LONG CAR JOURNEY NIGHTMARE!!!!

[hmummy]

Any tips on how to make a stress free journey from Bath to York, the Sat before Xmas (about 4 1/2hours),with one 8 month old who hates cars!!! a six year old and a dh who doesn't drive. PLEASE HELP! feeling panicy

Put them all on the train and have a nice quiet drive with some Christmassy music on.

Make sure you stop off at the services to have a wee and a snack and stretch your legs. We live near Bath and dhs dad lives near york, it's a boring journey.
Agree about the music though, have stuff you can all sing along to or just something you can sing to.
Take toys for the children, but they do get fidgety, especially if they fall asleep and then wake up and you are still driving. When the complaining starts just sing louder.

We have bought a portable DVD player for the car and it is wonderful for long journeys. We usually put it on just as they start getting fretful. Works wonders.

your 6 year old would probably like tapes or CDs of stories -get some audio cds.Plenty of snacks, colouring books and pens and make sure your dh is willing to play games and sit in the back in between them to amuse them.

What about a car dvd player?

Or leave at a nap time for the 8 month old.

In total agreement with Waswondering!!

We take ours to Cornwall (Penzance at that) from the North West several times a year.

If you set off at bedtime they just go to sleep and you and DH can just have a nice chat. We usually take some milk and cereal bars & fruit for breakfast to avoid eating the crappy stuff at the services.

If you go in the day the traffic will be twice as bad but you could take a gameboy for the 6 year old if he gets bored.

We travel from Herts to Glasgow regularly (10 hours!!)

Drive during the night. Its quicker traffic-wise and our 2 los (1 & 3) usually sleep through.

We let our DS (9) take his PSP.

Argos sell portable Art Studios (about £10). They clip over the front seat and open up to make a desk with pens and paper - total godsend!!