Traveling with a Toddler

Our drive to and from Virginia with Carter was successful. Packing the right equipment and having extra hands on deck was key. The trip was around 38 hours total, 19 hours each way. I would estimate we spent more time than that due to traffic and driving out of the way to visit family, not to mention the 30 minute drive into D.C, etc. As far as I can tell our child is an angel. That combined with some good travel choices and the right gear led to a trip that made me smile rather than cry (which I was afraid of).

Come on guys, let's go!

I have learned a few things about traveling with a toddler and Carter in particular. 

1. Your expectations change. During the first 19 hours I was very set on limiting Carter's screen time (DVD player or tablet). It was only pulled out when he was really fussy and then it had to be his Scholastic books on DVD or Sesame Street so I felt it was decently educational. On the way home screen time still only came when Little Mister was extremely fussy, but what it consisted of was drastically different. By that time I was like, Miley Cyrus videos on my phone? Let's do it! On the way out I switched his snacks up fruit then vegetable and so on. On the way back I was over it and just gave him whatever was most easily accessible/whatever was left.

Ready to watch a Scholastic Book DVD on the DVD Player.

2. Carter does well traveling during nap time and will go to sleep in his car seat fabulously. Carter does not sleep in his car seat a bedtime. He rebels and stays awake until you stop driving. Then he passes out. Pretty much whenever we needed to drive was fine except bedtime. Avoid driving at bedtime at all costs. Even if he's bathed and in jammies, it's just not happening anymore.

One of Carter's many naps on a car ride.

3. Stopping is key. His limit before stopping to get out even just for 15 minutes of snuggles or walking is 3 hours. Unless he naps then you can count on the 2 hours of a nap plus the 3 hours before he loses his sh#%.

Walking with Grammy at a stop after he blew out his diaper.

What I packed that saved our ears and hearts:

1. Books, lots of them! His touch and feel as well as sound books were a favorite.

Reading "Hugs" by Jez Alborough with Grammy.

2. Cooler with snacks. We had blueberries, cut up kiwi, cut up carrots, and cool drinks.  He dominated the blueberries and kiwis, but wasn't too interested in the carrots.  Jeremy, dad, and I ate some but other than that they went pretty much untouched.

3. Nonperishable snacks. We had graham crackers, raisins, bananas (which really should be lumped in with perishable because they got beat up and bruised), apple chips, and I pretty much bought out Whlole Foods of fruit strips. My mom bought pouches which were so easy and nice because the weren't messy and he could easily feed himself and then play with it putting the cap on and off. She was worried they were too young for him, but I decided they're just like a warm smoothie, so why not!

4. The DVD player and tablet helped and so did my phone.  We didn't use them nearly as much as I thought we would.  I'd say for the 19 hours of driving he maybe had an hour of screen time.  And that was split up, 15 minutes one day, 20 minutes 3 days later.  The key was having an active audience sitting next to him!

5. Markers or pen with a notebook. Carter had a blast coloring and also enjoyed putting his markers in and out of the marker case.

6. Hot Wheels Cars.  Mom and dad went to Wal-Mart one evening to pick up some things we needed and came back with Hot Wheels cars for Carter.  He enjoyed driving them up and down his legs and arms as well as whatever part of mom and my bodies he could reach.  When he didn't have a car he would say "car" over and over until we gave him one.  The only problem we had came at the very end of the trip when he started throwing his cars.  He went to throw one toward me and didn't let go, basically punching me in the upper lip with the car.  It bled and got swollen and the cars were taken away for the rest of the drive until we stopped and got out.

Driving cars on his legs was a favorite car ride activity.

Having someone in the back to play with Carter was a life saver. He loved interacting with us while we drove.

We traveled with cloth diapers and I'm on the fence as to whether I would do it again. Cleaning the diapers out in public restrooms was gross, but I got over it. Washing them in hotels was what made me feel it was not worth it. We paid a dollar per cycle and I prewash, wash, and then do an extra rinse. Then when it came to drying them the dryer didn't work so we had to hang the inserts (which go in the dryer normally) along with the diaper (which normally air dries) all over our hotel room. And I was wary of how well the diapers actually got cleaned because some came out stinking. If traveling to a friend or family member's house who is willing to have diapers washed in their washer, I'd travel with cloth again. I would go disposable if put in this same situation.