We had just finished lunch on day 8 of our cross country PCS, when our 14 month old daughter decided she was done.
Arms and body rigid like an animal resisting to enter a trap, she refused to go back into her carseat.
She screamed, whined, and made everyone else in the parking lot wonder if they needed to call the police and put out an Amber alert.
The problem was, we still had two more days on the road, and a few hours left of our journey that day. What other choice did we have but to slowly but surely coax, coerce and finally buckle our poor daughter back into the dreaded sitting position for the next leg of our journey?
Shortly after that we found a solution in the form of a big box store with a red and white circle: Target. Man I love that store. They’re always saving me in one way or another!
We saw a Target sign and I declared, “We have to stop!” and Hubby pulled off the exit. While Daddy got our little one out to stretch her legs, I made a bee-line to the toy aisle. I picked out a few toys for less than $20, then made my way back to the car with my bounty.
More on that story in a minute, but today I’m excited to share with you some tips and tricks for PCSing (moving, in military terms) with young kids. We’ve moved cross-country three times with kids, and each time we had a new child in the mix who was under 18 months. So we’ve been down that road a few times, literally.
Here are 7 tips for PCSing with young kids
1- Plan To Buy Some Extra Toys
Like we learned from our experience above, it’s good to leave room in the budget to pick up a few toys along the way. New, different, and yes with sounds– anything to keep your kiddo’s attention and entice him/her back into the carseat! (we figured the annoying sounds were better than a screaming unhappy child).
2- Stop At Places Your Baby Can Stretch His/Her Legs
This could be a park, a restaurant with some grass out front, a field, a rest stop… anything with a little room to run/walk/crawl. Of course, with crawling you have to be a bit more careful about what kind of germs baby might encounter. Try some non-dog-area grass, or a blanket.
Younger infants still need time to lay flat and even do tummy time. Find a space where you can lay out a thick blanket and let them kick around.
3- Always Stop Near A Bathroom
We definitely learned this the hard way. While some parks may be beautiful and enticing, there’s really no point to stop anywhere without a bathroom. You never know when you might need to wipe up a baby diaper explosion or use running water, let alone if an adult needs the facilities. PCSing can take a lot out of you. Trust me on this one.
4- Prepare For A Slower Pace When Moving With Young Kids
Gone are the days of waking up early, driving for 14 hours straight and then crashing. Young kids need breaks, time to move, and time to get their wiggles out. Babies need to nurse or bottle feed. Either way, it’s important to stop when PCSing so they have time to eat and get burped before getting back into a car seat.
It can be frustrating when what used to be a 15 minute stop turns into 45 minutes. But it’s just part of the deal with kids. Everything takes a bit longer.
5- Plan A Shorter Travel Day Overall
Along with a slower pace, you should plan to travel less total hours each day as well.
If you keep a kiddo in the car too long during the day, good luck getting him or her to go to sleep at night. Little ones have a certain amount of energy to burn, so if they don’t burn it during the day, they’ll burn it while you’re hoping to be asleep.
It’s best to plan for shorter days of travel while PCSing whenever possible. Schedule some time in the late afternoon to hit a hotel pool or go to a park to get everyone moving before dinner and bedtime. That will help your night to go much more smoothly!
6- Bring A Special Lovey And/Or A Blanket That Smells Like Home.
Little ones may have trouble falling asleep in new places. Having an item with a familiar scent can help your baby to settle easier. Along those lines, you can also bring your own pack n play sheets to use in the hotel cribs to add the comfort of home.
7- Pack Baby/Kid Toys In A Plastic Tub
Get a medium or large clear tub that will fit in your car, and fill it with baby toys and items you’ll need upon arrival. It also helps to have some toys you can easily pull out at various stops.
We used to bring a few toys into the hotels at night too, and it was nice to be able to easily repack them into a tub. You can shove other soft blankets, dolls or clothes in the tub too, if you’re short on space.
The Results Of Our Target Toy Stop
When we left Target that day, my daughter was in heaven. Those toys- especially an inexpensive toy remote with lots of buttons- got us through the last two days of the trip. Our kiddo had no issues jumping back into her seat, and if she started to protest I pulled out a new bright shiny item from my Target bag.
She was happy again for those final days, thankfully! My husband and I got to stop stressing about our daughter and instead could relax, chat, and enjoy the rest of our move.
A Final Encouragement
PCSing/Moving can be so tough, no matter what age kids you have, or even without kids. But moving with young kids is a special kind of challenge. It’s easy to feel like you might go insane if you have to deal with another crying baby/45 minute rest stop/ or diaper blowout.
Before you start your journey, take a few minutes to plan out how you can make your move easier for you and your child. Which one of these tips do you need to be sure to implement?
With a bit of planning, a little flexibility, and some patience, you can make your trip go so smoothly!!
