The long as well as winding road
We own got been travelling. "We" existence me, the kids, together with the dog. Our trip-- seven hours of driving time-- ended upwards taking only over nine together with a one-half hours, including five stops. Thankfully I was able to feed the one-year olds inwards the motorcar every bit nosotros drove, keeping an oculus on them amongst strategically placed babe mirrors. Our stops generally consisted of diaper changes, stretching legs, together with having my four-year quondam role the restroom. Three of those stops were rattling short, exclusively 1 toddler needing a diaper modify or existence able to speedily instruct inwards together with out of the ease halt amongst the kids. Still. It was an adventure. This was also the showtime fourth dimension that I stopped amongst the twins to remain at friends' houses (two separate overnight trips, 1 amongst all 3 kids, 1 amongst only the one-year olds).
Here are some of my route tripping tips amongst kids:
1. Thoughtfully pack your snack bag.
I had snacks for our four-year quondam together with me together with snacks that were keen for one-year olds. My excogitation was to feed the kids every bit nosotros drove. My four-year quondam takes most the same fourth dimension that I create to eat; nosotros could own got eaten inwards most 20 minutes. My one-year olds own got at to the lowest degree double that amount of time, especially when you lot start factoring inwards finding high chairs, cleaning upwards the infinite together with kids... on together with on. Feeding toddlers is fourth dimension consuming together with they insist on doing it themselves. Anyways, I knew I needed nutrient they could consume inwards the car, zero every bit good messy together with zero that they tin easily choke on. I cutting the nutrient upwards together with divided everything into snack bags the black before. I position things that my four-year old could assist himself to adjacent to his motorcar seat. The snack pocketbook sat adjacent to me, inside reach. All I had to create was line of the interstate, manus out food, line dorsum on the interstate, together with along nosotros went! I also stance ahead, earlier I went on the trip, where I would last going acre gone together with what I may desire nutrient wise. For instance, amongst ii overnight trips, ii legs to drive (actually four, I also drove to my 2nd overnight visit, three hours of route fourth dimension done inwards 3 together with a one-half hours-- oh, yeah!), together with at to the lowest degree ii meals at my friends' houses (dinner together with breakfast), I made certain I had total meals for the toddlers at each of those times every bit good every bit snacks for my four-year quondam inwards representative something didn't adjust his fancy. (You know how kids tin be.) I also knew that, for the ease of our trip, nosotros would demand snacks for the diaper pocketbook together with perchance meals for the kids acre dining out. It is easier to own got these things inwards advance instead of arriving somewhere together with hollo for if they own got bananas or yogurt or oatmeal or if they have something my one-year olds tin eat... Dinner is taking longer than expected to instruct on the table? Whip out the snack pocketbook together with give the repast you lot already own got on hand. Happy babies hateful a happy visit.
2. Plan your trip.
Timing is everything. Leaving during a feeding fourth dimension volition hateful an immediate halt and, to a greater extent than than likely, angry kids. Being stuck inwards traffic for hours because you lot left during rush hr volition mean, to a greater extent than than likely, angry kids. Think most where you lot are going together with how long it volition own got you lot to instruct there. If you lot own got a drive fourth dimension that volition convey you lot to a major thruway at 3:30 pm, recall most how many stops you lot volition own got earlier together with then or what foreseeable hiccups you lot may own got along the way, such every bit a especially restless kid or a often move sick animal. Know ahead of fourth dimension that your trip volition last much slower than dorsum when you lot were taking leave of absence past times yourself together with driving through the black (ahem, Husband...). My kids nap inwards the car. I similar to leave correct after a feeding time; this way they tin slumber the longest, verses feeding them breakfast, leaving ii hours later, together with then needing to halt to feed them (i.e. wake them) after exclusively an hr nap. Bonus: if they autumn asleep, they may slumber a lilliputian longer than usual, allowing you lot to squelch inwards a duo extra miles earlier the adjacent stop!
