Raising/Training kids for Overland Travel?

[EOE4x4]

T -2 months until my first child gets his first ride (home from the hospital) in my Land Cruiser! It's taken a little time, but my wife is fully onboard and even enjoys making moderate (10-15 hr one way) trips while camping out of my truck.
I was talking to my mom last week when she brought up how well my brother and travelled with them, even at young ages. Knowing friends who complain about how hard it is to travel with their children, I inquired about how my mother thought we got that way.
Though she didn't remember the specifics, she said that she and my dad purposely started early taking us on short trips to prepare us for eventual trips to the grandparents who lived 6-10 hours away, in separate directions.
We did well on small trips, moved on to longer trips, and eventually began traveling to Haiti with my parents (I was 6, my brother 4) on medical mission trips. And on, and on.
What great experiences! As others in this forum can attest to, it shapes your life in positive ways.
So as my wife and I prep for our first child, I'm wondering what tips you current and former parents of infants and toddlers have for prepping them for longer trips. Just as my grandparents were hours away, so my children's grandparents are hours away. I also would like to work toward a trip to Mexico (from MD) that's gonna be a few years off.
What advice you got?! My mom couldn't remember how they started it ~30 years ago. My dad would know, but he died a year ago this month so I can't ask him .
Thanks for any advice!!!!
-Matt

 

[photoman]

I think the best advice is to just do it and do it immediately rather than waiting for a perceived best age to start.

I took my son in the car for everything- Home Depot runs, grocery shopping, and even to just to go for a drive. In the long run it was one of easiest ways to get him to fall asleep. Throw him in the car and drive around the block a few times and he would pass out.

My son was born in September and went on his first camping trip as soon as overnight lows in Northern AZ were above 40 degrees (late April early May). We setup a play pen in the forest, let him nap in a bounce chair, and even let him play in the dirt. He loved it then and still loves it.

By that same time he had made repeated 2 hr trips to my parents in N AZ, a 5 hr trip to Vegas, and an 8 hr trip to Ventura, CA. Long trips are not always easy or even pleasant but we just did it. BTW- babies can scream for MILES but they eventually tire and fall asleep.

Some other random advice:
1. If you can drive at night or get up real early to start a long drive- do so. If you can knock out a good portion of the drive while the kid sleeps it makes it a lot easier.

2. Milk- not a good thing on long drives. Even if you can keep it cold, the first time your kid gets sick and throws it up you will be regretting it. Happened to me on the way up for a three day camping trip. That sucked!

3. TV's, car seat mobiles, read along books, etc.- whatever works for your kid- use it. Don't worry about what others think.

4. Kids are all about routine. While it may be tempting to have one of you ride in the back with the kid it is probably better that you don't. It will make solo drives very difficult.

5. Plan extra time as you will have to make more stops than you currently do. I always planned an extra 20-30 minutes per two hours of driving.

6. Do not worry about being on time- it will just stress you out.

 

[EOE4x4]

5. Plan extra time as you will have to make more stops than you currently do. I always planned an extra 20-30 minutes per two hours of driving.

I realized I forgot to ask that question too. I got a taste of this in July while driving to meet my mom and brother in the NC mountains. My wife needed mucho breaks to stretch and use the bathroom. Rather than fight it, I went with the flow: got out of work early and stopped in Fredericksburg at Iron Pig Offroad (my choice!) and drooled over the Cruisers, stopped at a mall and let her walk for an hour and shop. Spent the night with a friend in Raleigh. Got up late and meet my family to slowly make our way west. Broke the trip up into 3-4 hour segments. Normally would've made me crazy to stop so much, but I must be changing . It was relaxing too!

Thanks for your input photoman!

 

[AZchris]

1. If you can drive at night or get up real early to start a long drive- do so. If you can knock out a good portion of the drive while the kid sleeps it makes it a lot easier.

4. Kids are all about routine. While it may be tempting to have one of you ride in the back with the kid it is probably better that you don't. It will make solo drives very difficult.

5. Plan extra time as you will have to make more stops than you currently do. I always planned an extra 20-30 minutes per two hours of driving.

