Advice wanted, please, about car journeys

[mangomadness]

We're thinking about going to Cornwall for a week, will be a 6 hour car journey at the very least. Would this be easier with a 6 month old or a 1 year old?

Definitely a 6 month old.

Took DS to France when he was 9 months, which was pretty torrid, but he probably would have been fine at 6 months. Once they get crawling it's more difficult because all they want to do is be on the move. I can only go by my experience, but we've avoided long car journeys since DS was 1 yo - he gets bored and frustrated. He's a very active little boy though - if your baby is more chilled out then a long journey may be fine.

We did a six hour journey with a 6 month old in Jan. left in early hours. He slept until breakfast time. We pulled over and had breakfast at the services, nappy change, little play, bottle etc. then back in the car with a couple of toys. He was asleep again pretty soon though.

Just be prepared to stop and let lo have a play, move around, a drink, a snack etc.
Take plenty of toys and just relax.

As for a one year old I would say its pretty much the same ime.

If you leave in the early hours youll get a large chunk of he journey done when lo asleep

6 months.

I think the key with long car journeys is to do them regularly. Mine are both total tearaways normally, but because they are used to the car they are good as gold. We stop regularly for drink/snack/wee/leg-stretch.

Start as you mean to go on though and don't always have nursery rhymes etc on else it will drive you mad. My friend's 4 year old screams at high pitch in the car until her music is put on, and they cancelled a holiday last year because they couldn't bear the thought of it. Which is bloody daft IMO.

Another vote for the 6 month option.

We try to do long journeys when we know DS will sleep for at least some of it, but he only has a lunchtime nap now (21m) so we either travel over lunchtime if it is up to 2 hours, or after bedtime if it is likely to be longer. TBH it's a bit inconvenient sometimes but the alternative (stroppy child after 60 minutes at best) is less appealing.

At 6 months then baby won't be mobile so won't get so annoyed at being strapped in and kept still, plus will also probably be having more daytime sleep still.

Definitely don't introduce them to the idea of nursery rhyme CDs, DS hasn't yet twigged that we could drive everywhere listening to cbeebies greatest hits and I don't plan to enlighten him any time soon!

She's good in the car so far, I was thinking 6 months would be best. It's a nice journey with lots of places for breaks

We've always left around 3-4am if we have a big drive. Can literally get everything ready, have a coffee, load the car up and just pop them in the car with a blanket while they're asleep.

Stop for a good breakfast and a play, then carry on. Get most of the journey done then while they're asleep. Always worked a treat with both ds.

And 1 isn't much different tbh. Again, especially if you leave in the small hours.

And I've never had a nursery rhyme on in the car-it would drive me mad. But, did you know, oasis has some brilliant spiderman and hulk theme tunes? ( that's what I've told my ds1 )

We've done some huge car journeys with both of ours, and music is really useful. Mostly it's nursery rhymes (DD1 went through a Seasick Steve phase ).

Six months is probably better than a one-year-old, definitely!

I crossed America as an au pair with a 2 and 4 year old, and ever since have managed long journeys the same way - bed at 8.30 (for adults) the night before, up at 3am, pile sleeping children in the car and drive like the clappers till they wake up. You can get through 5 hours of motorway if you're lucky.

Either, but leave early (4am if you can) to get some miles under your belt before she wakes up. Make sure you make the breaks quite active for her - ie let her crawl around service station, stimulate her, walk around car-park for fresh air. Then she can go back to sleep when you get back in the car. Every few months we have done a 12 hour drive (visiting family) with DD, from newborn to age 3.

It's quite do-able: she always sleeps quite a lot and you always get there eventually!