R is for Riding in the Car or Road Trip Prep

Feel free to hum "Born to Be Wild" as you read...imagine toddlers on Harleys, sippy cups secure in their fringed leather jackets.

How To Prepare For A Road Trip

What We Bring for Her

1] Snacks (it seems that no matter how many times we stop being in the car makes her hungry) such as fruit snacks, crackers, Cheerios and raisins. And, water to drink...
2] Books, I've noticed something about our kidlet. She does not get car-sick and can read or play games or draw in the back seat. I am jealous. I can't do that even in the front seat. Read all about some of our favorites here.
3] Layers in the form of jackets, sweaters, blankets. We've used layers to block the sun from a spot that just couldn't be covered any other way. Sometimes the air is too cold, but we like it that way in the front...so many ways to use layers.
4] The Nook, read all about what she does with it here.
5] Toys...of the squishy, noiseless variety. Pillow Pets, while expensive are AWESOME for this. She has two; a big purple unicorn and a tiny Dora (yes, Dora the Explorer) one, complete with a Backpack that works. This is the strangest looking chimera/Sphinx thingy, but it was the best Christmas gift from her Great-Uncle.

What We Bring for Us
1] Patience...lots of patients
2] Time...see #1 of this list if you have a hard time understanding how it might work on a road trip.
3] Strategies, for instance, we like to leave around nap-time if it's going to be a long trip...something about the car just makes her sleep and sleep...and, sleep. Or, I'll sit in the back if she needs someone to talk to...I mean it has to get lonely back there, right!?

What we do when she finds a pen
and writes on herself and then falls asleep
so we don't know about it
until we stop to get gas?
Take a picture of course!

4] "Fun Parent Mode" as in cheesey Mom and Pop time...yes, there's singing...yes, there are road games (which are so much cooler now that she knows her shapes and colors)
5] Music that is kid-friendly (just so you know some classic rock can be clean and sound cool and entertaining to a 2-year old), but doesn't drive us crazy. God Bless MP3 players!!! We also understand that there are songs (namely by Justin Bieber...how did she even find him?) that we'll have to listen to more than once...

What We Do When...
1] She has to go to the bathroom?...we stop, of course, each time...
2] She gets fussy in her car seat?...we stop at a rest-stop or a park and we don't get back into the car until she's ready (about 15 minutes).
3] There's bad weather? We wait...safety first!

And, oh my gosh, when Road Trippin' with your tiny one know that they rule the road, and if you are trying to make it somewhere in record time that's not going to happen! It's just easier that way.