Travelling by car for long hours is a real stress for a kid, which causes even greater stress in his or her parents. To minimise any unpleasant experiences of such travelling, it is important to use the following guide.
Make sure you are ready to have a long trip with a kid
The very first thing you should think about before planning your car trip to a distant place with a small kid is whether you are ready to live through it. in the majority of cases it will not be easy. Some kids are more easy to handle though, however, if it is your first trip, you will never know how exactly it will happen to be for your family.
In any case, it is better to have as short trip with your child as possible. That is why, if only you have a chance to use any faster form of transportation, for example, plane, it is highly recommended to use this option. Trains are also a better vehicle as they are spacious and reduce a number of problems caused by the fact a kid feels imprisoned inside a car and especially while locked in the car seat.
Of course, it might be that you do not have any other options. In such a situation, you should move on reading our guide.
Sleeping on the road
Almost every parent will agree that cars are working magically for small kids who tend to fall asleep inside even if they usually struggle with a sleep.
This fact makes many parents choose night time for a trip. On the one hand, this might make a sense, since a child will be sleeping and you will be able to drive a car without any interruptions.
Still, this option has a significant downside. If you are a single driver or another driver of your party has a trouble with sleeping in the car, you are risking to get into an even worse situation. Your child will have a good night rest and will wake up in the morning very energised while you will be struggling to keep up with him or her still being on the road.
Needless to say, this can be extremely challenging. Actually, it might be even worse than having a regular day trip. For that reason, be careful before deciding to have a night trip with a small child. If there is no possibility to get to your destination in the morning, it will be sensible to refrain from such an option.
Making stops
Be prepared to making a lot of stops during your car trip with a kid. You can divide them into two grouped depending on their duration.
Long stops
Even though some parents are trying to do their best and reach to their final destination without making stops for sleeping on the way which might be possible in the case of both parents being drivers, it is still too much for a kid.
The majority of families travelling with children report that the most suitable option for them is to travel no more than 7 hours during the day. According to them, this is the maximum time an average child can stay on the road. It does not sound too long.
Even if you are trying to travel for more time, make sure you have a stop for a sleep. This is essential as you will be more tired not because of driving, but because of having a kid inside your car in the first place.
Small breaks
As you can imagine, some of the stops you will have to make should be for toilet. Still, you should be aware of the fact there are many other crucial reasons to make stops with your child on the way.
First of all, it is extremely important to make breaks for wood and not give any snacks to your child while the car is in motion. The choking hazard is way more higher if you a child is eating inside a moving car. Actually, it is also recommended to let your child drink only during stops as well, albeit this might not always be possible. At least make sure the child is not eating anything while you are driving.
Secondly, breaks are absolutely essential to let your child relax from the trip. It is rather difficult for him or her to seat for hours. You will have to make a lot of small stops to allow your kid to move around and let the stuck energy out.
Be aware that small breaks for a kid are not the same as for an adult. While an adult might make do with five minutes of relaxation outside the car, your child might need even 30 minutes for a physical activity. As a result your trip will prolong a lot. This fact should be considered while you are planning your trip.