Car Travel

Keywords: car, planning ahead, travel

By Stacy DeBroff

PREPARING & PACKING

Well ahead of time, plan a trip to the toy store without the children. If possible, visit a smaller, neighborhood “educational” toy store, as they seem to have more of a variety of quiet, car-friendly kinds of things, as opposed to the big chains with aisles of big or noisy toys. Browse by yourself through the store, taking note of a variety of things, from crafts to puzzles to games, and think about how you could set them up to work in a car. If you do buy anything, don’t show the children before you leave. Rather, spread out your presents and activities throughout the trip. —Kimberly Tseko, mom of Justin, 8, and Brittany, 5

For long drives, I have created a “stash” I keep hidden away in my house. When I’m out shopping, I will pick up neat toys or activity kits on sale, blow pops, cheese and cracker dips, stuffed animals, coloring books, whatever. I tie up the items into individual sacks and attach name tags. I only give them out in case of emergency, like when I reach a point where I feel like pulling my hair out. —Becky Hamilton, mom of Devin, 14, Brittani, 12, and Tiffani, 6

Lay an old sheet across the back and bottom of the back seat. Even if you don’t treat your car like a shrine, you’ll be able to get away with a lot more if you use this trick. Playdough becomes a feasible car activity, since all the crumbs end up on the sheet and you simply shake it out at your next stop. Even some watered-down water color will work—water in a cup in the cup holder, and if some paint drips on the sheet, no big deal. The same goes for glue—bring felt pieces, or scraps of paper for a collage—or use the paper menus from restaurants, maps from gas stations, and stationery from hotels to make a trip collage. —Kimberly Tseko, mom of Justin, 8, and Brittany, 5

When we begin a long car ride, I prepare myself for battle. Every year we do a ten-hour car ride to see my in-laws in Minnesota. I find that the success of the trip has a lot to do with my expectations. I’ve learned to accept that my kids are going to get cranky, whiny, and not always fall asleep. Of course, I do look forward to my turn to drive so I’m not the one having to turn around and rescue toys that fall to the floor. —Angie Pedersen, mom of James, 6, and Joann, 2

• Contact the local chamber of commerce for information on towns you’ll pass through. You’d be surprised how much information is available for free. They can help you find lodging and meals as well as entertainment.

• Invest in a window screen to keep the sun off your baby or child in the back seat.

• If you plan to travel overnight or during the baby’s sleeping hours, try a shorter trip first to make sure your child will indeed fall asleep in the car.

• Pack the car well ahead of time.

• Dress in layers. That way you and your child can take off or put on a layer without having to search through the trunk for a change of clothes.

• Fill a small tackle box, a sewing box, or a makeup holder with toys and small games. It keeps things organized and gives your child lots of places to store objects and to explore.

• Hang a shoe bag or another organizer from the front seat so your child has easy access to his toys and can keep them organized.

• Bring a spare car key with you just in case.

• Stuff a pillowcase with towels or bulky clothing. Your child can use it to nap more comfortably in the back seat, and you won’t have to add pillows to the packing list.

• Put a box of toys, a soft suitcase, or a diaper bag between two kids in the back seat. It gives them boundaries and also serves as an ad hoc table for games.

• Bring along wet wipes and a roll of paper towels for spills, sticky hands, and clean-up.

• Pack your child’s suitcase on top in case you need something during the ride.

• Dress your child in pajamas if you’ll be arriving at your destination after bedtime.

• Open the trunk or tailgate of your car, spread a blanket, and change your baby there. As long as the trunk is not packed to bursting, the change will be much easier than struggling on the backseat.

PACING YOUR TRAVEL

Remember to stop for meals, breaks, whatever. Kids need to get out and have a change of scenery. We even bring a ball in the car so at rest stops we can get out and throw or kick it for ten minutes. That “wasted” time can often get us through another two hours of driving. —Kimberly Tseko, mom of Justin, 8, and Brittany, 5

• Try not to spend the entire day in the car. After eight hours of driving, all of you will be worn out and uncomfortable.

