Traveling with Kids

Well, we’re back home again! Yep! A 28 hour drive with a 4 year old, a 2 ½ year old and a 7 month old was just a little too much. What were we thinking? We turned around at the 11 hour mark. It was actually the baby who had the roughest time. He was crying nearly the entire time! That much time in the car made me realize the little things that can make a trip go smooth:

1. Leave early in the morning! You can place PJ’d kids in the car before sunrise and they can nap for a few hours. When they awaken you can all stop for breakfast.

2. Bring snacks. I brought them out when we all needed a diversion.

3. Plan breaks accordingly. Stop before everyone is melting down! Kids will have a harder time recuperating when they are pushed beyond their limits.

4. Carry a portable potty with you if your children are young. Telling your 2 year old and 4 year old to wait 10 minutes is unreasonable. More than likely they have been waiting anyway and are telling you when the accident is imminent. Just trust me on this, because I know!

5. Stop and eat some real food once in a while. It will do wonders for your sense of well-being.

6. Bring fewer toys not more. Books and coloring books all travel well. Lap oriented toys work great.

7. Bring an empty bucket. Yes, we also had to deal with carsickness! It can serve as a trash receptacle at other times as well.

8. Clean out the car when you stop. It’ll help in the long run to keep the car tidy.

9. Don’t carry your whole wardrobe with you. Pack three days of clothes per person and plan on doing laundry.

10. When you stop allow them to play and run. They need to get their energy out.

11. Plan on returning early with a few days to spare before you have to go back to work. It’ll help you put your world back in order.

12. Lastly when things aren’t going well, be flexible and adjust accordingly.

The last tip of course is what we learned the most. It was a hard decision but one that was best for the kids. So now we’re back home and celebrating Christmas in town. It’s weird to have spent all that time driving just to be back where we started. Next time I’ll look into flying in the off-season or renting an RV. In the mean time it’s evening and the kids are all down to sleep and no one is crying. Ahhh …it’s nice to be home!
Happy Holidays!

Dr. Sheila Cason