playing dvd's in the car

My mom and stepdad got the girls DVD players for the car. It is a lifesaver...however...I have created monsters! As soon as I say we are leaving, Lauren starts chanting "Elmo" since that's in the DVD player in the car. I don't play it for them every single time we get in the car, I tried to save it for "distances" but it seems that I'm plugging it in for shorter trips.

I do sometimes tell them it's a quick trip, no Elmo this time. Instead sometimes we will sing songs or play games, etc., but I find I am so less distracted if I play the DVD.

So my question is, if you have them in the car, how often do you turn them on?

 

All the time Michelle. What can I say, they have no interest in staring at trees with no leaves :lol: Seriously, I was the same way at first and now, I don't care. If it keeps them happy and calm in the car, it allows me to be a more focused driver and that is my priority when I'm in the car. I bring different dvds into the car all the time. The only time I usually don't play it is when it is a quick trip to wal-mart or the library or supermarket which are all less than a 5 minute drive. Once in a while, I will just play one of their music cds just to let them take a break and make them look out the window to see what is going on in the world outside of tv. The other day we rocked out to Green Day all the way to the park. I just wanted to see how they would do without the dvd. They were so excited to be going to the park that they were ok that it wasn't on. Every couple of minutes I would say, "We are going to the park!!! Yeah!!!" just to remind them and get them excited and not thinking about the dvd. It worked.

 

We do it for long distances OR if we want to keep them up if we are close to home and want them to nap at home.

If they saw a movie one day, the next day they get in the car and want it on. I say, "no movie...music- we will put on Barney music ( :bad: )"

Luckily, they like music almost just as much so it works.

 

We only use it for long distances--especially since we can't find the remote, therefore can't skip the previews

For a while they would fight me, but now they like to look for things outside the car--like find the red car, or what does that truck say, etc.

 

Sounds like they might be removable? I would only put them in for long trips but you are talking to someone who took her two year olds 30 hours one way with no dvd player in the vehicle so take my advice with a grain of salt.

 

Everytime! I can't say enough what a lifesaver our DVD has been. I told my husband we will NEVER get a car w/o one again until the girls are 18 The only time we don't play it is if we are going to grandmas which is literally 1 1/2 minutes away tops! I also bring different DVD's to keep their interest. Also ours doesn't have any sound and still love it! I have to say though I completely understand what you are saying about Elmo. I just started playing CD's for them too and all DD can say is Elmo, Elmo, Elmo. She wants EVERY song to be Elmo. She even starts chanting it before the song has finished b/c she thinks she will have to do w/o Elmo.

 

We were the exact same when we got the van w/DVD player last summer! I held strong for a month or two..then for a while it was on every time we were in the car. To cut back, I started making DD pick on the way there or on the way back. After awhile the novelty wore off and we have been using is less...but still a lot more than I ever thought I would allow. Sometimes the peace is worth it. I'm holding fast on no TVs in the bedrooms though!!!

 

We have had a DVD player in our van since we got it 4 years ago. The rule we have had since day 1 is we only watch movies on long trips, meaning 45 min. or more. So everyone knows they are only for long trips.

 

We have one in the van too. The boys could care less about it right now, but for my DD it is a lifesaver. She used to be a screamer in the car seat. I let her watch usually if we are 20 mins or more in travel time. It took a few tears when she could not watch it on the way to the grocery store, but she eventually got it.

 

QUOTE(MichelleL @ May 1 2008, 09:37 PM) [snapback]751267[/snapback]
So my question is, if you have them in the car, how often do you turn them on?


Like the PP, we also use them for long trips (45+ minutes). And they are usually a show (Dora, Diego, Laurie Berkner videos) that last about 30-40 minutes.

Of course, there was the one exception where I had to return an outfit of mine to a store. I knew that I would want to try on another size. It wasn't worth having DH & K&M tagging along so we put a movie in and the three of them stayed in the car while I ran into the store! It worked out great and I'm sure we'll do that again if the situation arose!

 

Ours automatically come on when I turn on the car. But lately I've noticed they would much rather watch out the windows than watch their DVD, so I just shut it off. For long trips, it's a lifesaver though!

 

It honestly depends on my mood. I try to put my foot down on the 10 minute trips to the store. On the way home though if they have been extra trying in the store I put it on for a 10 min sanity saver. Any time we are trying to keep them up it comes on, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. They ask about 95% of the time, but I have definitely been known to say no. My favorite DVD's are the Nick Jr ones. It is like 7 episodes of the shows they already know.

 

Its so hard at that age for them to understand. We can now just keep it for longer trips (although my DH would put it on for a 2 minute ride - I keep telling him) I try to keep it for anything over 1/2 hour.

 

We only use them on rides 2 hours or more. We store them when not in use.

