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.

The 1st birthday party gifts introduced us to some fantastic new books that my son loves to flip through by himself and have his mom and dad read to him.

If you haven’t heard of them and want to read something besides I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly twelve times a day, check these out.

• Bear Snores On - A brown bear slumbers in his cold, dark cave while all the other animals in the forest have a party. This one is a TON of fun to read and act out, especially when the bear finally wakes up.
• Baby Einstein Alphabooks - A book for every single letter of the alphabet. Each one has three words and pictures associated with the letter. My son loves to go through all of them and open them himself. It’s a great way to teach the alphabet, we work on the same five letters every day for memory. And then he has fun surprising himself when we go through the rest of them for fun!
• Baby Cakes - This one always gets my son moving when we sing it to him. It’s a catchy rhyme that you can easily act out and get them to play along with as your baby’s toes, nose, hug them tight and laugh out loud.

Yes. I’m a Michigan State fan. Go Green!

Someone is always snubbed
Parenting is all about compromises. You want to read a book, your baby wants to play. One set of grandparents wants to see him this weekend, but you’re spending the day at the beach. Learn how to strike a fair balance in your family life, and you’ll be in for exciting times.

In the beginning, it’s all about survival
Chances are, you had expectations about how things would go initially. Boy, were you wrong! Raising a child is full of surprises and upsets. Just roll with the punches and learn from what happens for next year.

No matter what, there’s always a storyline
Even though things may seem random and unconnected, they also have a habit of coming together in ways that make it much more dramatic. A daily struggle with getting your baby to try solid foods becomes the triumph of all triumphs when they finally take their first gulp.

There’s always a buzzer beater
Whether it’s you just catching your baby before he falls or barely making it to the doctor on time because you had so much to pack, your life will be full of rushed excitement.

Leave it all on the floor
Parenting is tough work, day in and day out. You’ve got to give it your all, because that’s what your baby deserves. This also applies to the amount of food, milk and toys that’ll be all over your house on a regular basis.

Things never end up the way you planned
You’ll have tons of wins where you didn’t expect it, and maybe some disappointments along the way too. But at the end of the day, it’s all one big, exciting journey. After it all, you’ve got that happy feeling in the center of your stomach and you can’t wait for it to happen all over again.