I love my DD but being in a car with a toddler makes me want to drive it off the nearest cliff (which is about 50 miles away, I'm willing to make the journey)

[Bumperlicious]

I love driving I really do, I like to zone out and listen to Radio 4 in the morning, or talking books on long journeys. But driving with my DD (2.7) has really taken the fun out of it and makes me want to drive off a cliff. In fact I was so distracted I bumped into the back of a taxi the other morning.

Conversations generally go something like this:

DD: Daddy's a boy isn't he?
Me: Mmm hmmm
DD: Mummy daddy's a boy?
Me: Yes darling, Daddy's a boy.
DD: and I'm a girl
Me: Yes darling
DD: I was sick in grandma's car.
Me: Yes darling, about 3 months ago.
DD: Grandma had to clear it up. I want to go to grandma's
Me: You can't go to grandma's we're going to nursery.
DD: Why?
Me: Because mummy has to go to work.
DD: Why?
Me: Because I have to earn some money
DD: Why
Me:
DD: I don't do snatching at nursery
Me: No darling, snatching is naughty
DD: I'm not naughty
DD: Say bless you mummy
Me: Bless you darling

DD: Mummy, I like green.
Me: Do you darling? Is it your favourite colour?
DD: Yes, it is my favourite and my best. DO you like green.
Me: Yes darling

Me:
DD: What did you say to the man?
Me:

It's lovely that she talks a lot, and so eloquently. But I just need some headspace in the morning and want to enjoy my drive into work with the radio!!!! Just me?

I feel your pain. Ds nearly 3 is exactly like this, and if you dont answer/acknowledge that he has spoken he repeats himself over and over and over until you do.

Ds "Thats tesco"
Ds "thats tesco"
Ds "thats tesco mummy"

Me - YES YES I HEAR YOU!!!

I think the only solution would be an ipod.. or earplugs.. or gaffer tape?

I once got stuck in a traffic jam with my ds, then aged 5. He explained the rules of football, including the offside rule, for 4 hours, alternating it with a list of the names of everyone who has ever played for Liverpool football club.

I still shudder to think of it.

You'll miss these stream of consciousness days when she becomes monosyllabic. Just keep telling yourself that.

This is just what children do in the car.

I used to say to mine that I was coming to a roundabout and that they had to be quiet to allow Mummy to concentrate. They did, for a minute or two!

Those days of enjoying the drive are on hold for a few years I'm afraid.

Could you get some CDs for her to listen to? Stories, poems or music might distract her, although you'll get to hate to hear the same ones over and over again.

I found the trick is to take a toy/toys with you and a pad and pen. Enough so that they can drop things repeatedly on the floor and still have enough to play with the whole journey. They will both happily play little games with two cats/dolls/dogs whatever and I can zone out. They won't tolerate Radio 4 but will listen to Mumford & Sons and the Beatles.

no harm in insisting on a few minutes of quiet
I remember ds being a bit like this - drove me mad
you have my sympathies

OMG Bumper that could be me and my DD any day - except I am more likely to drive into a tractor (or a hedge - I have done that ). No good answers, except that the journey from nursery to work is bliss .

I once drove for 4 hours straight with my youngest wailing/moaning every 4-5 minutes, she was overtired from the others keeping her awake - they then fell asleep at 8pm and baby was still awake.

Dh couldn't understand why I was desperate to stop for a break from it, he wanted me to carry on and get back asap so she could go to bed

What sometimes works is if she has an animal/doll with her - then she can inanely chatter at them and I can turn the radio up and ignore her. OTOH, sometimes it just means I have to be the voice of the flipping animal as well.

I know, I know, one day I will appreciate it...

It's just I have always loved driving. I used to live in the arse end of North Wales and DH (then DP) lived near Swindon. The 5 hours drive to see him was bliss, radio on, snacks on the seat next to me, me-time!

It's impossible to tune out as like Geordie's DS she needs everything to be acknowledged. Then wants me to pick up things she's dropped etc.

I think I will invest in some child friendly CDs. Anything you'd recommend that won't equally make me want to drive off a cliff. A friend mentioned Charlie and Lola CDs. I could probably cope with that.

