Traveling with young children (especially babies) should be considered some sort of medieval torture. It really is comparable to inflicting some sort of pain upon yourself for hours and hours on end while having to stay awake and alert the entire time.
I started making the seven hour drive to my parent's house in San Antonio when Rowan was just eight weeks old. I was a new mom who missed my own mom and I just. Needed. Help. My husband, Derek, had gone back to work and I found myself alone with this beautiful baby boy who I was just getting to know. No more running to grab coffee or lunch, no more quick trips to the store. It was just me and him, and a lot of downtime at home. One day I was feeling brave so I decided to pack up our things, get in the car and go.
We somehow survived.
Now that beautiful baby boy is three years old and perhaps the world's best car traveler. I know it's because he grew up doing it, but I also picked up a few secrets along the way that helped us both. I'm going to share some of my favorite tips that have made the drive easier for my kids AND for me.
First and Foremost:
Coffee. Yes, coffee should always be step #1 in every situation. You will soon come to see that I'm a bit of an addict. Everyday I get out of bed and head straight to my Keurig. I usually put my nose right over the cup so I can smell it brewing. See? Addict. On our travel days I find that drinking a big cup (or two) before we leave helps me stay nice and peppy. I also always stop at the halfway mark and grab a latte for an extra boost. There is nothing worse than being sleepy while driving. Stay caffeinated my friends!
Comfy Accommodations:
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| Row enjoying a Starbucks smoothie while catching up on his favorite toons. |
Okay mamas...bring blankets, lovies, or stuffies for your babies. Let them travel in their PJ's and cozy socks. Load their electronics with movies or new games to keep them entertained (don't forget to charge those suckers the night before.) iPads and portable DVD players ARE YOUR FRIENDS. Forget the screen time rule. Their brains won't fry. They won't turn into little mutant children. It will make the time pass quicker and most importantly, keep them entertained. My picky toddler isn't much of a snacker, but I always pack a couple of squeeze apple sauces, some fruit snacks, and THESE lollipops which are reserved for times when he gets grumpy. A lolli can usually fix even the biggest car meltdowns!
I should also note that I try to buy the best, most comfortable car seats that I can. I know that there are a lot on the market, and they can get pricey, but since my boys spend a lot of time in the car I want them to be as cozy as possible. A good seat is worth every penny. Rowan rides in a Britax Marathon and Crew is in a Chicco Keyfit 30, but will soon be moving up to a Marathon Clicktight.
Stops Along the Way:
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| My boys taking a little break from their car seats. |
My number one rule for long car trips is to never make a pit stop when my kids are sleeping. This is for so many reasons. The first being that I don't like seeing my sweet, dreaming angels turn into psychotic, screaming monsters. So if they are sleeping, I'm driving. I even do that thing at stoplights that crazy moms do where I keep pumping the brakes so that the car won't fully stop. My husband says it's bad for my car but crying kids are bad for my soul and I love my soul more than I love my car. How the heck do kids sense the car stopping anyway? They have powers. Super powers. Keep on driving, mama.
We have a new routine for our stops that I really like. We pull into a Chic-Fil-A and order our lunch in the drive-thru. We then head to an empty parking spot out of the way and I get the boys out of their seats. I let Rowan climb all over the car and eat in the front seat while I play with Crew. We eat our "chikin" and hang out for about 30 minutes and then hit the road again. We used to stop at the playground or something, but I realized that our trips were taking way too long, so this little stop has worked for us. It feels like a little break, but there's no unloading the kids, ordering food at a counter, trying to carry everything to a table, dropping soft drinks, babies crying, etc. It's just easier. And when we are spending the day driving, easier is better.
My best advice can be summed up in two words.
Chill. Out.
It's so easy to get stressed and worried when you're driving. Go into it knowing that it will be a long day, and just try to take everything in stride. I remember a trip a couple years ago where my little Rowan screamed his head off for 2 hours straight. I tried pulling over, getting him out, playing with him, feeding him, EVERYTHING. He just didn't want to be in the car. I remember sitting in the McDonald's parking lot crying right along with him. I was tempted to get a hotel room in San Angelo and call it a day. I said a quick prayer, strapped that sweet baby in safely, and just drove. We made it alive, and he isn't permanently traumatized (that I know of.)
We make trips to San Antonio at least once every couple months. These things have really worked for us, and I'm praying my little Crew turns into a professional traveler just like his big brother.
What are your favorite tips for surviving road trips with your littles?
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