Driving anywhere with small children is never a task I look forward to, and I know it’s not just me! Unless your child magically enjoys sitting perfectly still for hours on end, strapped into a car seat with limited mobility, and staring at the passing scenery in silence… No? Anyone? *crickets*
As a military mom, most of the traveling I do is solo. There are no extra hands around to help give out snacks, calm an angry baby, or turn on the iPad when your 2-year-old accidentally turned it off! This holiday season I’m lucky enough to have my hubby along for the ride to my parent’s house, about 7 hours from where we live. Here are my tips for road tripping with 2-under-3, either by yourself or with help!
Plan, Plan, Plan!
Once you have babies, you can’t just hop in the car and go. Those days are OVER my friend! I work on planning trips for several weeks beforehand. I usually have a plan I think will work, and a back up just in case. For example, this fall I drove to South Carolina alone for a friend’s wedding. The wedding was on Saturday, so I planned to leave Thursday afternoon after picking up my 2-year-old from preschool. Plan A was to drive to a friend’s house who lives at the half-way point of my trip. She was happy to let us stay the night, and then continue the rest of the trip on Friday (again, during nap time). If that plan fell through, Plan B was to drive to the half-way point and get a hotel for the night.
Plan for your kids’ personalities! I know my toddler does not sleep well in his car seat, and I didn’t want to be worrying about his position, so driving at night was out of the question for me. If your kids sleep great in their car seats, maybe driving at night is a good option for you. Either way, have a plan and a back up!
Drive During Naps
…If possible. Thankfully my boys are on the same nap schedule now, so I was able to work around that. I made the car feel like a “nap environment” by giving my toddler his blanket and teddy bear and turning on a portable white noise machine in the back seat. Pull the shade over your baby’s car seat and tuck a blanket around him made him. This will give you baby “sleep ques” especially if they are used to sleeping in a dark room.
Stop Often!
The longest stretch I drove at one time was 2.5 hours, and that was because I got lucky and the boys stayed asleep that long! Look at your route on Google Maps and find the best places to stop. Look for gas stations with fast food restaurants around them. I always look for Chick-fil-A, since I know my toddler loves their play area. Even if you don’t stop during a meal time, you can go in and order coffee or food for the next meal time if you choose not to stop again.
Save Movies For The End
If you can hold off on the screen time, the last part of your trip (when your toddler is done being in the car) will go more smoothly. I keep new toys and activities on the front seat so I can hand them back whenever he gets bored. Last time, I was able to keep him occupied until the last 1.5 hours of the trip, and then I turned on Finding Nemo. Keep a bag of activities in the back seat as well. Rotate them out for the return trip!
Prepare Yourself For Crying
Be prepared to handle crying. Traveling with a baby up until age 2 is very difficult because they aren’t really interested in movies yet, and all they want to do is practice mobility skills! Being cooped in a car is much harder on them. Every time I stop, I take the baby out of his car seat and let him bounce on my lap or stretch out in the trunk. Pull suit cases out of the trunk to make an open space for him to roll around for 20-30 minutes before getting back on the road.
Be Realistic
Don’t set an aggressive pace and try to beat your timeline. Again, those days are over! If your navigational system/app says your trip should take 6 hours, plan for 8-9. If you’re planning to stop overnight like I did, make sure you factor that into your arrival time.
