Last year, my husband and I decided to drive 1,000 miles in a car with two children. We took a road trip from New Jersey straight down I-95 to sunny Florida. Let me repeat:
1,000 miles.
In a car.
With two kids.
What the hell where we thinking???
The drama went way beyond the normal every-ten-minute episodes of:
“Mommy, are we there yet?”
“How long is it going to take?”
“I’m hungry…”
“I have to go pee…”
“She’s bothering me…”
“No, I don’t want to sleep…”
And let’s also not forget the loud and torturous cries of my daughter peppered throughout the trip, and I mean the whole trip.
So we weren’t even an hour into the drive (on the way home) and my son began to say, “Mommy………..”
“What sweetie?”
“I don’t feel so good.”
“You don’t? What’s wrong?”
{silence}
{a little more silence}
Suddenly, within moments of turning around to find out why my son was complaining of not feeling well I looked at his face and I had that split second instinct of knowing what was about to happen, but there was absolutely nothing I could do to prevent it from happening. I quickly placed my arm out toward him (like that was going to do anything) to try and stop it from coming, but it didn’t matter.
It was too late.
Vomit spewed from his mouth like an erupting volcano.
It splattered over his car seat, onto near-by toys, and continued to fall to the floor. Some of it even managed to reach his sister in the seat next to him. It all happened in about five seconds, but the cleanup would take over an hour.
Immediately pulling off 1-95, we reached a remote gas station to wash the kids (and everything else) and in the midst of wiping everything from the head rest down to his shoe laces, at the time, I truly didn’t know how I was going to survive the next 19 hours in the car.
In that moment I really thought I was going to vomit myself, especially for thinking I could drive a thousand miles…with two children.
So after a brief trip down memory lane with the hubs recently, the decision is unanimous.
This year, we’re flying.
In the hopes to avoid this we flew last year. 2 1/2 hrs from Canada to Florida, I highly recommend it!
Oh Theta Mom, I feel your pain! We made the drive from Texas to Pennsylvania almost every summer with 3 kids. And let me warn you, as much fun as it was to travel with little ones, wait until you experience it with 3 teens/preteens and they start fighting over the last pack of batteries to run their Walkmans/DVD players/video games or whose turn it is to have the backseat to themselves- Oh wait, that might have been me!
Poor guy and poor you. I hope he didn’t get sick anymore during the ride home.
My kids use to get sick in the car whenever they had milk so I had to limit it to the times we weren’t going anywhere. Then it got to the point where I started keeping grocerybags in the their doors for such emergencies. Thankfully this doesn’t happen anymore and they are able to get there bags in time.
*hugs*
A. G. – Luckily, this was the only episode on the way home…but it was the longest 19 hours of my life!
Oh no. I would definitely fly too. Aidyn’s been projectile vomiting for the last 24 hours. I feel your pain!
oh that sucks! we want to go to disney in a few years, and we’re not sure how we’re getting there…i’m terrified to fly! i will seriously consider it now after hearing that though! lol
I feel your pain. We drove one summer on a 3 hr trip. My son cried so that he made himself sick. Getting the smell out the car is the hardest. Flying is the way to go.
My family and I used to make the trip from SC to NJ every summer to visit family. The four of us children would sandwich (somehow) into the backseat and my parents in the front. It was never pretty. I eventually learned to sit back and be quiet (being the oldest)…and to bring along a book. My dad and I always wound up being the only ones awake which was pretty cool. My family now (hubby and kids) haven’t taken too many trips of that distance…but I can’t imagine trying to get ourselves and 4 children through airport security these days!
Nicole – Getting the smell out of the car. Amen!
I drove to Florida with just my husband and it was horrendous I can’t image with kids.
Have fun.. and hope the snow doesn’t cancel your flights like mine
Vodka Logic – We are not leaving until the Spring, so hopefully we won’t have a snow issue!
Totally feel your pain! We have been there a few time. We drive from Chicago to Florida with 5 kids often! Our worst trip, though, was Chicago to Lake of the Ozarks (MO)…..one 3yo twin sick with a high fever on the way there…and the other twin sick with a high fever on the way home. Longest ride ever!
