Before You Hit the Road, Jack

May 24th, 2010

I came across some of our Walt Disney World Videos last night.  Ahhhh, the memories.  Several of you asked for Trip Planning, Packing, and Executing ideas after we came home,and at the time I was overwhelmed with this endless load. So now that we’ve conquered potty training (insert angels singing) I might get around to sharing a little of how we survived a 32 hour road trip with quadruplets.

A special thanks to Purolator Cabin Air Filters who allowed me to team up with them for this post. They are hosting a sweepstakes at Parents where you as readers can enter to win a trip for 4 to Walt Disney World in the Purolator BreathEasy Sweepstakes!

Go enter so you can have your own picture like this, (minus the quad stroller, of course):

So Before You “Hit the Road, Jack”, Here Are A Few Safety Tips We’ve Learned:

* Check Your Carseats – Make sure they are appropriate for your child’s age/height/weight.  Rear facing until your child has reached the stated limits. Your local fire department is a great place to check with to make sure you are “good to go”.  (Shout out to Barb Carrier who has been our AAA car seat guru from the beginning.)

* Get a Tune-Up for Your Vehicle – Have you local mechanic make sure your vehicle is running well or you might end up like us on our first road trip.

* Sleep the Night Before – A good nights sleep will get you further down the road the next day, and your be easier to get along with on the trip too!

* Keep Your Little Travelers Occupied – This helps cut down on driver distractions. Things that worked for us: dollar toys, CDs, DVDs (A portable DVD player is worth every penny!), talking about the scenery, counting down each state, and lots of snacks!

* Know Your Driving Limits – Take a break every few hours and always stop before you hit your driving wall, even though it may be tempting to keep driving to meet your destination

* Check in with Family Members Along The Way – Let them know your progress and where you’re staying along the route, along with numbers where they can reach you. (Trust me, your mom will sleep better hearing that you are safe. Right, mom?)

And don’t forget to make memories along the way that you’ll laugh at later.

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