6. Do not worry about being on time- it will just stress you out.

I have an 8 month old and can vouch for these tips. Not able to speak about the other ones, she's too young right now.

 

[articulate]

Aaron hit the major ones, agreed.

I believe earlier is better in part because of the diaper stage. Our trips became increasingly more difficult (not necessarily a nightmare, but just more to juggle) when our daughter was potty training. Diaperville was a much easier place to be.

Photoman pointed it out, but successful travels with the kids seem to be more dependent on how well you roll with the punches and keep things relaxed. Babies in particular are pretty good at sensing "the vibes." They can tell when mom and dad are stressed or worried or happy and they'll react to it.

I've taken road trips with one particular friend of mine, an adult my age, who stresses me out to ride with because he doesn't like driving trips. He sets this negative vibe in the car, drives a touch on the maniacal side, and I'm like, Duuuude, and you wonder why your own child doesn't like to ride in the car with you?

 

[5Runner]

Don't want to repeat the great advice above, and for very little ones, I don't have any more advice.

Just wanted to say CONGRADULATIONS!! :victory:

Fatherhood is the absolute BEST part of my life, and I expect it will be yours too.

 

[UK4X4]

Congrats.....!

you'll need a bigger truck !



and don't let the wife buy every gadget she thinks she needs, women come fully equiped with feeding utensiles.

the amount of gear they need at a young age is amazing, but don't let that stop you,

You just have to be organised and have the wife show the expected quantities prior to the last minute.

You will probably note your luggage allowance in the truck will be halved, the dog will get left at home, and the truck will start smelling of baby powder.

I think ours was 3 months old on our first camping trip.

4 months old on her first international trip !

Young ones just need their gear, as they age- mines 2.5 now - the gear changes to toys to keep them busy and occupied.

Last month we did two 30 hr transatlantic 4 plane trips, with no real issues.

We have set up a 12" touchscreen laptop for her, with touch screen games, DVD's ( new ones she had'nt seen) and a touch screen drawing program.
( this is a life saver and we carry everywhere so that we can eat and enjoy restaurants and bars whilst on vacation)

A trip to the local store and sticker books pens and coloring books.

The pea pod is an excellent product for travel with young ones pop up and mosquito free, in the truck , hotel rooms and tents

for local camping a portable cot was good for playing and coraling,

She time shared this with the dogs bed and a ground tarp.

Travelling with kids is a logistics issue, manage this and the trips will work out fine.

Dad's cool travel rucksak ends up with pink rolled up blankets stuck in the snow board holder, pink sippy cups in the pockets for cool aluminum water containers.

I now travel with an extra shirt.........:drool:

My family now has three diferent nationalities and relavent passports so Visa's are an extended issue on who is welcome where.

We don't do strollers in the airport- she has a ride on case of her own she can scoot or get towed on. google "Trunki"

Born in the US, she's been to Venezuela 2 times, UK 3 times, Germany, Oman and currently enjoys toddler school in Qatar.

The daddy feeling came late to me,

my first trial run did not turn out so well,

this time arround it all feels right !

 

[rbod]

Snacks, distractions and occasional play breaks worked best for us. Our daughter got into music as she got older, so we always packed an Irish whistle or something to play in camp. Side walks, even in a backpack while younger and hiking trips, kayaking, mountain biking mixed in as they get older help them burn off energy. They absorb more than you think. Our daughter who is the (relatively) less outdoors-y one was born when we were young and just went everywhere with us. Never taken a vacation or trip without the kids.
Some day you can have the pride like I did when recently I went to load up her stuff at the end of her freshman year of college... Her XJ's roof was covered in mud. I'm like what happened. She went to check out some abandoned mine sites up a forest service road and after throwing mud in low spot of the road realized she was stuck. So she'd seen some old planks off a trailer or something along the road and told her boyfriend to put those under the tires while she rocked it in low.
I was like "weren't you worried". She says "no, it was like our regular family trips... and I had food, water, tools, sleeping bags, blankets, etc, etc"

19 years of getting dragged around with mom and dad, she'd been absorbing it like a sponge. I'm glad we just took the kids everywhere and they've loved (almost) every minute.

