By Emma Barr
Yes, road tripping with a toddler has its downsides and as a parent almost everyone has been there. We all know the good, bad and the ugly when it comes to hitting the road with your little one, but believe it or not, it’s actually not as bad as you think.
Here are my top tips on road tripping with a toddler to help you and your family survive their next trip.
Unsettled, no problem – If you have a child who gets unsettled easily and is constantly running wild during the day – use this to your advantage. Start your road trip later in the day, or around their nap time. Run your child wild during that day/morning before you leave. Feed them and start your trip before their usual time of rest. Night is usually best for those who are particularly bad in the car as they cannot see much around them with no distractions of the sun and of course they will be tired.
Use you time wisely – As adults we can get irritated with the long road haul and even though we have more patience, children do not. If this is your first road trip with a child/children start small and work your way up. Don’t overdo it all at once; you want your children to remember the experience in a positive light rather than a negative. If avoiding a long road trip is unavoidable, use music. Most children respond well to music and you can make it a family activity for everyone to get involved.
Regular stops – You can fill your kids with movies and snacks galore but there is no doubt you need to make a conscious effort to take regular pit stops. Even if the kids are not complaining yet, ensure you take regular stops to avoid the distress of a melt down because, boy, do they happen.
Emma has been on the road with her little trio, husband Cam, and son Flynn since September 2018. Emma Barr, road tripping queen and founder of iLeads can be found on Intstagram @6reasonswhy_travelblog