3. Expect the unexpected.
At habitation I own got 4 babe gates that are ever up, ii that I tin position upwards when I demand to... I own got a sunroom total of baby-proof toys... I own got a babe monitor, a room for them to nap away from the commotion, a schedule... I own got their favorite foods, all their sippy cups together with drinks, all the babe gadgets I may need... Plus I know where the hazards are, since, they are our hazards. (For instance, my asthma meds inwards my bathroom.) And, I don't take away heed if they brand a mess. Being inwards someone else's habitation is only different. Yes, I create experience fine letting them feed themselves at my parents' house. But I pass much to a greater extent than fourth dimension cleaning it upwards together with making certain they aren't tracking dejeuner unopen to their home. If the toddlers reject a bill of fare item at home, I allow them fuss together with whine most it ("mom" does non equate "short gild cook"). At someone else's home, at that topographic point is conversation to last had, plans made, together with people who aren't used to hearing 15-month olds practise their lungs (or four-year olds, for that matter). Sometimes the best way is the easiest way when away from home. You are refusing carrots? Fine, I own got yogurt. (To experience that I am making a "parenting stand," I only endeavor non to perish far a big bargain to them.) Now, these are toddlers who already slumber through the black together with already consume well-balanced meals. If I was even thus inwards the grooming stage amongst them, at that topographic point would last much to a greater extent than "sticking to my guns" together with less "let them consume cake." I also exclusively practise this mentality amongst short visits, curt pregnant nether 3 days; anything over 3 days is habit forming. So, if nosotros are off-schedule for ii days, the 3rd solar daytime volition last dorsum on schedule every bit much every bit possible acre away from home. Think big things: mealtimes together with bedtimes. Going amongst the time period is much dissimilar when you lot own got to include children. Expect the unexpected together with come upwards prepared: wipes for messes, nutrient for meals, together with favorite toys (or, every bit I telephone band them, distractions) for fussy times.
4. On-the-go babe proofing for one-night.
The stance of going somewhere non baby-proofed when your ain habitation resembles a solar daytime aid tin last daunting. I had ii one-night visits planned to ii dissimilar friends' houses. The showtime view was to a identify unit of measurement who's youngest is a freshman inwards high schoolhouse (no, freshman create non require wall plug covers) some other to a Navy married adult woman who was visiting her parents, pregnant I would last staying overnight at her parents' house. I wanted to view these friends. I was only very concerned most how the view would perish amongst ii 15-month olds together with a rattling active four-year old; would nosotros fifty-fifty last "visiting" or just playing zone defense? But approximate what! It turned out great! (My friends may last reading this thinking-- "What?! It was crazy!" ha ha!) My oldest had his "listening ears on," every bit nosotros similar to say. And my 15-month olds were non at their craziest, despite all appearances. Visiting amongst friends who had ii teenagers turned out to last wonderful. They took my four-year quondam swimming (under the supervision of their dad) together with and then helped homo "danger zones" (the stairs together with pet H2O dish). The boys went to bed without effect together with I had a keen fourth dimension catching upwards amongst friends. It is thus wonderful to perish out on a limb amongst all the kids (playing the occupation solid invitee amongst 3 kids?!) together with everything plough out way amend than expected or anticipated. The visits went thus good that I expression forwards to my adjacent visits amongst these friends! Following unopen to ii 15-month olds every bit a agency of babe proofing is non ideal. But for one-night, it truly isn't that bad. Just grin together with bask the company!
5. Baby proofing for a week.
And together with then you lot are staying somewhere for a calendar week together with it is non babe proofed. At all. There is a fascinating media center, laptops, china, together with stairs, stairs, stairs. So much to explore! You own got them upstairs together with at that topographic point are lamps, proficient carpet, pilus appliances, glowing LED nightlights... Oh, to last one. It is difficult amongst only 1 someone to wrangle ii toddlers. As my girl told me today, "Keeping twins inwards the same room is similar herding cats!" Amen. Add electrical hazards together with valuable decor... you lot own got the recipe for disaster. It is harder to follow ii toddlers unopen to for a calendar week together with perish on that grin on your face. Best advice: piece of work out of the occupation solid at the crazy times. In the mornings when the boys are all over the place, I similar to own got them somewhere fun, maybe an indoor play expanse or somewhere to walk. Second best advice: stick to an expanse of the house. You volition perish acquainted (quickly) amongst the hazards inwards the expanse (a wobbly flooring light or hard-to-navigate step) summation you lot own got a amend adventure of knowing precisely where they are together with what they are doing. Third best advice: if all else fails, containment. Drag inwards a Pack'N'Play or strap them into high chairs. If the occupation is that they are fixated on something, such every bit the stairs or climbing on a slice of furniture, modify their focus ("Look at this toy!") together with and then modify their scene ("Let's play amongst spoons over here..."). Containment has the added bonus of--possibly--being calming. If they can't perish anywhere, they may content themselves amongst the toys you lot position inwards their Pack'N'Play or on their tray. Who knows? But it is worth a shot.