 

[rbod]

BTW-EOE, hello from a fellow (former) Marylander, as well. I grew up in Anne Arundel County myself. Sounds like your kids will have great experiences like you did.

 

[EOE4x4]

Aaron hit the major ones, agreed.

I've taken road trips with one particular friend of mine, an adult my age, who stresses me out to ride with because he doesn't like driving trips. He sets this negative vibe in the car, drives a touch on the maniacal side, and I'm like, Duuuude, and you wonder why your own child doesn't like to ride in the car with you?

Know the feeling! Without mentioning any relatives by name...let's just say that...well let's just not say. But yes, a few people like that come to mind. And NOBODY wants to ride anywhere with them. My wife and I are pretty relaxed on the road. I have a friend that has 4 kids; his demeanor is calm and relaxed in the car, and his kids are great travelers.

 

[EOE4x4]

Congrats.....!

you'll need a bigger truck !


The pea pod is an excellent product for travel with young ones pop up and mosquito free, in the truck , hotel rooms and tents

Nope ! Bigger truck is not in the future! No dog, and the wife and I pack light. So we should be fine for quite a while in the 62.

What's the "peapod?"

Thanks for all the congratulations from all!!!!

 

[EOE4x4]

BTW-EOE, hello from a fellow (former) Marylander, as well. I grew up in Anne Arundel County myself. Sounds like your kids will have great experiences like you did.

Thanks rbod! We've been in the B-more area for about 8 years and AA county for the past 4. So far it's the only place here in suburbia that I can take. I grew up on a mountain in Western PA, and hope to be a "former Marylander" too in the near future. Not sure where yet, but anywhere we can raise a kid and afford to live in something larger than a shoebox apt would be a start .

Great advice from all! Keep it coming!
Another friend who just took their 13 monther to Cambodia last month, said they started early getting their kid used to the car seat by letting her sit in it around the house periodically. They don't travel by car as often as we do, but when they do she is great. Good advice???

 

[rbod]

Thanks rbod! We've been in the B-more area for about 8 years and AA county for the past 4. So far it's the only place here in suburbia that I can take. I grew up on a mountain in Western PA, and hope to be a "former Marylander" too in the near future. Not sure where yet, but anywhere we can raise a kid and afford to live in something larger than a shoebox apt would be a start .

I hear ya. We didn't mind living there and still have family there, but never moving back.
What part of Western PA? My dad's family is from Cambria County and still have relatives ranging from middle of nowhere (Cherry Tree, Barnesboro/West Cambria) to Altoona.

 

[OffaRex]

Just got back from 5000+ mile, two week trip - Virginia through Colorado and Utah back to Virginia - with 2 adults and 4 kids (9, 7, 5 & 1.5) in a Dodge Dakota. So, yes, you can do it. It just depends on how much you want to. I won't say it was all bliss, but we had a tremendous time and the the level of whining and complaining was no higher than if we had stayed home.

Some great suggestions have already been given, so I'll just suggest a couple more things that work for us on high mileage trips, YMMV.

1) On an extended trip, plan to pick-up some new diversions along the way - new DVDs, coloring books, small toys, rocks, etc. The anticipation and newness factor both help.

2) Thetford port-a-potty in the camper shell. As has been said, once you get out of diaperville, especially if you have more than one kid, the time spent hunting down toilet facilities is staggering.

3) We usually eat one meal a day on the go. We have a fridge and try to pack at least one healthy/not too messy meal to eat while driving or at a rest area. The health/convienience ratio changes over the course of the trip. But, again, a restaurant stop that used to take my wife and I 30 mins takes 1 1/2 hrs with the kids.

 

[EOE4x4]

I hear ya. We didn't mind living there and still have family there, but never moving back.
What part of Western PA? My dad's family is from Cambria County and still have relatives ranging from middle of nowhere (Cherry Tree, Barnesboro/West Cambria) to Altoona.

Actually- wife grew up in Johnstown and I was about half way between there and Bedford. Small world