So, you’ve got a three hour road trip staring you in the face. You’ve got snacks, books, games and toys all packed for your toddler to play with. You and your spouse are up front, and your toddler is in the back seat with a mound of toys in his lap.

This is going to be fun, right?

Five minutes in, the toys are on the floor, cheerios are everywhere and your toddler is screaming his head off.

What can you do?

Try stopping the car and moving into the back seat with him. At this young age, the amount of time they can spend solo-playing is limited (but important). More likely, they’ll want you to read to them, help them eat if it’s snack time or just be near them on a long car ride where they’re essentially immobilized for hours at a time.

Here are some other road trip tips that’ll help you get over the river and through the woods.

• Plan for stops every hour or two. Get out at a rest stop, let your toddler burn off some steam. You’ll also want to get them out of dirty diapers as soon as possible.
• Keep them comfortable. Make sure the sun isn’t shining in their eyes. Keep the temperature comfortable. Make sure a seatbelt isn’t digging into their bare skin.
• Keep them fed. Pack small snacks that are easy to eat and are a minimal choking hazard. Crackers, cut up fruit and cheerios are all good bets.
• Keep them entertained. Bring their favorite toys and books. If you know it’s a crowd pleaser, definitely use it on long trips. You’ll need it.
• Tag team drive. When you stop, switch drivers so mom can play with the little guy too.
• Spot things outside the car. If your toddler can, direct their attention outside the car to other cars, planes, etc. The ever changing landscape will help keep their minds off the fact that they can’t move, and it’ll help them learn to entertain themselves on the open road.

Once your baby is weaned of the bottle and there aren’t any more little ones immediately coming down the pike, you’ll probably find yourself with a shelf full of bottles that’ll do little more than collect dust.

Don’t despair! There are a million uses for old bottles. Just think of them like a different shape of tupperware. Instead of liquid, I’ve found a great way to regularly use old bottles and keep them off the shelf is to put snacks in them.

Most bottles have volume measurements right on the side. Makes it great for packing a reasonably sized portion of cheerios or Goldfish crackers. And I always keep a big 12 oz. bottle of water at the ready in case we find ourselves out in Chicago on a hot day (And there have been some scorchers lately).

You can use the nipples that came with the bottles as tops, or you can buy sealing caps for a little more airtight seal. If those bottles have been stored away for awhile, be sure to wash them out when you break them open.

My son’s at that stage where he knows that he wants something. He just doesn’t know how to ask for it. Lately, his word for when he wants something is “mama”, which makes me wonder if my wife is caving to his every demand when I’m not around.

It goes without saying that things get a little frantic - I’m pretty sure he’s breaking the record for the amount of times he’s said mama in a single minute. And they’ve all got this sense of impending doom - “If I don’t get what I want right this second I’m going to explode!”

Yesterday he spotted a group of adults playing soccer out the car window down an alleyway about 10 blocks away, and that meant a ten minute deluge of “ballballballballball” all the way home, until he could grab his own mini soccer ball from his pile of toys.

I’ve heard parents deal with repetitive whining lots of different ways. Some ignore it, some whine right back at their kids. I’ve been trying to make him ask for specifically what he wants. If I know what it is, I’ll help him after a few tries and then he can say the word. And I’ll usually give it to him, unless there’s a specific reason not to (like too much food).

But sometimes, he says “mama” over and over and I have no idea what he wants. So I say “Sorry, kid. I don’t know what you want,” and then I try to ignore the whining.

What do you do?

Getting your toddler to brush his teeth can be a huge feat in and of itself. It’ll probably take them until they’re 4 or 5 to truly master it to the point where you don’t have to supervise. Even if they manage to not eat and swallow the toothpaste like it was candy, you’ll still need to make sure they get everywhere they need to.

That said, different techniques work for different kids’ personalities. Here are some of the basics to set yourself up for success, and some tips to encourage this essential habit.

• Use a soft-bristled toothbrush designed for kids
• Use non-fluoridated toothpaste that’s got a flavor your kid enjoys
• Make brushing part of a routine. My son brushes in the morning after breakfast and at night after his bedtime snack
• If they fight at first, don’t worry. Try to make it fun and if they put up a huge fuss, leave it for another night. They’ll get used to it.
• Brush with them. Brush your own teeth with your toothbrush or theirs.
• Use two toothbrushes. One for them to use and one for you to do the real cleaning.
• Make funny noises and open your mouth wide. When they crack a grin whoosh in with the toothbrush.
• Brush in small circles. Get the tops, bottoms, fronts and backs of their teeth and gums.
• Don’t force it. The second they stop having fun (at least in the beginning), the more they’ll fight it.