Travelling with 18 month old who cries after 20 mins in car.

kinderCK ↓

Wed, Jun 24 2009, 12:34 pm

Hi.. I want to take a few trips this summer to the country or whatever but my ds, 18 months screams in his car seat after only a short distance. We dont travel so much so he does OK for local trips in the neighborhood but after maybe 20 minutes, he screams. I can schedule as much of the travel time around his nap but that won't cover everything.. and I don't want to shtup him with lollypops, etc. He is just a really active kid and is always on the movetoys, etc, dont seem to do it once he gets going! What do you do? just grin and bear it? I'm tempted not to go and just do day trips an hour or less away!!

usher ↓

Wed, Jun 24 2009, 12:36 pm

I had this w/my ds, till figured out that he's just a very bad traveler and he was feeling ill after a few min in the car. B'h he's 4 now and outgrew it.

Hashem_Yaazor ↓

Wed, Jun 24 2009, 12:37 pm

Is he forward facing? I find that my FF son is a lot more uncomfortable than my RF one because my RF one can rest his weight on his legs across the back of the seat. (My RF son is 2.5)...it's safer anyway, and might be worth a try Smile

He can't tell you why he's screaming, but my 4 year old can, and this is his reasoning...

curlytop

Wed, Jun 24 2009, 12:44 pm

Hashem_Yaazor wrote:

He can't tell you why he's screaming, but my 4 year old can, and this is his reasoning...

Your 2.5 year old is rear facing?!

↑ Hashem_Yaazor ↓

Wed, Jun 24 2009, 12:53 pm

curlytop wrote:

Hashem_Yaazor wrote:

He can't tell you why he's screaming, but my 4 year old can, and this is his reasoning...

Your 2.5 year old is rear facing?!

Of course. It's the safest. He's only 24 lbs anyway...with RF carseats now available to 40 lbs (though heightwise he'll probably outgrow it first), there is no rush to move him FF.
And he's a lot happier than my son whose feet dangle.

↑ kinderCK ↓

Wed, Jun 24 2009, 12:59 pm

OP here.
I've considered traveling at night but me and my DH are not great at night and DS gets up SO early. I"d be a basket case the next day!! Also I did recently make him front facing .. he wasn't happy RF either. but I guess I could try
The real question is.. am I wimping out by not traveling at all or is it better to just go and let him scream if he needs to??
Also.. I wouldn't give him the lolly unless me or DH were back there with him!!

↑ usher

Wed, Jun 24 2009, 1:02 pm

Oh! now you're reminding me, last time I traveled with dd (15 months) was from Baltimore to NY, there was traffic and it took close to 6 hours, she screamed 90% of the time. I thought I was going crazy...I just took her out of the car seat.

↑ Hashem_Yaazor ↓

Wed, Jun 24 2009, 1:09 pm

I don't advise travelling at night if at all possible. It's much more dangerous....(especially in the mountains).
We take 8 hour car trips several times a year.
Sit in the back with him. Bring plenty of toys and coloring items (the crayola color wonder markers are perfect splurge for this) and hand them out at different intervals...I'd bring books to interact as well...things like magnadoodles and that thing with 2 dials (name escapes me right now e-something) are good as well. I get over my electronic toy hangup specifically for car rides...

sky

Wed, Jun 24 2009, 1:10 pm

my #1 was the greatest to travel with but #2 is a terror. He is also 18 months now and we have an 8+ hour trip coming up in a week. I plan on stocking up on lots and lots of toys at the dollar store. I give it to them slowly through the trip. It worked last time so I hope it will work again.
I also sing lots of songs and play games with them like peek-a-boo and I take off their socks and shoes and tickle their feet and play this little pig. Its not a ton of fun. We also point out every tiny exciting thing - like each and every cow along the way - and then discuss it ad-nauseum. Its enough to make me go crazy but sometimes it works. And sometimes he screams (I also bring up 25 pacis because each time he gets upset he flings it and we can't stop the car each time to look for it).

Good luck.

oodlesofnoodles

Thu, Jun 25 2009, 11:39 am

Does he like to watch DVDs? Maybe bring a portable DVD player with some dvds that he likes to watch? I used to be a nanny for twins and that always worked when we took long car trips.

↑ Hashem_Yaazor

Thu, Jun 25 2009, 11:42 am

remembered the name of the toy while driving home yesterday -- etch-a-sketch Smile

(good ol classic; just had a brain block.)