We were always a driving family because my mom (a former flight attendant, go figure) got AIRsick! One summer we drove from Ohio to California and back, visiting every national monument and park and attraction in between. 3.5 weeks in a car with my parents…. Ahhh, the memories!
~Elizabeth
Elizabeth – OMG 3.5 weeks in a car??? I couldn’t even last 2 days! lol
If ever there were a reason to fly..thats it…I dont really like flying..Im more for the car ride..but we did NY to Colorado with 2 small..it was pretty smooth..no problems…the problems happened more when they were teens..LOL…and now 18 and 21…although were rarely in a long car ride anymore..!
This story has reaffirmed my thoughts when my dad asked if we wanted to take a trip to florida with him, in a car, with my son. Yea RIGHT! You are one brave women.
Alicia from Coffee Mugs and Sippy Cups
Oh gosh! I can’t imagine. I would absolutely get sick myself if that happened, I have no doubt.
We’re going on a trip this year and flying with my boy for the first time, to Florida actually. My sister-in-law suggested we drive, I laughed at her.
Beth – Yes, now I laugh, too!!!
Great choice
Just so you know, I lived that spewing incident out many, many, many times on short and long car rides. My middle son had an extremely sensitive gag reflex that meant he literally threw up at least once a day for the first 5 years of his life. Oh, couple that with motion sickness and you have a winning combo in the car.
Ugggh. Yuck. We haven’t had them puke, but have done the trip from Boston to NC twice. Once with a 3 y/o and 4 month old, and once with a 2 and 5 year old. Not fun, but somehow I feel it would be better than flying.
LOVE this post. Seems we’re having a bodily fluid week, doesn’t it? (Thoughts About Poop for me…)
We traveled from Little Rock, AR, to New Jersey last summer. We stuffed all our stuff for 6 WEEKS into our trusty blue minivan (all our other belongings were on the moving van). Lots of stuff…but no vomit. Hats off to you for doing that…and for making the wise choice to fly this year.
I drove roundtrip from TX to NY (temp job move) with a thankfully very well-behaved and understanding 7 year old and 2 cats in a fully occupied Escape.
I was the one losing it. I was worse than the cats. No way to stretch right without pulling over, tight deadline and Nascar fans hogged all the hotels .. ahh!
For my sanity, my posterior and my bladder, if I ever to that again, it’s going to be in an RV and definitely not during race season. lol
This is HORRIBLE! Oh man – I hate flying but given the alternative…where’s my flight plan?
We had a friend who had this happed as well…but ALL FOUR of her children were puking by the time they got to their destination. It was winter and they were driving with the windows down b/c of the smell.
They arrived safely and put the kids to bed so they could hose out the van…when her HUSBAND started puking!
I would have run away!
Ick!! We haven’t taken a trip longer than 3 hours with our girls — yet. After reading this, I’m in no hurry! 😉
Ladies – Your experiences have been just as pleasurable as mine! lol
I think any way you slice it, it’s just HARD to travel with kids.
Oh wow!
We drove to Florida with 1 child and will be doing it again twice this year, but we’re also about 10 hours south of you. You were so brave to attempt that!
Next year we’ll probably fly down too. We can’t this year though because of Lucy’s ears. The drive is actually not bad at all when its a little shorter and you drive through the night. Lucy slept the whole way making for less stops and a little bit more peace then you all probably got
I could NEVER make that drive with my kids. I cringe thinking about making a 2 hour drive. We just aren’t “car” people. The trip to Cedar Point last fall was enough torture for me.
We have driven 14 hours every year to our family cottage in Northern Ontario for 20 years and have had MANY of the episodes you talk about, there is a portion of the trip where you are on a narrow road that follows the flow of the river, it’s like a roller coaster. You learn to pack a sand bucket for impromptu vomittings after a while : ) Thanks for sharing and for bringing back those wonderful, adventurous journeys.
