Road trip advice!

[visitor1]

Well in 2 weeks time DH and i are planning on driving to NSW to visit my parents

In saying this, keep in mind we have 2 toddlers and a NB. The trip used to take around 12 hours when it was just the girls and it was mayhem. Add Zach to the mix and having to stop for feeds it will probably bump it up to around 14 hours (give or take).

Im hoping Zach will go ok in the car and just sleep, but i know my girls....and they wont sleep, but instead annoy us the whole trip...

So...........whats some things i can do to keep them entertained.

I was thinking of having food in the car for them, let them run around when we stop (provided its day time and somewhere for them to do so), have their favourite cd's playing, some toys.

Flying up isnt an option. Jasmine will have to be on DH's lap, Zachery on mine, and Chelsea would have her own seat, but she never sits.....and we wont have a free hand to control her. Besides, we would then have a 2 hour drive from the airport to mums anyhow!

Not sure if we will leave late Thursday night, or first thing Friday morning....both have pros and cons.

What would you do....night or morning?

..And for the record....yes we are CRAZY to be doing this

[Gigi]

Um, i think you are very brave.

i would watch the weather conditions, work it out between you and Craig, how hot would it be, to make you cancel the drive.

Is your 12 hour drive in the middle of nowhere? or near towns? (to get help if you needed it e.g car breakdown).

a car is metal and glass - great conductors of heat
it's like a greenhouse on wheels

the age of the car
the condition of the air conditioning (if you have it)
does the aircon go to the back seat? (to the kids)

many things to consider (that you will know, but i don't)

just thinking of your family's safety and health Kim

i havn'et done what you're about to do, to really know, but i do know newborns overheat easily, need attention frequently. i think the stopping for Z might blow out the trip to much more than 14 hours.

Could you drive HALF the way, stay in a motel overnight, then do OTHER HALF of the trip the next day? spread the driving?

driving at night was my immediate thing, (hope kids sleep thru it) but now i dunno.

Next thought was to postpone the trip until autumn weather sets in.

i think you are very brave - is your mum is too ill to come to you?

[feeb]

portable DVD players!!!!
Food/snacks
new toys
cds of kids songs

Hmm ear plugs!!!!!!! Lol

good luck hun

[Visitor7]

This is something I know a lot about. We have done many road trips with the girls. We have done it going out to West Qld in high 40 degree heat, so it is very do-able to do it in the heat. And there was only one town to stop at, and it was an 11 hour trip.

Portable DVD player is a fantastic idea. Attach the screens to the back of the front seats so the girls can watch their fav dvd's.
Have a box of toys handy to them.
Take pencils and colouring books for them to play with.
We usually stop every 3 or so hours for a stretch. We let Nina go to the toilet, have something to eat and run around. We usually only stop 30 min at the most, then keep going.
Given how long it will take, I would suggest leaving first thing in the morning, say 3 or 4am when it's cooler. Get as far as you can get before one (or all) of the kids starts demanding your attention.

[nic]

Yep, definately agree with the portable DVD if you can.

Some little zip lock bags filled with some food.

Getting out and letting them run around for a bit is a great idea as well. we did this with DD when she was 12 months old and we went on a car trip.

Pack the car the night before if you can, just leave out what you need for that morning, that way you just shower/ brush teeth/eat, pack toiletries in the car and go.

Books/CD's are good too.

Maybe make up a booklet for the kids with things they will see along the way. So you might draw a blue car, and when they see one they can cross it off. Kind of like bingo...first person to cross off their list wins a little prize.

If finances allow, we find breaking the trip up in half is great. We book into a place just over halfway, and get there after the check in time. We go and get some takeaway and chill out in a motel room for the night. Next morning we don't have to travel so far, DD (and us as well) has had a good nights sleep and is ready for the car again.

[nic]

I forgot to add another one, this is more for the not so little people, and I got it in an email...It's called, Car Cricket.

each person takes a turn batting. to score you add up the value of of the cars passing in the opposite direction.

Cars = 1 run
Car with trailer = 2 runs
Bus or Truck = 4 runs
Semi-Trailer = 6 runs.

The batter keeps scoring until they pass a red car. Then they are out and it's the next batter's turn.
First to 100 wins

Nic