• Keep your itinerary flexible. One of the advantages of driving is that you pass interesting sites and signs along the way. Stop for anything that might be fun or just get you out of the car for a while.

• Take a break every couple of hours. You don’t have to stop for long—just give everyone time to use the restrooms or have a diaper change, and run around a bit. When you stop for meals, eat outdoors so your child can play while you relax. Or find several destinations to stop and explore along the way so you and your child will have something a little closer to anticipate.

• Travel during nap times or at night whenever possible. However, if you do try to travel at night while your child sleeps, don’t deprive yourself of adequate rest that will keep you exhausted the next day, while your child is full of energy and eager to go.

• Give your child a five-minute warning before you stop so you do not feel that time is ticking by while you wait for him to put on his shoes and coat at a rest area.

• If you have two or more long days of driving, try to schedule a day of rest in between, or spend part of each day relaxing and sightseeing outside the car.

EATING IN THE CAR

When I am driving by myself with the kids, I set each of them up with a juice box, bag of cereal, and crackers. They have to be self-sufficient, because I can’t turn around to reach them and do not want to have to stop every five minutes. I also limit the amount of juice each has so I do not have to make multiple bathroom stops. —Karen McGoldrick DeBroff, mom of Max, 7, Sophie, 5, Celia, 3, and Jacob, 3 weeks

I am always completely ready with tons of food and stuff we normally give the kids as treats. Nothing sugary—just unusual. Fruit tends to get mushy. My kids drink water or seltzer water so I keep the small bottles on hand in the car. —Judy Ledger, mom of Matt, 21, Ilana, 19, Mira, 9, and Gabriel, 4

• Give your child salty foods in moderation, as they will make him thirsty, and drinking will make him have to use the bathroom more often.

• Use squeeze bottles or juice boxes with straws as neat ways to serve your child drinks in the car. Straws in tightly-lidded drinks also prevent a lot of spills.

• Bring juice and water. Soda will make your child thirstier.

• Limit drinks for your child to prevent bathroom emergencies.

• Frozen bread for sandwiches will keep things cooler and thaw by lunchtime.

• Use frozen juice or water instead of ice packs in a cooler. They will thaw by lunchtime.

• Warm food kept in a wide-mouth thermos stays hot for several hours.

• Pack a cooler or bag to which your child can help himself in the car. Include snacks that won’t crumble and drinks that don’t leave impossible stains.

• Prepackage snacks for each child so your kids are not passing a big bag back and forth in the car or holding onto loose fistfuls of food.

• Spread a towel or a sheet over the back seat to make cleaning up spills and crumbs that much easier.

• Bring along a thermos of hot water if your baby only drinks a warm bottle, or invest in a bottle warmer that plugs into your car power adapter.

• If you have an infant, start your journey immediately after feeding and changing him, so you won’t have to take your first break just a half an hour into the trip.

• It’s possible to nurse a baby without taking him out of the car seat by leaning across him. It’s not comfortable and works best if your child is still in a rear-facing seat, but it’s a solution if you must nurse and cannot stop the car safely.

• Roll a small towel to prop a bottle up for the baby to drink to avoid having to reach around from the front seat.

• As your baby gets older, offer bottled water while you wait for a suitable place to stop and breastfeed (or use a breast pump to have breast milk available in a bottle).

Stacy, heralded as a “parenting guru” by the Wall Street Journal, authored four best-selling parenting books (Simon & Schuster) and launched Mom Central, Inc. (www.MomCentral.com), a company devoted to providing savvy advice to simplify and enrich the lives of busy Moms and their families. Stacy appears as a regular parenting expert on national TV show, including NBC’s Today Show, CNN, The View, Tyra Banks Show, CBS’ Early Show, The Daily Buzz, Mike And Juliet, Fox & Friends, and the Rachael Ray Show. Stacy also serves as a corporate spokesperson, trendspotting for the media on behalf of over 30 national brands.

In the 1990’s, Stacy founded and ran as an attorney the Public Interest Office at Harvard Law School. Stacy lives with her husband, Ron, and happily engages in imperfect parenting of their two teens, Kyle and Brooks, in Boston, Massachusetts.