LOL Don’t blame you for flying! Here’s hoping no vomit erupts on the plane right?
Jennifer – Funny you mentioned a bucket because after he vomited, we took out his beach bucket from the trunk and made him hold it, just in case. Luckily, it was a one-time episode but the experience was haunting enough which made us decide to fly instead!
Awful!! So sorry you had to endure that – I think it is my worst nightmare. Flying is a good choice for sure~
That was brave to make that trip. I think flying is a good idea. lol
Oh guuurrrrrl (as the kids say) – I feel your pain! We did it with 3 kids from St. Louis to the Grand Canyon. One bad hamburger and food poisoning hit my daughter like no other. I could feel every single emotion you JUST went through! Yes, fly, definitely fly. Although I do have to say we stopped at a place that said we could see the “Biggest Groundhog in the World” – it was a statue. Talk about a PSYCHE! Groundhog my Aunt Fanny. Oh yeah, but there was a 2-headed snake. Not all bad. Hope you have a great THETA day! ♥
Imperfect Housewife – This is my case in point. One bad experience and I am done. Hopefully, they’ll do much better in the air!
Our very first road trip as a family (me, hubs and 1 kid) we went from California to Idaho. We had to pull over because I got a pepper in my eye from beef Jerky. There were a lot on the piece so I thought I’d just get some off. One flicked right up into the old eye, despite my industrial grade eye glasses. It was not pretty. And considering it was 11 years ago and the Hubs still brings it up, it’s even worse!
LOL!!! TEW FUNNY!!!! have SAFE trip flying.
Man. I don’t know if I could ever clean up someone else’s puke.
Oh, how I wish you hadn’t posted this.
We have taken many vacations with our daughters, and they’ve all been by plane. However, this spring break we decided to drive….mistake?
We’re going from Michigan to Atlanta to visit my husband’s aunt. Along the way we’re picking up my husband’s 11 year old cousin in Ohio. My husband says she will keep our girls entertained. But, what if she doesn’t? What if it’s worse? What if instead of 2 annoying children, now we have 3? I’m regretting this already!
Nikki – Thanks girl, we’ll be traveling in the Spring!
The Boob Nazi – Honestly, what I do for my kids, right?
Tami – Girl, all I can say is I hope you have a better experience!!!
I know how you feel 100%!!! As long as I can remember my family has always driven back and forth on I-95 from Rhode Island to Miami, Florida year after year. Now that I have three children I will only fly from Ohio to Florida and even for those few hours on the tiny seats I want to pull my hair out. I could not imagine trying to drive 50 miles with the kids screaming and fighting oh and let’s not forget puking, lol.
That’s awful & hilarious at the same time!
Yes, fly, fly, fly…
(I’m late but stopping by from Friday follow.)
Came over from The Mother Load…
I can definately feel your pain. We traveled to Disney over the summer from Houston (also 1000 mi) with 2 kids, 2 grandparents, and 2 birds (I am really glad we took 2 vehicles so we could rotate who had to deal with what). No vomiting on that trip, but there has been on others.
We just decided to stay closer to home this year.
And here I thought driving one hour to get to the nearest city with my four kiddies was torture! 😀 The good thing about that trip is that you do have a great story to tell the grandkids! 😀
As always, greetings from Mexico!
I would have to agree ladies, I can laugh about it now, although at the time, I just wanted to cry!
Oh my…yes that sounds like the best decision ever!
I couldnt even imagine that experience, but at least you have stories to share when the kids are older!
Lucky you. Hubs insists on driving to FL every time we go. It’s not as far for us but it still sucks.
Tracie – Well, because he experienced the nightmare with me, he was all for it.
Oh that smell. I certainly hope you were able to get that smell out of the nooks and crannies of your car seats.
We drove down to Florida from Connecticut when I was 8. Except I was trapped in a station wagon with my brother, my 3 cousins, and three adults.
I don’t know how we did it without anybody throwing up.
Puke is THE WORST…especially in a car!!!
We haven’t had the pleasure of this experience yet, but I’m pretty sure it’s coming!