Happy travels!
Here are some of my route tripping tips amongst kids:
1. Thoughtfully pack your snack bag.
I had snacks for our four-year quondam together with me together with snacks that were keen for one-year olds. My excogitation was to feed the kids every bit nosotros drove. My four-year quondam takes most the same fourth dimension that I create to eat; nosotros could own got eaten inwards most 20 minutes. My one-year olds own got at to the lowest degree double that amount of time, especially when you lot start factoring inwards finding high chairs, cleaning upwards the infinite together with kids... on together with on. Feeding toddlers is fourth dimension consuming together with they insist on doing it themselves. Anyways, I knew I needed nutrient they could consume inwards the car, zero every bit good messy together with zero that they tin easily choke on. I cutting the nutrient upwards together with divided everything into snack bags the black before. I position things that my four-year old could assist himself to adjacent to his motorcar seat. The snack pocketbook sat adjacent to me, inside reach. All I had to create was line of the interstate, manus out food, line dorsum on the interstate, together with along nosotros went! I also stance ahead, earlier I went on the trip, where I would last going acre gone together with what I may desire nutrient wise. For instance, amongst ii overnight trips, ii legs to drive (actually four, I also drove to my 2nd overnight visit, three hours of route fourth dimension done inwards 3 together with a one-half hours-- oh, yeah!), together with at to the lowest degree ii meals at my friends' houses (dinner together with breakfast), I made certain I had total meals for the toddlers at each of those times every bit good every bit snacks for my four-year quondam inwards representative something didn't adjust his fancy. (You know how kids tin be.) I also knew that, for the ease of our trip, nosotros would demand snacks for the diaper pocketbook together with perchance meals for the kids acre dining out. It is easier to own got these things inwards advance instead of arriving somewhere together with hollo for if they own got bananas or yogurt or oatmeal or if they have something my one-year olds tin eat... Dinner is taking longer than expected to instruct on the table? Whip out the snack pocketbook together with give the repast you lot already own got on hand. Happy babies hateful a happy visit.
2. Plan your trip.
Timing is everything. Leaving during a feeding fourth dimension volition hateful an immediate halt and, to a greater extent than than likely, angry kids. Being stuck inwards traffic for hours because you lot left during rush hr volition mean, to a greater extent than than likely, angry kids. Think most where you lot are going together with how long it volition own got you lot to instruct there. If you lot own got a drive fourth dimension that volition convey you lot to a major thruway at 3:30 pm, recall most how many stops you lot volition own got earlier together with then or what foreseeable hiccups you lot may own got along the way, such every bit a especially restless kid or a often move sick animal. Know ahead of fourth dimension that your trip volition last much slower than dorsum when you lot were taking leave of absence past times yourself together with driving through the black (ahem, Husband...). My kids nap inwards the car. I similar to leave correct after a feeding time; this way they tin slumber the longest, verses feeding them breakfast, leaving ii hours later, together with then needing to halt to feed them (i.e. wake them) after exclusively an hr nap. Bonus: if they autumn asleep, they may slumber a lilliputian longer than usual, allowing you lot to squelch inwards a duo extra miles earlier the adjacent stop!
