“I’m gonna be siiiiiiiiick!!!” Words you definitely don’t want to hear coming from the back seat of the car.
I’ll take crying. I’ll even take yelling. These are parent-child driving dilemmas I can handle (I’ve nailed the “mom stare” through my rear view mirror), but car sickness strikes when you least expect it and boy, is it not pretty.
Motion sickness happens when your body is moving but your eyes are seeing and experiencing something totally different. For example, looking out the window as mom or dad drives the minivan 60 miles an hour on the highway. It typically strikes kids between the ages of 5 to 12 years old and symptoms can include nausea, sweating, headache, and vomiting.
The good news (if you can call it that) is that some children exhibit a few helpful warning signs prior to getting sick. (Note: My child does not.) There’s the chatty kid who all of a sudden goes silent. There’s the dry-heaver who gives you a few extra seconds before erupting. But sometimes motion sickness overcomes a child in the blink of an eye, and can make driving extremely stressful.
So grab some zip lock bags, a can of air freshener and a few lollipops because Willie and I have some helpful solutions in our latest episode of Parental Guidance, TODAY's original video series. Motion sickness is no laughing matter — even though we totally laugh about it — so arm yourself with the tools you need to ease your child’s tummy!
Now, we are parents just like you and while we think we have some pretty good ideas, we certainly don’t have all the answers…WE WANT YOUR HELP! Tell us what’s stressing you out at home. Better yet, send us your tips, tricks, or even words of wisdom that make your life a little bit easier. Do you have an idea for an upcoming Parental Guidance? Tell us on Facebook or Twitter with the hashtag #ParentalGuidance: @megancolarossi, @williegeist, @today_parents.