Last night we returned to our home after a nine day vacation with my parents. Four out of those nine days were spent on the road, driving for many hours. This post is for any parent who is wondering whether it is a good idea to take such a long trip with a toddler (or, as in our case, a toddler and a baby).
I am not sure if there was a specific reason that our trip went relatively smoothly, but it did. There were certainly moments where things got pretty intense, but we worked through them. When I stopped to reflect upon those moments, I realized that the same things could just as easily have happened when we were at home going about our usual daily activities. The same kinds of things that make for tough times at home make for tough times on the go.
That’s good news for parents. If you know your children and what kinds of things affect them in positive and negative ways, you can do your best to include or exclude those things in your travel plans. For example, I know that Dylan’s behavior can deteriorate very quickly into a tantrum when he gets hungry. In order to keep hunger – induced tantrums at bay during our road trip, I brought plenty of snacks including milk and juice boxes, string cheese, apples, bananas, Goldfish crackers, and Larabars.
While we made our way South, we also discovered new things that are trouble spots for Dylan. The breakfast at Cracker Barrel is delicious, but the store that one must walk through in order to get to the tables is not something that I am willing to walk through with him again until he is older and less easily distracted and overwhelmed. Also, the gumball machines at grocery stores, restaurants, and other places are bad news.
One thing that really helped Dylan to enjoy our trip was playing on the beach. Almost every day that we were in Florida, we walked to the beach near our rental house and spent some time playing in the sand and running around. Outdoor time at home is always good for him, so it was no surprise that he enjoyed it just as much while we were on vacation. Having four adults around was also a good thing, as it ensured that he was able to have plenty of attention, even while we were riding in the car. His G’Ma was his seat mate for a good bit of the trip, and he enjoyed talking to her very much. We all took turns sitting with him, and I think that he really liked that, too.
Road trips with young children can be challenging sometimes, but then again, so can life at home with young children. Know your child, take his or her needs into account while planning your trip, and you will be on your way to a successful family adventure.