Driving all night?

**Doing my best** · March 4th, 2014, 12:27 PM

We are travelling interstate in a few weeks. We were planning on leaving early Saturday morning and hoping to arrive late that same night (or stopping overnight if we really had to due to kids discomfort).

UNTIL reading DH's roster and it looks like he will be coming off night shifts. So he works till 6.30am Friday morning and sleeps through the day. So he will be in night mode and very capable of driving through the night. So thinking of heading away Friday night instead. And I sleep well enough as a passenger to be able to take over in the early morning for the final few hours..

So my main question is, if you have done overnight driving, how do kids seem to handle sitting up overnight. Their car seats have a semi recline in them that I often use for long car trips, so the aren't quite as upright as day travel, but not as reclined as rear facing. They have no issues sleeping in the car on long day drives. Kids are 6 & 4 yrs and normally sleep anywhere. I am just wondering about the sitting up.

Can I please ask that this isn't turned into a debate on safety of fatigue and driving. My DH does rotating rosters that involve 3-4 nights at a time and we know his body clock and capabilities around these shifts.

**Teeki** · March 4th, 2014, 12:33 PM

My parents used to drive long distances at night when we were kids, it was more peaceful for them lol. Car seats and rules were different back then though, so I wasn't in one and used to just have my pillow against the window to sleep on.

We've also done a few longish trips, but I find that even with DD's seat in the semi-recline position her head still falls forward so I'm always reaching back to adjust her. I know you can get those little neck pillow things, I don't know how safe they are or if there's an age range, but maybe they're something to check out?

**beansbeans!** · March 4th, 2014, 01:29 PM

We do the long overnight trips and find that the kids handle it pretty well. We give them a blanket and cushion, although they rarely if ever use the cushion.
Personally we find doing long trips at night easier than during the day cause the kids are happy to sleep and aren't whinging about been bored etc.

**Ca Plane Pour Moi** · March 4th, 2014, 03:26 PM

We've done this before, usually 8pm-1am. I can sleep well in cars, unless I'm driving.

Liebs stopped car sleeping easily age ~3. It's more distracting having him chatter at night, or playing I-spy. Seriously, we do that journey a few times a year and only once has he slept on it in the last 4 years. It is something to bear in mind, what to do if children don't sleep.

**Doing my best** · March 4th, 2014, 05:20 PM

TFB, if they don't sleep, we will just get a motel for the night, and will have done the worst part of the trip (from north of brisbane to northern nsw) or we all sleep the next day away, lol.. Cause I can only sleep if they are otherwise they distract DH too much asking for things and questions..

Generally though, they fall asleep if we go for an evening drive around bed time, so just have to hope the sleep the majority of night..

If we don't go at night, I will end up having to do most of the 10 hr drive as he will be in the wrong time zone. (He likes driving, I do it cause I have to).

**Tegam** · March 4th, 2014, 06:47 PM

We drive from Brisbane to central coast over night with all four kids. I find they sleep ok, they all wake at times but its not for long and they just need to be told that we aren't there yet. We do a stretch in the late afternoon, then big stop for dinner and play then drive. Home by 4am. Transfer kids and get a few hours ourselves

Good luck and be safe

**Doing my best** · March 4th, 2014, 07:16 PM

Thanks Teagm. Would love to leave a bit earlier, but I have to work on the Friday. Plan on being home a bit after 6, load the kids in, and go.

How long does it take (driving time I mean) to the central coast from brisbane? We are destined for woy woy, then will head down to sydney later in the afternoon as nan doesn't have enough room for us to stay.

**Beautiful Disaster** · March 4th, 2014, 07:23 PM

The few trips we have done from bris to syd have all been overnight. Sooo much easier and my DH sounds like yours he likes to drive at night and will let me sleep and wake me if he needs a break

**Kazzo** · March 5th, 2014, 06:24 AM

I think the kids would handle it fine, for me it would be more about how you will be the next day with minimal sleep for both you and DH and then doing another drive. When you get to WoyWoy are you going to try and rest?
For us we drive during the day as the my eldest is just under 5. We drive a few hours, stop an hour, drive a few stop for one and so on or until they can not handle it anymore. When they are older I would love to change to night travel but DH is not so good at night driving, he just gets too sleepy. So I would have to do all the driving and I can not sleep in a car either.

Anyway enough about me.
You can get kids neck pillows that might help with the head falling forward.

