Casey and I have road-tripped a lot throughout our marriage and brought Rhett along on his first trip when he was only a month and a half old. We don’t claim to be experts, but we have had a lot of experience and feel we know a thing or two! Here are some of the things we do to make road-tripping with babies successful!
First, have low expectations- it can only get better from there! I say that half jokingly, but I really think that expectations can make or break you in any aspect of life! Being able to roll with the punches is a great quality to have, so don’t plan on your little one sleeping through your drive and instead anticipate a few car seat meltdowns! Then, if they do melt down, you’ll be prepared, and it’s a major bonus if they don’t!
Second, have plenty of entertainment! This wasn’t as necessary when our baby was smaller, he didn’t really care for toys, movie, or any of the other typical road trip pastimes. Once he got a little older though it was nice to be able to have things to help keep him happy and from feeling like he was just trapped in the backseat. He loves music (especially The Greatest Showman soundtrack haha!) and that helps him stay happy, and even lulls him to sleep when we’re lucky! We have interactive toys, stuffed animals and teething toys that he enjoys playing with and they really come in handy on long drives. Since he’s gotten older we’ve been able to play movies (or at least little snippets of movies) and he thinks that’s so fun! I usually sit in the front seat on trips, but occasionally will sit in the back with him to play little games or hold his hand if he’s really upset.
Third, make stops! Casey and I used to always power through trips, stopping only to get gas, use the bathroom and grab food at a drive-thru. Babies need to be changed and eat more frequently than adults, so we have had to change things to accommodate this. If he is asleep, we power through and try to get as far as we can before stopping again, but we also plan for stops every so often to make sure he’s fed, clean and happy. We now typically eat our meals inside the fast food joint instead of in the car, which gives our baby time to stretch, play and enjoy not being cooped up! As he gets older, we plan to make stops at parks , play places and other spots where he can run around and get his wiggles out!
Lastly, be patient and understand that they don’t understand! Some babies love their car seat and will have no problem being in there for 6+ hours, but it seems most don’t find it to be their favorite thing. When they are whining or crying for your attention, they aren’t trying to drive you up a wall as you drive along, but if you start them young and make family traditions out of road tripping, it’s something they will come to enjoy and love!
Remember, it’s all about the journey. You’ll be to your destination or getting home soon enough, and sometimes it’s just everything you can do to simply make it there! But road trips are about more than just getting to your destination, you are creating life-long family memories along the way!