shot coming home. I didn't talk to him for two days after we got back. Not a good idea.
Karin |
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Parenting & Farm Kids: driving cross country with little ones |
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driving cross country with little ones