**Doing my best** · March 5th, 2014, 07:31 AM

I think the kids would handle it fine, for me it would be more about how you will be the next day with minimal sleep for both you and DH and then doing another drive. When you get to WoyWoy are you going to try and rest?
For us we drive during the day as the my eldest is just under 5. We drive a few hours, stop an hour, drive a few stop for one and so on or until they can not handle it anymore. When they are older I would love to change to night travel but DH is not so good at night driving, he just gets too sleepy. So I would have to do all the driving and I can not sleep in a car either.

Anyway enough about me.
You can get kids neck pillows that might help with the head falling forward.

That is a valid point. In the past I have been able to sleep well in the car, on planes, trains, buses etc, so hoping that once the kids are asleep, I will sleep too.. We used to do a lot of night driving, well DH drive and I sleep as he has been a night owl and worked shifts most of his adult life.

DH will be able to sleep at my Nan's and I was going to take her and the kids out for a few hrs so he has some quiet for that reason, same as at home, we go out while he sleeps so he should be fine to drive the rest of the trip that afternoon (it is about 90 mins to where we are going).. My nan actually lives where I grew up, so there are a few things I would be able to show the kids through the morning.

We very rarely make rigid plans, and the only thing that is a must for this trip is that we are in Sydney by the Sunday evening, so we can get sorted to get to the cruise terminal the next day (leaving our car at families home).. So deciding we have to stay somewhere to sleep/rest isn't really going to make too much difference, and will be crossed as we come to it..

**Kazzo** · March 5th, 2014, 12:00 PM

Not making rigid plans sound like a good plan

I think you have it well thought out. Enjoy your cruise.

**~clover~** · March 5th, 2014, 12:01 PM

My kids have spent plenty of hours sleeping in the car. No worries. It's so much easier travelling over night.

Just make sure you guys have lots of breaks.

The coffs coast is the halfway point between bris & Sydney. Woy woy is 5-6 hours from coffs depending on traffic.

It's all upgraded now too. Dual carriageway pretty much all the way. Not sure about north of coffs, but south of coffs, from Urunga to kempsey is the only part not upgraded yet

**Tegam** · March 5th, 2014, 01:21 PM

About 10yrs from our house to Norah head. Bahahahaha I meant 10hours but maybe my fingers feel its more like 10yrs

**nickle730** · March 5th, 2014, 09:28 PM

I think it'll be fine as long as your husband can sleep on Friday during the day. He won't have the kids to look after while you're working will he? My biggest concern would be feral kids the next day if they don't get the same quality of sleep in the car! Also, when your husband works nights does he usually have someone working with him to keep him awake? I work shifts, but with a partner to gibber to when I'm tired! And are kangaroos a concern on the route you'll be taking? I know it sounds ridiculous, but there are so many accidents on rural roads at night when there is not much traffic and the roos are bounding around!!

**Doing my best** · March 6th, 2014, 05:17 AM

Nickle, he doesn't have the kids in the day. My dad will have dd for the day (she would normally be at school), and ds at daycare.

He has other people around him but works alone in a control centre.

Roos were my biggest fear, but I think the fear of doing all the driving if we leave the next day is taking over that.

**~clover~** · March 6th, 2014, 08:46 AM

If you're coming down the highway right through, I wouldn't stress too much about roos. There's a lot of traffic through the night to keep them away.
There is still the odd chance, but not nearly as high as country roads. Tbh, I've never seen one at night on that highway & drove a section it most days & plenty of nights for 10 years. Including long trips up or down every few months.

**Tegam** · March 6th, 2014, 06:42 PM

Nope have never seen a roo. Some crazy nut job truck drivers but we just pull over and let them go! You'll be fine

**Doing my best** · March 30th, 2014, 08:32 AM

Yay, this has come around so quick. We leave this week. DH's roster did change, but they happily changed it back so his on night shift this week (must be the only time I have asked him to do night shift, LOL).

I am going to have the car packed up Thursday night, and DH and kids will collect me from work, rather than me going home. Some new movies will be downloaded on the IPAD, so at least the kids will have something to watch if they don't sleep as early as normal (or if they fall asleep on way to collect me before dinner)..

Have also made plans to see 2 people I haven't seen in years while DH is sleeping on Saturday (but these people will totally understand if we don't make it down overnight as planned). WE will even go have afternoon tea in the park we got married in, to show it to the children