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Parenting & Farm Kids:  opinions regarding long car travel, please  |
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Lizabeth
True Blue Farmgirl
560 Posts
Washington
560 Posts |
 Posted - Mar 13 2007 : 10:19:59 AM
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My husband and I are considering taking a long long long car trip this summer. 2400 miles one way! We have a son who will be 18 months when we plan to go.
I grew up traveling a lot with my family so car trips aren't a new thing, but there is a difference between traveling as the sister of 5 children, and the mommy of one. I am afraid I am suffering from selective memory regarding the adventure the excitement the interest of car travel.
If we do go, we'd like to tent camp along the route. which, again, could either be a fabulous experience or horrendous.
So what are your thoughts? Has anyone done this type of trip with a little one? |
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willowtreecreek
True Blue Farmgirl
4813 Posts
Julie
Russell
AR
USA
4813 Posts |
Posted - Mar 13 2007 : 12:21:53 PM
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I think it all depends how much you plan to travel in a given day and how much you think your little one can handle. I was HORRIBLE in the car when I was a kid. People always say to put a fussy baby in a car and they will fall asleep...NOT ME! I would SCREAM!!!! :) Even now I don't really care for being in the car for long periods. Have you done any extended trips in the car?
Jewelry, art, baskets, etc.
www.willowartist.etsy.com
www.willowtreecreek.com |
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Lizabeth
True Blue Farmgirl
560 Posts
Washington
560 Posts |
Posted - Mar 13 2007 : 12:24:42 PM
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| the longest we've traveled with him is 3 hours. He has done well in his carseat whenever we have put him in that, and I think if we stop periodically to let him run around, kick a ball etc., he won't feel "trapped". |
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_Rebecca_
True Blue Farmgirl
568 Posts
Rebecca
OK
USA
568 Posts |
Posted - Mar 13 2007 : 12:31:18 PM
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Make sure he gets lots of energetic play during the week leading up to your trip. Rotate toys, save up special ones. Borrow a dvd player. Bring books on tape, cds, etc. Stop for postcards and let him "write" on the back with crayon and mail them home. Give him his own little disposable camera. When you stop let him run and run. Bring puppets to entertain with when he is at his rope's end. The farthest I've gone with a small child was 900 miles one way.
.·:*¨¨* :·.Rebecca.·:*¨¨* :·. |
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catscharm74
True Blue Farmgirl
4687 Posts
Heather
Texas
USA
4687 Posts |
Posted - Mar 13 2007 : 12:32:06 PM
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| We went to Texas for 3 1/2 weeks last summer with a 4-5 month old. We would wait until his naptime, load up, drive and when he woke up we would find the next town, stop, eat play and relax. Then start again. Small increments seem to help. |
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sunshine
True Blue Farmgirl
4877 Posts
Wendy
Utah
USA
4877 Posts |
Posted - Mar 13 2007 : 1:16:18 PM
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From a mom of three pack large zip lock bags( gallon size) In case the kid gets car sick so you can put the ikky clothes in it. Don't give to heavy of food either as that can be hard on little tummies this includes milk. Do bring special toys that have not been played with yet and give one new one about 1 ever two or three hours and switch them out. These can be pictures books / coloring books, small stuffed animals things that when the kid is not sleeping are new and fun, this doesn't have to be expensive. If you don't get sick reading in the back seat bring some story books for you to read to the kid. We also sing on our trips when the kids where small we traveled a lot to Nevada and Montana and California to see great grand parents. We traveled over 80 hours of driving in 3 weeks one time. It can be done smoothly if you have things to do in the car and make stops fun. We tried to stop at national parks and national/ state sites where we could show the kids educational things too. Lunches we did picnic so the kids could get the wiggles out and run around plus it was different and special road trip stuff. When they are real litle like yours we did most of our driving at night so the kid would sleep if it was a real long drive. Now we breakup long drives into multiple days and let the kids enjoy the trip
have a lovely day and may God bless you and keep you safe my blog http://sunshinescreations.blogspot.com
my web stores www.sunshines.etsy.com and http://vintagethreads.etsy.com
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ArmyWifey
True Blue Farmgirl
712 Posts
Holly
Abilene
KS
712 Posts |
Posted - Mar 13 2007 : 1:22:24 PM
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Sunshine has great tips --- even now with teenagers anthing past 6-8 hours is just to much! We are planning to drive about 6 hours a day and camp/koa it on our way to KS. I figure if we get going fairly early then we can stop while it's still daylight and set up camp/check in then swim, relax, eat, etc. We are also planning to stay two nights each place -- don't know how much time you have. When the kids were little we always had new toys to pull out along the way, kiddy music in the car, etc. Books on tape -- although your guys a bit small you and Dad might enjoy!
I would pack the suitcase and your diaper bag so you can reach snacks, extra clothes, toys, wipes, diapers, ziploc bags, etc without having to dig for it.
As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!
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Edited by - ArmyWifey on Mar 13 2007 1:23:54 PM |
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Lizabeth
True Blue Farmgirl
560 Posts
Washington
560 Posts |
Posted - Mar 13 2007 : 2:28:40 PM
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Wonderful ideas, everyone, thank you! I especially like the notion of sending postcards he has drawn on back home to grandma and grandpa. They would enjoy that so much.
I think the decision will be made by just how long we have to travel... I don't know if we have enough days to make for short drives (no longer than 6 hours). We have a wedding to make it to and then down to see my sister and her family who are expecting twins! |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Mar 13 2007 : 2:43:26 PM
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We usually make the 13 hour (each way) trip to Calif to visit relatives and friends (including our 3 grown boys) every spring. We drive straight thru but I have done it so many times now (we used to do the oposite and take our vacations HERE driving the 13 hours from there each way!) that it isn't bad. We leave really early..no later than 6am..I have the car totally ready the night before and the kids get to stumble out to the van in their jammies with pillow and small blanket for the trip. We stop in 3 hours for breakfast at the same restaurant each time. Tradition. Then we drive a few hours..stop to let them run and get fresh drinks from the cooler full of juice and water bottles (I agree with sunshine..milk on a trip like that is asking for carsick in my family) I let them each bring a totebag full of stuff of their own for the trip (we go for a week usually) and no more (not including clothes..I supervise that so they don't look like ragmuffins all week) and I bring a few new things. Last time we got a book on tape from the library and the whole family listened to it. We never even used theVCR in the van at all that trip which I loved. None of us are able to read in the car without getting sick..me the most of all!! So we play car games and listen to the book on tape or the kids draw or whatever. Some of them sleep alot some don't. We stop for food they usually don't get to have and they think it is an amazing treat. Once to our destination I start thinking of the trip back, getting the van restocked with drinks, snacks (I like to bring crackers and cheese and fruit) and those ziploc bags sunshine mentioned..as well as a new surprize for the trip home. We are going on our annual trip this year on spring break and the kids are so looking forward to it. Me too..but I don't enjoy the driving part as much as they do..haha
We like to drive straight thru so we can get to where we are going in one day instead of two since we only have 7 days if we took two days each way more than half our time would be driving..ugh. This year our kids at home will be 12, and 10 and 10 and 10 on the trip...getting older but not easier..just different. Good luck!!
Jenny in Utah
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
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Parenting & Farm Kids: opinions regarding long car travel, please |
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opinions regarding long car travel, please
