An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure

What do you do when you are on the road and your child's whining and kvetching is slowly escalating to a full blown tantrum/meltdown and Mommy is about to join in?

At that point it just about too late. You are either going to have to pull the car over and deal with the situation, which more than likely could just end in you spinning your wheels (no pun intended) or you are going to have to bag the trip and go home.

Well, as the title states this is about prevention rather than cure.

Here are several ideas that may help.

Is your child REALLY hungry or having a sugar low? Always try to have snacks and water in the car. High protein foods like peanut or soynut butter, fruit sauces (like unsweetened applesauce) and fruit cups, keep well in a car and are great at helping to regulate sugar levels if this may be a concern of yours. I would suggest nuts only if your children are much older to avoid any (G-d forbid) choking hazards. It can be amazing how a normally sweet child can become less than controlled if they have a real sugar issue.

Know your child's limits and try to work around them. How much can your child reasonably handle? When is his best time? Are you traveling at a bad time for him or you for that matter? Can the trip be arranged at a better time? For myself I hate traveling or going out at night. I would much rather travel or do errands in the morning, our children are probably the same way.

Make sure you are also refreshed and ready for the trip. Going out when you are frazzled or have had a long day only makes things worse because your patience is pretty well nil. Travel at the best time for you too.