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View Full Version : ATTN parents!! I need some serious child care advise for Trikefest



LonesomeTriZ
03-15-2006, 10:40 AM
Well as luck would have it I may be able to go to Trikefest after all. Because I am leaving for OCS on 28 June I do not want to miss a moment with my son. So the only way I can go to Trikefest is to take him with me. His mother will have to stay home because she just started a new job. As a result, we will have lots of daddy-baby time. That will be great, except.... HOW IN THE HELL WILL I DO IT! I love my boy more than nay thing, but I need some advice on how to take care of him properly with all the heat and no adequate facilities. He is 15 months old now and will be around 18 months at the time of the trip. I have feeding him and keeping him clean covered. But we will be in a tent and it gets so damn hot out there I am not sure what to do about that. So let me hear how some of you out there would handle this situation.

daputz
03-15-2006, 11:02 AM
I went camping with the kids when 1 was less then a year (years ago). Limit his time in the sun, and have enough light wieght clothes to keep him from getting burned. (we used "little gator" sunblock it works great) Let him drink as much pedialight or gatorade type juices as he wants.

You might also want to find a camp site where you can get him away from noise if it is going bother him during the "cranky times".

LonesomeTriZ
03-15-2006, 11:13 AM
Thanks, I did not even think about the noise factor. We have taken him camping before, but it was much cooler out anf he was younger. So it was easier to keep him one spot. I did not think of the pedialight either. That will help him deal with the heat. This is the kind of advice I am looking for, keep them coming.

mymint87
03-15-2006, 11:53 AM
Kiddie pool and an easy-up

LonesomeTriZ
03-15-2006, 12:00 PM
The kiddie pool I was already seriously considering. What is an easy up?

200xcellent
03-15-2006, 12:07 PM
If I was you I wouldn't forget to bring a babysitter :lol:

LonesomeTriZ
03-15-2006, 12:27 PM
I wish I could. But that is not an option. I will just have to putt around on the flat land. Who knows, maybe he will help me find a temporary mommy. :naughty:

200xcellent
03-15-2006, 01:36 PM
Haha there you go. Babies=Chick magnets, same with puppies and wedding rings. lol

crackshot
03-15-2006, 04:16 PM
Don't take the kid. Trust me. Just the trip alone will make him miserable and hence you will be too. There will be no time for you to do anything.
No offense, been there, done that.
Find a relative or someone to keep him at the homestead.
He's 15 months? That's just too young.

350Xhilaration
03-15-2006, 04:57 PM
I hate to agree with crackshot, but I do.

A trip from FL with a 15month old...you're asking for trouble and a miserable time for both of you.

Skip this years TF, hang with momma and baby at home and have an enjoyable time before you go to school.

Maybe next year circumstances will be different and momma can hang out with the lil one....missing one TF won't kill ya.

LonesomeTriZ
03-15-2006, 05:03 PM
I hear what you are saying. But I have taken him on long trips before. He travels very well. I am mainly concerned with the time we are there. I do not mind missing out on the trails. He likes to go for rides and I think he would enjoy that part. I can putt him around some of the less uneven places. Plus I like hanging out with all the other riders.

crackshot
03-15-2006, 05:24 PM
There is too much to go wrong with a kid that small. Medical if he gets sick, accidents, falling down and splitting head open, kid snachers is this world.
Your wife will constantly worry and miss kid within an hour or two. Female baby bond thing.
It's your call, I been there done that with my son when he was 13 months old and we went fron Idaho to New York. Never again.

Jeffro33
03-15-2006, 06:26 PM
I will nto go if he does not go. Me spending a week without him is like death. LOL

LonesomeTriZ
03-15-2006, 06:51 PM
Same here. If it turns out it is not feasable. I will have to stay home. I want to spend every minute I can with him before I leave.

mymint87
03-15-2006, 08:07 PM
An easy-up is a quick set-up blue canopy shade structure usually 10'X10'

350Xhilaration
03-15-2006, 09:49 PM
cris200x...BS.

Kids are one of the greatest things in life. I'd like to spend more with my three for sure.

But, taking them on a 15 or so hour trip to a place with semi primitive conditions...not a chance.

Kick back, enjoy the Florida sun (and AC) and hang with momma and the boy. No missed naps, no worrying about what to do with him (or not do with him).

I'd like to see ya there, but I can't imagine a road trip like that with any of my three...

Good luck whatever you decide. You're the dad. You get to make the call. (if the momma says you get to make the call :p )

firehart
03-15-2006, 10:53 PM
Are you going to meet some other friends with small children there? Maybe you can work out a deal where you can just watch each other's children while the other goes out. Say an hour for each outing.

