On The Go Chicago

As I mentioned in my last post, Road Trip – Traveling Tips From The Road, my family is currently taking a road trip from Chicago to the panhandle and back.  We left Memphis yesterday and stopped in Tupelo, Mississippi to check out the house Elvis was born in.  It was quite an interesting little stop, and gave our toddlers such much needed time to run around.  We then made the long drive down to the beach house we rented with my in-laws in the panhandle.  Today was spent playing on the beach, and it has been glorious.

Since my family does so much traveling and my kids are still so little (one and two), safety on the road is a big concern for me. I always feel like hotel rooms and vacation rental houses are full of dangers.  At home, we have specific rooms baby-proofed for my toddlers, but I have yet to find a vacation home or hotel that offers “baby-proofed” rooms.

In fact, within ten minutes of getting to the house we are staying in now my two-year-old was playing with the cords to the blinds and my one-year-old had the cupboard under the sink open.

I recently attended a baby-proofing seminar at Giggle (2116 N. Halstead).  Josh Berliant, owner of Baby Solutions, provided a number of really great tips on how to make your home safer.  I was impressed by how many of his tips were free (did not require any products to implement). After the seminar I asked Josh to send me some tips on how to make traveling with small children safer.

• Most hotels offer cribs at no charge, but Josh recommends bringing your own crib-sheet.  You should also check the crib to make sure it is stable. I conquer.  Numerous times we’ve been at hotels who simply wrap a queen size sheet around the tiny mattress, which has never struck me as being very safe.
• Walk around the house/room and check the furniture to see that none of it can easily be tipped over if your child pulls up on it.
• Keep the bathroom door closed.  Just this morning our youngest some how made it into the bathroom and to the toilet before either my hubby or I could get to her.  GROSS!
• If you are renting a car-seat from a car rental company, make sure it is installed properly. Ask for the manual if it is not attached to the seat.
• A strange environment just invites danger.  Babies want to explore their new surroundings (especially while your in the bathroom or getting ready to go.) One way I’ve solved this problem is putting my little ones back in their pack-n-plays next to me while I get ready.  I just throw some toys and a sippy cup in their with them, and they tend to be entertained long enough for me to get ready.

A couple other things we generally do are:

• Get a handicap accessible room with two queen beds.  You can generally fit a pack-n-play easily in the bathroom, which essentially turns your room into a two-room suite.  Make certain the baby cannot grab anything off the counters, etc.  We tend to put the crib in the shower, fold the shower curtain up over the bar and make sure there is nothing else within reach.
• On the second queen bed we set up a changing station on a towel.
• We bring a small container or plastic bag of Clorox wipes with us.  That way we can wipe down the surfaces our baby is most likely to touch.
• I would also recommend checking the drape cords.  Dangling cords can be a serious strangulation hazard.

Let me know what you and your family do to keep your little ones safe on the road.  Happy trails!