We hoped our kids would love it just as much as us. Even after our second child Ryley was born, we want to bring her along the ride. Traveling was so important to us and we loved it. Then came the diagnosis, we are not able to leave our home for months because Ryley couldn’t handle sensory overload.

I grieved over her diagnosis and the life I dreamed of. I also grieved over not being able to get up and go. I cried over lost dreams. Then one day we tried a short trip. It was not too bad. So we tried again a few months later. Then came the day we had to do a 12-hour drive to say good-bye to my husband's grandma. That trip taught us we can travel and gave us some insight on how we can make it easier.

We learned traveling while they slept was easy. Even now when the kids are 7 and 15, we still do a ton of night drives. We also make sure the kids’ needs are met before we leave. We pack preferred snacks and drinks. We will pack pillows, blankets, and some light plush. We make sure they have books and electronics to keep them entertained. In addition, we always have easy access to clean clothes for Ryley since she does not handle dirty well. For long trips, we make sure to stop for at least one good meal to break up the trip. We let the kids run and play at rest stops. Sometimes we have a ball for them to play with.