200xcellent
03-15-2006, 11:32 PM
Lonesome, I told my girlfriend about your situation and she said she would be more than happy to watch him on/off so you could kick it and ride some. She loves babies and it would give her something to do since she wont be riding much. Just an offer, wont be offended if you decline the way todays world is.

TimSr
03-16-2006, 12:33 AM
Every kid is different, and you know yours better than anyone here. This has been my experience. As most know, Ive been raising TimJr since he was a baby, and he grew up with the camping and riding, and the long trips. He was 6 months old on his first camping trip, and we have never slowed down since. Sure, I never got to ride at all in those days, but we went, and hung out, and camped. Or Id take short rides if someone was available, but not being able to ride didnt bother me all that much. I saw the bigger picture and realized it was trainng. By the time he was two, Id gotten him a bicycle helmet that fit, and began cruising the easy trails, with him in front of me on my TRX250 utility. By the time he was 4, he had ridden his little Zinger all over Wellsville. I just hitched it to my utility and towed it whenever we came to a rough spot. Now, at 11, he is just another "adult" rider, only better than half of them. He is more comfortable sleeping in a truck than in his bed. Kids become accustomed to the environment in which they are raised. He was always fine on long drives, and slept most of the time. I always made sure he had a couple of toys handy, his diecast 4 wheelers, and lots of healthy bite size snacks, and plnety to drink available. As for the noise of bikes and ATV's, it was like a soothing music to him, and always put him right to sleep rather than keep him awake!
He never got acclamated to sitting in an air conditioned house during the hot months, and he grew up playing in dirt and mud. I just made sure we had some shade available when we camped, and he always actively played, when he wasnt sleeping. I made no special quarters or setup. We slept in the van, and he had his own little sleeping bag, and he had his own lawn chair, and his own little plastic 3 wheeler (which he put right into a mudhole and fell over 10 minutes after we got there there, and thought it was cool).
If it were TimJr at 18 months, I wouldnt have to think twice. We'd be there, but that in no way means other kids will handle it as well.
If he is not used to camping, and not used to long drives, it probably wont work out so well. I would suggest you start taking him camping several times before then, close to home, and see how he handles it, since you get a much earlier spring than we do up here. Also, if he is in a cool airconditioned home most of the time, he probably will be harder to comfort if its hot.
My webpage in the link in my signature has some pictures from some of those early days of camping. God only knows how many hours of video tape I have!

Meat-BoX
03-16-2006, 08:27 AM
Tim Jr. Sounds like he was brought up Ripe to be the next great MX Racing Star.:w00t:

LonesomeTriZ
03-16-2006, 10:36 AM
Thank you every one for your imput. I can see all of have by boy's best interest in mind.

Tim, I am righ tthere with you. You have decribed what we have done with my son since his birth. i have a butt load of photographs on my other computer (which is down) that would illistrate that. Here are a few samples of what we have done so far with him:

http://www.3wheelerworldforums.com/showthread.php?t=46603&highlight=rumble+dixie

http://www.3wheelerworldforums.com/showthread.php?t=43199&highlight=rumble+dixie

http://www.3wheelerworldforums.com/showthread.php?t=34777&page=4&highlight=rumble+dixie


As far as the baby sitting option, I would not mind your girlfriend watching him. He is a very freindly and sociable baby. She may not want to give him back.:lol: I just do not want to be a burdon on any body. My intentions were not to trouble any one else with my responsibility. If she wants to, that is cool with me as long as it is no trouble what so ever.

girlsride2
03-16-2006, 10:53 AM
I am not a parent but I learned this trick as a young girl playing in softball tournaments. The great thing is that this works for anyone at any age, try this out. A day or two before your trip soak several(this will help to make sure you can alternate) hand towls and place them in plastic ziplock bags. Place in fridge or freezer (your choice) a child this small; probably fridge.

During your trip leave these down inside cooler/cooler water when it melts. Pull these out during those really hot times and drape them around the back of his neck. You may want to wait a couple of minutes if you think they will be too cold for him. Doing this will help to keep internal body heat down some to prevent heat exhaustion. This works great for anyone of any age.

Alternative method: keep a seperate small cooler for just these towls put ice over them. As the ice melts it will create cold wet towels for you again & again. Hope you find this info at least somewhat helpful. :)

LonesomeTriZ
03-16-2006, 11:05 AM
That is a good idea!. Thanks.

girlsride2
03-16-2006, 11:07 AM
No problem, hope others use it to their advantage as well.

Howdy
03-16-2006, 11:27 AM
If it helps at all, I plan on having a fridge there. It's a small camper fridge, but it might help out here. ;)
Howdy

LonesomeTriZ
03-16-2006, 12:16 PM
That would help if I could keep a drink or two in there for him.