At habitation I own got 4 babe gates that are ever up, ii that I tin position upwards when I demand to... I own got a sunroom total of baby-proof toys... I own got a babe monitor, a room for them to nap away from the commotion, a schedule... I own got their favorite foods, all their sippy cups together with drinks, all the babe gadgets I may need... Plus I know where the hazards are, since, they are our hazards. (For instance, my asthma meds inwards my bathroom.) And, I don't take away heed if they brand a mess. Being inwards someone else's habitation is only different. Yes, I create experience fine letting them feed themselves at my parents' house. But I pass much to a greater extent than fourth dimension cleaning it upwards together with making certain they aren't tracking dejeuner unopen to their home. If the toddlers reject a bill of fare item at home, I allow them fuss together with whine most it ("mom" does non equate "short gild cook"). At someone else's home, at that topographic point is conversation to last had, plans made, together with people who aren't used to hearing 15-month olds practise their lungs (or four-year olds, for that matter). Sometimes the best way is the easiest way when away from home. You are refusing carrots? Fine, I own got yogurt. (To experience that I am making a "parenting stand," I only endeavor non to perish far a big bargain to them.) Now, these are toddlers who already slumber through the black together with already consume well-balanced meals. If I was even thus inwards the grooming stage amongst them, at that topographic point would last much to a greater extent than "sticking to my guns" together with less "let them consume cake." I also exclusively practise this mentality amongst short visits, curt pregnant nether 3 days; anything over 3 days is habit forming. So, if nosotros are off-schedule for ii days, the 3rd solar daytime volition last dorsum on schedule every bit much every bit possible acre away from home. Think big things: mealtimes together with bedtimes. Going amongst the time period is much dissimilar when you lot own got to include children. Expect the unexpected together with come upwards prepared: wipes for messes, nutrient for meals, together with favorite toys (or, every bit I telephone band them, distractions) for fussy times.
4. On-the-go babe proofing for one-night.
The stance of going somewhere non baby-proofed when your ain habitation resembles a solar daytime aid tin last daunting. I had ii one-night visits planned to ii dissimilar friends' houses. The showtime view was to a identify unit of measurement who's youngest is a freshman inwards high schoolhouse (no, freshman create non require wall plug covers) some other to a Navy married adult woman who was visiting her parents, pregnant I would last staying overnight at her parents' house. I wanted to view these friends. I was only very concerned most how the view would perish amongst ii 15-month olds together with a rattling active four-year old; would nosotros fifty-fifty last "visiting" or just playing zone defense? But approximate what! It turned out great! (My friends may last reading this thinking-- "What?! It was crazy!" ha ha!) My oldest had his "listening ears on," every bit nosotros similar to say. And my 15-month olds were non at their craziest, despite all appearances. Visiting amongst friends who had ii teenagers turned out to last wonderful. They took my four-year quondam swimming (under the supervision of their dad) together with and then helped homo "danger zones" (the stairs together with pet H2O dish). The boys went to bed without effect together with I had a keen fourth dimension catching upwards amongst friends. It is thus wonderful to perish out on a limb amongst all the kids (playing the occupation solid invitee amongst 3 kids?!) together with everything plough out way amend than expected or anticipated. The visits went thus good that I expression forwards to my adjacent visits amongst these friends! Following unopen to ii 15-month olds every bit a agency of babe proofing is non ideal. But for one-night, it truly isn't that bad. Just grin together with bask the company!
5. Baby proofing for a week.
And together with then you lot are staying somewhere for a calendar week together with it is non babe proofed. At all. There is a fascinating media center, laptops, china, together with stairs, stairs, stairs. So much to explore! You own got them upstairs together with at that topographic point are lamps, proficient carpet, pilus appliances, glowing LED nightlights... Oh, to last one. It is difficult amongst only 1 someone to wrangle ii toddlers. As my girl told me today, "Keeping twins inwards the same room is similar herding cats!" Amen. Add electrical hazards together with valuable decor... you lot own got the recipe for disaster. It is harder to follow ii toddlers unopen to for a calendar week together with perish on that grin on your face. Best advice: piece of work out of the occupation solid at the crazy times. In the mornings when the boys are all over the place, I similar to own got them somewhere fun, maybe an indoor play expanse or somewhere to walk. Second best advice: stick to an expanse of the house. You volition perish acquainted (quickly) amongst the hazards inwards the expanse (a wobbly flooring light or hard-to-navigate step) summation you lot own got a amend adventure of knowing precisely where they are together with what they are doing. Third best advice: if all else fails, containment. Drag inwards a Pack'N'Play or strap them into high chairs. If the occupation is that they are fixated on something, such every bit the stairs or climbing on a slice of furniture, modify their focus ("Look at this toy!") together with and then modify their scene ("Let's play amongst spoons over here..."). Containment has the added bonus of--possibly--being calming. If they can't perish anywhere, they may content themselves amongst the toys you lot position inwards their Pack'N'Play or on their tray. Who knows? But it is worth a shot.
Happy travels!
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