Traveling with young children can be challenging, but there are steps you can take to make road trips more enjoyable for the entire family
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Ever been on a road trip with a baby or toddler and stuck on what to do? If so, I’m sure you have experienced your own stresses and challenges. But it doesn’t have to be that way!
Here are 5 tips on how to make the most of a car trip with young children:
1. Take Along All Necessary Items
Anyone who is embarking on a journey should always have all the necessary items in place to make the journey as stress-free as possible. When packing for a road trip road with babies and toddlers, write a checklist to make sure you have packed a diaper bag, food box, water bottles, and cereals. Not packing the necessary items puts you in a tight situation with your baby at the back of the car. This is especially true for nursing mothers.
2. Spend Time In The Backseat At Lunchtime
Babies and toddlers are unpredictable because they could be very quiet at some certain points, but that can change within a few minutes. When this happens, park and spend time with your baby. This is certainly one of the best ways to get through a road trip with newborn onboard.
However, in a case where your baby does not cry or fuss, it is still important to spend time in the backseat with your child. During lunch hours, for instance, you can feed, play and do things together before proceeding with your journey. Doing so, babies tend to sleep thereafter, which helps you as a mother enjoy your trip without being disturbed.
3. Entertain With A Puppet Or Movie
There are different things that amuse toddlers, so be sure to always take them along. Two of these things are puppets and movies. A puppet keeps them laughing throughout the journey and a movie gets them busy while you drive. These two methods take away kids’ anxiety and keeps them amused by what they see and hear.
Kids who prefer puppets to movies may need your help so be prepared to park at intervals and be a puppeteer. As for movies, choose nice animations or cartoons that are relatable and amusing; you can even park and watch together for some minutes before you move on.
4. Pack Enough Snacks and Meals
Surviving a long road trip with a toddler (and adults!), you need to pack enough healthy snacks like whole wheat doughnuts which are great for road trips because they keep them satisfied and don’t cause choking. As for meals, there is nothing more fun about a car trip than doing all the things together and eating nice meals along the way.
5. Engage In Songs and Stories
If there is something we have learned about life, it is that music is a soul-reliever and a mind-healer. This is true for kids as well as adults. Songs are perfect for kids who tend to cry easily. You can either play nice songs from your stereo which your kid is familiar with or sing a special song that puts him or her to ease. Every kid has that special song or story he or she likes, so be prepared to play it or sing it with them.
Conclusion
Many people have tried to find answers to not getting stuck in life, especially when it comes to handling kids on a trip. These suggestions have proven effective over the years, fostering a good parent-child relationship, as well as helping to make the travel experience less stressful and more enjoyable for all.
You may also enjoy reading Family Time: 6 Tips for Creating & Maintaining Strong Family Bonds by Nora Mork
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