Mommy Like A Rock Star, Part 4: Gear Up

We’re on Day Four of the ten part series: “Mommy Like a Rock Star”.

To catch up, visit here.

From Swanky Satchels on Etsy

Ahhhh, where were we? Back before the grossness, and then the lovely trip to Vegas for CES, we were talking about road tripping with kids.

One thing that always amazes me about rock shows is the sheer amount of schlepping required to make it happen. You get the cables, the gear, the instruments, the trucks, you show up hours before dark to make sure it works. Maybe some of it doesn’t, so you run around and fix things to make a show happen.

Then you play for 2 hours, break everything down and reverse the process, hoping nothing breaks in transit the next day, requiring another fix.

But the specificity of the gear makes it possible. Road cases designed to withstand the rigors, dollies designed to bear the weight. Same with kid travel. (But the roadies!!! Where are my roadies?)

From someone who often finds the pool with three kids too much of a sherpa-trek, I can honestly say the right equipment for a trip makes all of the difference in the world.

It’ll be different for every family with every aged kid, but here’s a few of the things that make my life easier.

A great stroller

If you have one kid, make it a maneuverable beast that’s easy to gate-check, but strong enough to hang things on. If you have more than one, get a solid double stroller that’ll hold both kids up to 50 pounds. I bought a City Mini Micro Double long after we should have been done with strollers, purely for early morning airport runs and Disney trips. So far, it’s been ideal.(On sale for $269, free shipping)

A Mommy Hook- or two or eight.

I love these SO MUCH. SO much. Gah, I can hardly stand it. I hook coats together with them, so they don’t get forgotten in overhead bins. I hook carseats to the stroller as we run through the airport. That’s right, Carseats. (More on that later.) They’re not expensive, and they work for everything. McGyver Mom.($7.99, check www.themommyhook.com for stores)

A folding carseat/Good for air and land.

We bought the GoHybrid Safety 1st seats, which I’m a fan of because they meet the airline standards (connecting to the airline seat AND containing its own internal restraint), and also work on the ground in rental cars. Have you EVER rented a carseat? I did once, and it was a fiasco. I’d rather just know I’m covered, then spend three hours at a Seattle counter hoping a carseat comes in soon. (Yep, true story!)

These babies fold down flat, in their own black bags. I hang them from the back of the stroller with the mommy hook, pop some kids in there, and BAM. We’re ready for the security line. (Safety First, $189)

Air Beds/Sleeping bags for the end of the line

Having multiple hotel rooms gets expensive fast, and rollaway beds often cost money- as well as littering your room with more beds than you need. We have two Disney air beds, one Cars, one Princess. They have their own sheet and sleeping bag attached to them, and the children feel comfortable in them. If we’re flying

Southwest or Jetblue, I just devote a small suitcase to this. If not, often I’ll ship it ahead to the hotel, Fedex ground, along with a box of clothes.(Target.com, $29.99)

A bag of tricks for each kid

They each have their own backpack with their Leapster 2, snacks, coloring books, headphones, cars, Bingo, etc. They know, for the duration of the trip, that that’s their go-to bag for cool stuff. They ALSO know that if their cool stuff doesn’t make it back into the bag, whoops. That’s the sole piece of the trip that they’re fully responsible for. I try to have a few new, small things in rotation each trip.(Crocodile Creek, $14.99)

If your kids have allergies…

We don’t eat any artificial dyes or High Fructose Corn Syrup due to allergies. It can be hit or miss to find a Whole Foods or trader Joe’s on the road, but of course everyone likes to enjoy treats on vacation. Solution: I send a box ahead from www.naturalcandystore.com, or pack a bag in our suitcase (a checked one) with lollipops, gum, etc. I also order ketchup packets, Maple Syrup, and hot fudge packets with no HFCS from Minimus, and bring them along. That requires a bit of coordination, but I’d so much rather do that then spend the whole vacation hearing about what they “Can’t” have, and us all feeling frustrated. I think of it as part of the Rider.:)

And of course, don’t forget a great mix on your Ipod, the perfect bag for Mama (May I suggest Hayden Harnett?:) And to book yourself a day at the spa when you get there. And the most important rule of road trips with kids: IF YOU’RE GOING FOR TWO DAYS, YOU MAY AS WELL STAY FOR EIGHT! It’s the same amount of work, regardless. So go! Vamanos!

TOMORROW: Part Five of “Mommy Like A Rock Star”- Treating Your House Like A Tour Bus

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