 

Unfortunately we play ours all the time too. Wehave Finding Nemo in and I can get them in the can easiest if I say, "Let's go watch Nemo." it's so pathetic, but like you say, a total lifesaver.

 

We only use them for longer trips -- which is anything about an hour or over. They've stopped asking, just be consistent.

 

We never got one. We have been driving to and from Cape Cod just about every weekend during the summer since they were born and have never needed it. (It's about 1-1 1/2 hours in the car). We sing songs, play "find the flag, red house, whatever".

I think if you are firm with them, or only have the player out for longer trips, then they will learn.

ETA: We are planning a trip next year, possibly to the Outer Banks. For that, we will probably have one.

 

Was just thinking if u just have the screens that velcro to the back of the seats maybe u could take them out and they won't be "reminded" about Elmo maybe

 

I think in my SUV that had the built in DVD player, we used it a handful of times. Since we only used it on long trips, they didn't ask for it. We have portable dvd players, and have never used them in the car (we got rid of the big SUV last summer). I'm trying to decide if I want to bother taking them for the car trip to sesame?

 

Thanks ladies! I think I was more curious than anything to see how often everyone else turns them on.

I've had pretty good success with turning it on/off as I see fit. I just found that I was plugging it in a little more than I should because *I* liked the quiet!

 

I use it for long trips and if we are out running errands all day long. Other than that, I just say, "No movie," and that's that. My mom is really bad about letting them watch it every time she is in the car with them and I'm not, which surprises me because I have great memories of singing and playing games in the car when I was a kid.

 

QUOTE(double-or-nothing @ May 2 2008, 01:46 AM) [snapback]751297[/snapback]
All the time Michelle. What can I say, they have no interest in staring at trees with no leaves :lol: Seriously, I was the same way at first and now, I don't care. If it keeps them happy and calm in the car, it allows me to be a more focused driver and that is my priority when I'm in the car. I bring different dvds into the car all the time. The only time I usually don't play it is when it is a quick trip to wal-mart or the library or supermarket which are all less than a 5 minute drive. Once in a while, I will just play one of their music cds just to let them take a break and make them look out the window to see what is going on in the world outside of tv. The other day we rocked out to Green Day all the way to the park. I just wanted to see how they would do without the dvd. They were so excited to be going to the park that they were ok that it wasn't on. Every couple of minutes I would say, "We are going to the park!!! Yeah!!!" just to remind them and get them excited and not thinking about the dvd. It worked.


ditto to that!! lol.. we dont have a dvd player in our house, so the car is where we watch all of our disney movies and kid dvds. It's a treat for them i guess. they will ride in the car forever! My dvd player is built in so there is no taking it out or hiding it. I do turn it off occasionally so i can listen to the radio!

 

So far we've only busted out the DVD player (built in) 3 times in the year and a half we've had the van, and every time it did the trick!

Once in a while they'll ask for it, but if I put on some of their music, the meltdown usually calms quickly.

 

I wish we had them. Sounds like fun Chelle! I would use them whenever needed if we had them.

 

We play DVDs on just about every trip - short or long. Before we installed the DVD system, I used to dread taking them anywher in the car. One of my boys hates being confined in car seats and throws a fit. Now, they get to watch movies or the Wiggles and they don't make a peep on car trips. What a lifesaver!! We have a system that allows them to watch two different DVDs - will be great as they get older and don't agree on what to watch.

 

[SIZE=12pt]Ours were wonderful and played all the time. They both started messing up and about 2 months ago both completely quit working. The twins were a bit upset at first but with them messing up they sort of phased out over time until the end. I would like to get more though. When we go to the drivein they like to watch their own movies while we sit in the back and watch ours lol[/SIZE]

 

Only on vacation/visiting grandparent (one tip 6 hours the other 12+) trips. Even then, we listen to music for the first 1-2 hours, stop for a potty break, then watch one video. After the next stop, we listen to music or play games for another couple of hours. Then, they will get one more video on the shorter trip and two more on the longer trip (again with a couple of hours without the video playing).

They know that they don't get to watch when we are just driving around since I never say yes. Although right after one of our long trips, they will ask for a video for a day or two.

 

Only for long trips.

Sometimes I feel like I spend my life counting how long each child is on the computer, tv, gets physical activity, has alone time.

Otherwise they are plugged in all the time!

 

I've not gotten them one yet, but I am. We are going to Texas in July, and with some of our stimulus check I am getting a DVD player for in the car.

 

We use ours for long trips, or if I want to keep them awake in the car so that they do not fall asleep before nap time.

For awhile, they begged every time we got in the car. But as a pp said, be consistent and they will stop asking. Our solution was the Disney Greatest Hits CDs (my kids are Disney junkies). So now they get in the car and request songs. They keep the peace by taking turns choosing which song we will all listen to next. Now, we can easily last an hour car ride just choosing songs! It is great.