Fly or drive WWYD--plus pting?

brachysira

We need to visit my family for Christmas--my grandma is very old and hasn't met our new little one and I want her to have the chance.  It is a 13 hour drive home, and DH and I did it in one day once and it nearly killed us.  My parents visit us often but stay in a hotel and make it a 2 day trip.  We will have DD and her 3 month old brother who I am nursing.  So we'd probably need to make it a 2 day trip in the car.  DH says he does not want to waste 4 days driving, some of which he would have to take off work.

He suggests we fly.  There are tickets on a budget airline for very cheap and it is a 2 hour flight, but the seats are smaller than normal and we're planning to hold 30 lb DD and her brother on our laps.  We will only do a direct flight so we would have to drive an hour to the large metro airport here and 3 hours from the large metro airport nearest to my parents'.  

Also, I was kinda thinking about pting DD in November.  If we do, will she be okay using bathrooms in the airport or on the road?  Which scenario is best for a toddler?  Do you bring your potty seat?

SummerLove21

I would wait to PT after the trip. You don't know how well it is going to go (or not).

With a newborn, I would do the flight. We did a 13-hour drive over two days with a six-month old, and it was doable, but not fun. We did the same trip this past summer by plane and it was so much easier. Get an early flight and then your kiddos are more likely to sleep in the car at least partway to your parents' house. You could be there by early afternoon. You could either do an early flight home (if you want some time to recoup after your trip - kids could sleep in car on the way to the airport), or a late one (kids might sleep on the plane). When we did our plane trip, from door to door it was about six hours, but we were only an hour from the airport in each location.

wineandcake

My vote is secret option c - drink a ton of energy drinks and drive through the night.

We've been travelling with DS since he was tiny, my family was about 16hrs drive away. We flew a few times when we lived in the city and there was an airport there. Now we live in the middle of nowhere and that airport (still the closest) is 4hrs away from us and the airport we fly to is 1hr from my parents. I made the journey this weekend and vowed never to do it again, I'm only driving from now on. He naps well in the car and as long as we bring toys, iPad with shows he loves, and tons of snacks it goes smoothly. We bring our two dogs with us when we travel so they entertain him too.

As far as potty training, driving would make it easier. We bring his potty with us and when he gets really whiney we stop, put the potty on the seat and he goes. We don't bother taking him inside because he would get so distracted and we'd be left chasing a naked baby around while stressed from the trip + trying to carry the potty + diaper bag/purse. It would be even better if you have an SUV or van so it can go on the floor instead of the seat.

tamarar5

I'd rather take a beating with a brick stick than be stuck in the car that long with a toddler.

That said, we're driving to northern Wisconsin for thanksgiving and it's a 10 hour drive, more if we hit traffic. Drive at night as much as you can, that way LO will be sleeping.

As far as pting, I'd play that by ear. Some kids pt in a weekend, in which case you'll be fine. Some kids, however, like my DD1, take MONTHS to pt, and then pull ups or straight diapers will be your new best friend.

Enjoy your vacation!

kelly321

I have to fly when I visit my parents. A typical route is 30 min drive, 2hrs airport, 30 min flight, 3 hrs layover, 9 hr flight, 1 hr airport (customs& immigration), 3 hr drive.

If I were you, I would take the flying option. 2 hours is totally manageable. However, as someone else said, you can only have one lapchild per seat section (because there's only one extra oxygen mask per seat section), so you and your DH will have to either sit behind each other or across the aisle from one another if you want to bring 2 lap children. Honestly, though, that's not as bad as it sounds- I know plenty of families who purposely get seats across the aisle from one another because then one parent is responsible for one child and there's less squabbling. Narrow seats suck, but really, it's 2 hours. You'll survive.

As for PTing, I personally would wait. Last year we PTd DD1 in July and flew to the US in September. I put a pull-up on her on the planebecause I do not think it's reasonable to expect a 2.5 year old to be able to hold it through a security line or while waiting for take-off and landing, and at the beginning they need to go RIGHTNOW. Granted, we had a whole time-change thing setting us back, as well, but it totally messed up our PTing, setting us back about 9 months. I think the holidays plus travelling plus being somewhere strange will add a lot of extra stress for your LO,, and PTing isn't something that needs to be added to the mix. Some kids PT very easily, but I think most moms on this board (myself included) have said they've felt it's one of the most stressful parenting chores. Heed those warnings if you can and hold off on PTing until all the other factors have settled down a bit.

Meggiemuggins

I have no advice, but my mom said my older brother was potty trained on a loooooong flight.  He was fascinated by the blue water in the toilet and kept wanting to go see it and flush the toilet.  By the time they landed, he was a convert.  Huh.

Dannysmama

Fly fly fly!  Two hours is a totally manageable flight, between take off and landing (30 minutes each), snacks, a few good books, special toys/treats, and you're there.  If you get desperate, iPads work wonders (though, truly, we've only pulled it out once and we fly a lot!).

Take your DS, nurse him to sleep, and have your husband wrangle your big girl ;-)  That's my plan for Christmas!

ericalee27

In your situation, I would vote fly --- the toddler wouldn't be my concern (do you have an iPad to throw at her?).  The 3 month old that would need you to stop and nurse/feed every 2-3 hours is what would drive me nutty.  

draeray

I am a flyer. Flying is much easier and faster and you don't waste extra days. You and your husband can handle lap childs for 2 hours and I would ditch the potty training until after the trip.