Daytrip distance?

[PurpleCatCuddles]

DW and I are looking at buying our first home. We currently live a 2hr distance from DSIL and a 1.5hr distance from DMIL. Further away from my family although we're not as close to them.

We are planning on ttc in the next couple of years. We both like where we live but DW reckons that it's too far for daytrips to see family with small children - for reference we would probably travel to DMIL every couple of weeks and to DSIL every month or so. I reckon it would be fine if we factored in breaks.

Thoughts? Whilst I work with kids we don't have our own children yet and have never travelled a longer distance with children so we have no frame of reference.

Thanks!

Newborns can’t be in the car for longer than 30 mins I think due to the car seat, older children it will be fine

I used to do 2 hour drives with the DC at Christmas but for regular trips one to one and a quarter hours was my limit. Not that longer isn’t doable but I’d get home knackered and then have the whole tea, bath, bed routine so preferred shorter journeys.

We lived 1 hour 15 minutes from my parents when mine were little and we did that every 2 to 3 weeks. It was fine.
We usually timed the journey for sleep time

It will be fine

For that regular I would want to be 30 mins closer or so. Helps if you need help too

Depends where you live, round here a 2h journey is usually much longer due to traffic and especially bad on weekends. Personally I’d want to be closer to family for the support, within popping distance for a cuppa really! As the kids get older you’ll find you have other plans on weekends and suddenly can’t travel 4h round-trip every other Saturday.

My dd lives a two hour drive away and I can't imagine doing a day trip up there every other week (and that's without small children!) so to me it seems too far.

I think up to an hour is ideal. Up to 90 mins doable. Have you factored in traffic to that? As might take longer on popular holidays etc.

There is a particular age where you don't want the kids in the car for long periods as they fall asleep and then won't go to sleep at bedtime. And some babies really hate the car seat

We Went to the coast at the weekend high was just under 90 minutes, so I think that’s doable. Two hours is two long.

You plan to visit DMIL every two weeks and Dsil once a month, so three out of the four weekends, you’re committing yourself to days out. That’s doable when the dc are small, but not when they are older, have weekend parties, clubs etc. Would DMIL or Dsil ever visit you? Don’t get into a habit that’s unsustainable long term.

I live 1hr 45 mins from my parents, when the kids were small (I had three under 5) it was a simple journey, and I would do day trips down to see them every other week, not a problem

But as they go older, it was more difficult, as they had activities etc so visits were generally limited to school holidays (although I still went down on my own).

Now they are young adults, and it's difficult to find a time when we can all go down (one is at school and works Sundays, two work full time, including some weekend work) - so although I still go to see my parents regularly, my kids only see them about three times a year each.

Thanks everyone - sounds like a no-go! Good to be realistic!