350Xhilaration
03-16-2006, 06:55 PM
I can bring a fridge as well. Small camper fridge I use at work by my desk when we're not using it for camping.

Glad you thought of that Howdy...I know Speedbump will have the motorhome with a fridge also.

LonesomeTriZ
03-17-2006, 09:41 AM
Don't go to any trouble. If you all happen to bring a fridge and have room I would appreciate it if I could keep a drink or two in there for my boy. By the way, how far away from the gate is a store? I may have to make daily runs to get milk and what ever.

Jeffro33
03-17-2006, 10:58 AM
I use cold towels on my neck all the time working construction during the summer time. It works great. The only part that I don't like is first thing in the morning they are like ice cubes on my neck but I have no problem with that by lunch time.

Howdy
03-17-2006, 12:38 PM
Don't go to any trouble. If you all happen to bring a fridge and have room I would appreciate it if I could keep a drink or two in there for my boy. By the way, how far away from the gate is a store? I may have to make daily runs to get milk and what ever.

The closest store is about 2 miles away. Plans are for me to have my kids there and we are sure to have at least a 1/2 gallon to a Gallon of milk ( 2% ) on hand. This is why I am bringing the fridge.
Howdy

LonesomeTriZ
03-17-2006, 12:43 PM
I see, would there be any room for another half gallon possibly?

Howdy
03-17-2006, 12:50 PM
I see, would there be any room for another half gallon possibly?

Why certanly!! It's actually a nice sized fridge. It runs off of Propane. But no worries there either. I got a few 20lb bottles left over from years past ( Thanks Jeswinehart!! ;) ).
FYI, I am bringing coolers for my canned beverages and such. ;)
Howdy

LonesomeTriZ
03-17-2006, 01:03 PM
I think how cooler will do us fine for our regular food. I am just worried about the milk. It would be nice not to have to run to the store evry time he needs some. This situation is starting to look a lot better.

Howdy
03-17-2006, 01:59 PM
I think how cooler will do us fine for our regular food. I am just worried about the milk. It would be nice not to have to run to the store evry time he needs some. This situation is starting to look a lot better.

Just relax, kick back and come make some great memories at TF!! I am sure your boy will have a ball. If you want I will bring him a 3 wheeler he can ride ( See Picture ). Might as well get him on 3 wheels as well.

Howdy

LonesomeTriZ
03-17-2006, 02:06 PM
That is so cool. I bet he would love that. I bought a Power wheel three wheeler a while back. As soon as I can find some bateries and a charger for it, I plan to get him started on that. I already have the Zinger freshly rebiult and waiting.

TimSr
03-17-2006, 10:37 PM
I think how cooler will do us fine for our regular food. I am just worried about the milk. It would be nice not to have to run to the store evry time he needs some. This situation is starting to look a lot better.

We always bring milk in our cooler. Cereal from a styrofoam cup is an easy breakfast to make! I fill several Gatorade bottles with water and freeze them. They keep the cooler as it should be, and when they melt we have cold drinking water. Remember that large chunks of ice last a lot longer than bags of crushed ice. A frozen 2 liter bottle will last for 3 days in a cooler kept closed.

LonesomeTriZ
03-21-2006, 01:01 PM
Thanks Tim, that is great advice.

MyMistress86R
03-23-2006, 07:30 PM
I am not a parent but I learned this trick as a young girl playing in softball tournaments. The great thing is that this works for anyone at any age, try this out. A day or two before your trip soak several(this will help to make sure you can alternate) hand towls and place them in plastic ziplock bags. Place in fridge or freezer (your choice) a child this small; probably fridge.

During your trip leave these down inside cooler/cooler water when it melts. Pull these out during those really hot times and drape them around the back of his neck. You may want to wait a couple of minutes if you think they will be too cold for him. Doing this will help to keep internal body heat down some to prevent heat exhaustion. This works great for anyone of any age.

Alternative method: keep a seperate small cooler for just these towls put ice over them. As the ice melts it will create cold wet towels for you again & again. Hope you find this info at least somewhat helpful. :)

This is actually such a good idea that most outdoor gear stores that sell camping supplies and such have neck wraps designed to do just this function and are engineered to last longer without such drastic temp changes over time. I had one once (but lost it) and it worked well...the contact surface, outer cloth, actually stayed rather dry, but the the internal substance was very cooling and efficient.

Now, with that said...it's cool that you are even considering this. You are a MUCH braver man than I.

Todd

LonesomeTriZ
03-24-2006, 09:57 AM
Thay say there is a fine line between bravery and stupidity.:lol: I am not sure which side of the fence and am on just yet.:wondering