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Advice on Car Trips
Hi all
I am slowly getting to my limit in having to deal with Toby's tantrums and screaming fits in the car. We spend a lot of time together in the car - 25-mins ish to nursery and 25-mins ish home from nursery - 5-days a week. Pretty much every single trip - he just sits there whinging and moaning (sorry to use those words, but that IS what he's doing!!!) and holding his hand out like he's expecting me to give him something! I have no idea what he wants and the more I don't "sort it out" the worse he gets. On the way home he's SO tired the moaning quickly turns to crying and then screaming and by the time we've reached home he's nearly full on hyper-ventilating!!!
I have a dummy for emergencies - but this is every day and I refuse to let him have his dummy even more than he has it now (for sleeps and naps) unless of course I think if he doesn't calm down he'll make himself ill etc.
Nursery suggested trying a banana on the way home - which I've done, but as soon as he's eaten it, he goes nuts again!
We've tried toys, books etc. but after a few minutes of playing he gets bored and chucks them - then whinges because he's dropped them! So we just keep passing new toys back - but he does the same. Its bloody dangerous for me to keep stretching behind me to pass his toys so I can't keep doing it!
We've taken down the sun shades so he can see more but that doesn't work.
We've even contemplated getting the airbags disabled in the front so he can sit up there with me!
I put the radio on - he goes nuts (I think he thinks I'm trying to drown out his noise
- I'm not, I like local traffic news!!!)
I talk to him loads. We say words and practise his words / talking but after a while he gets bored and gets going with his moaning/crying/screaming!!!!!!!
I am hoping when it gets darker at 5pm, he might doze off to sleep?
Otherwise my Sister says he's hungry. So we are going to trial giving him breakfast before we leave in the morning and see if that works. and then on the way home I'll give him a little sandwich. But I hate him eating in the car when I'm alone as I worry about him choking and me not being able to react/stop in time.
I am literally going to lose it soon and I'm sure he's starting to hate me for leaving him there upset - the other day I met hubby somewhere after work and as soon as he saw Daddy, he was FINE and clung to him for the rest of the night.
Help! xxx
I am slowly getting to my limit in having to deal with Toby's tantrums and screaming fits in the car. We spend a lot of time together in the car - 25-mins ish to nursery and 25-mins ish home from nursery - 5-days a week. Pretty much every single trip - he just sits there whinging and moaning (sorry to use those words, but that IS what he's doing!!!) and holding his hand out like he's expecting me to give him something! I have no idea what he wants and the more I don't "sort it out" the worse he gets. On the way home he's SO tired the moaning quickly turns to crying and then screaming and by the time we've reached home he's nearly full on hyper-ventilating!!!
I have a dummy for emergencies - but this is every day and I refuse to let him have his dummy even more than he has it now (for sleeps and naps) unless of course I think if he doesn't calm down he'll make himself ill etc.
Nursery suggested trying a banana on the way home - which I've done, but as soon as he's eaten it, he goes nuts again!
We've tried toys, books etc. but after a few minutes of playing he gets bored and chucks them - then whinges because he's dropped them! So we just keep passing new toys back - but he does the same. Its bloody dangerous for me to keep stretching behind me to pass his toys so I can't keep doing it!
We've taken down the sun shades so he can see more but that doesn't work.
We've even contemplated getting the airbags disabled in the front so he can sit up there with me!
I put the radio on - he goes nuts (I think he thinks I'm trying to drown out his noise
- I'm not, I like local traffic news!!!)I talk to him loads. We say words and practise his words / talking but after a while he gets bored and gets going with his moaning/crying/screaming!!!!!!!
I am hoping when it gets darker at 5pm, he might doze off to sleep?
Otherwise my Sister says he's hungry. So we are going to trial giving him breakfast before we leave in the morning and see if that works. and then on the way home I'll give him a little sandwich. But I hate him eating in the car when I'm alone as I worry about him choking and me not being able to react/stop in time.
I am literally going to lose it soon and I'm sure he's starting to hate me for leaving him there upset - the other day I met hubby somewhere after work and as soon as he saw Daddy, he was FINE and clung to him for the rest of the night.
Help! xxx
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Replies
We went through a wee phase of this and I admit that a dummy did help. I'm like you and he only has it for naps and sleep but when he was getting so upset in the car I give in and he gets it.
I think that a snack would be good. We often give Archie a snack in the morn or afternoon, mostsly if I'm trying to keep him awake in car till we get home and he can have a good nap. What about one of those tubs with the flaps at the top so he won't spill it. Can't remember what it's called. Use that for cut up grapes or blueberries. Or maybe a rice cake or Organix gingerbread man.
But without a doubt what has made a huge difference in the car for us is a nursery rhymes cd. I read that it's good for in the car and lots of singing is good for their speach development. At 23 months Archie's speach is amazing.
As soon as we get inthe car he asks for "bus bus" (wheels on the bus" if I say no he instantly says, "Ok, row row boat ?" cheeky boy !
His face is a delight as soon as cd comes on. The only problem is that hubby and I are sick fed up of the cd. And even granny has one in her car.
I got a BBC childrens song cd from Amazon and it's the best ??5 I've ever spent. S x
I'm fairly sure we have a duplicate of that cd - I can take a look and send it you if you like
Hubby agrees he's probably hungry - this morning he had a bit of donut hubby was eating for brekkie ( :roll: ) LOL and was so much happier even after a tiny bit! He had a banana too and so this morning was much better.
Mum is fetching him tonight so will get her to pack him a little sandwich to nibble on and take the kids CD and see how she gets on!
Thanks so much again! xxx
Unless our dd is tired/hungry /needs the toilet, the cd works a treat and we usually have whining free journeys. She even got in a grump with me the other day when I was singing the songs with her in the car! Mummy was told to be quiet!
Hope the singing helps toc alm him down, relaxing him on your car journeys.