She's not at the age where she can be quiet, and I hate to ask, though sometimes I do have to say 'mummy is concentrating'. She just doesn't yet know how to be quiet.

Bumper - DH's answer is loud drum & bass - cue DD happily head-banging along in the back (but I think that would do my head in more than the never-ending conversation, TBH)

I think you are right stealth , not sure I could cope with that either.

However I have been spurred on and have just ordered some Charlie and Lola CDs from the library.

This better help. Do they have cliffs at Weston Super Mare...?

I have a new trick! I discovered that my nokia phone has free sat nav on it so I turn that on and they shout at me to go left or right.
They also both have old road atlas's and they use them to yell at me as well. It's so much fun!!!!!

I also refuse to do child CD's, I let them, choose songs from my music to put on a cd so they will sing happily. The only other solution is books, crayons and paper.

She gets car sick (hence 'I was sick in Grandma's car' so books are a no-no, as is colouring probably.

Argh young children in the car are soooo infuriating.
'Why are we turning left?'
'What does that sign mean?'
'Why are there cones?'
I feel a bit guilty that today I turned the radio up loud enough to drown out the questions

I hate the constant requests for food and claims of being hungry that DS makes on car journeys gggggrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Anyone else have this problem?

When they are old enough to use a book by themselves, I highly recommend the I Spy books for car journeys.

here you go then

Sorry I can't be more help

MmeDS - mine (7 & 3) have now reached the stage of:

DD: DS, Black is White
DS: No it's not
DD: Yes it is
DS: No it's not
DD: Yes it is
DS: No it's not
DD: Yes it is
DS: No it's not
DD: Yes it is
DS: No it's not
DD: Yes it is
DS: No it's not
DD: Yes it is
DS: No it's not
DD: Yes it is
DS: No it's not
DD: Yes it is
DS: No it's not
DD: Mummeeeeeee, DS says Black isn't White. It is, isn't it?
Me: No, DD, Black is not White
DS: Told you so
DD: No you didn't
DS: Yes I did
DD: No you didn't
DS: Yes I did
....

I hear your pain!!
I can sometimes get away with CDs - Charlie & Lola (as long as you understand that you will find yourself singing "We've got a chicken" all day!!), Mamma Mia and various Disney Princess crap.

I don't wish to hasten your departure cliffwards,Bumperlicious, but sometimes they DON'T turn monosyllabic when they're older.

Ds1 still won't shut up keeps me entertained with lovely descriptions of his latest xBox game.

We've given him an iPod, a DS, a PS-whatever-it-is and he still talks non-stop.

Ds2, however, who is 2.5, will happily gaze out of the window and only make comments sometimes.

I feel your pain!

DD is only 20 mths so plenty more to come. She loves to chat which is great but sometimes its so hard to concentrate when driving.

The most annoying thing is her constantly saying Mummy..

DD- Mummy
Me- Yes Darling?
DD- Mummy
Me- Yes Darling?
Repeat about 5 times.
DD- Mummy
Me- What?
DD- Mummy
Me- Im driving, what?
DD- Mummy
Me- WHAT?
DD- Mummy
Ignore/turn up radio. Realise Ive missed my turning off the mototorway and having to go further out of way waiting for the next Mummy outburst!

Sometimes I think she just likes the sound of her own voice!

The other day I reversed out of a carpark and bumped into a parked car as she was bugging me about something.

Public transport, even if it takes twice as long. Enjoyable time - so so worth it (and much cheaper too).

Oh I know Shodan, I had my brother (23) on the phone to me yesterday while I was in the car (DH was driving), he managed to wish me happy birthday before launching into a diatribe about how he was drunk the night before and lost his key, then paid the DJ to take him to a friends to get a spare, but it was the wrong one, so he climbed on next doors roof and now they are pissed because he busted their guttering... all without any necessary input from me. Fortunately for some reason he got cut off (no - it wasn't me!).

It's my fault, I'm a talker, I come from a family of talkers, DD wasn't going to be anything but

Charlie and Lola might be repetitive but at least they won't require an answer...