dvd player in minivan????

[ellairiesmom]

Thought this was a general parenting/mama/dada personal preference type ?...

We are in the process of the "minivan transition"...i am doing my research on the honda vs the toyota, new vs used...

For those of you who have dvd players in your cars or minivans...can you tell me what you like or hate about it? And more specifically, do you have one on the back of the seat in front of your LO or do you have the kind coming down from the ceiling? Do you have something that came with your vehicle or did you add it on aftermarket?

Are there any safety issues with one on the back of the seat?

Can you tell me about logistics? Like when you are driving & your LOs are watching something, can you & DH truly listen to your own thing upfront without any issues? If my DD1 wants to listen to one of her kids music cds, but we can't take it anymore-can she listen to it in the back out of the dvd player while we listen to our own music upfront?

Sorry if this seems like silly stuff to ask-we have no experience with this stuff yet!

[Drummer's Wife]

We have a vehicle with a built-in overhead DVD player, and we've also owned the kinds that have two screens to strap onto the back of the headrests. We only watch movies for long road trips (and actually, our last one to CA we didn't even bring any DVD's).

You can use headphones if you want to be able to hear music in the front. I guess it depends on where the sound comes out - ie separate speakers or from the stereo. If you have an ipod in the front, then that won't matter as much. Ours can run through either way, I believe - but we usually just talk or listen to what the kids are watching.

Safety-wise, I'm sure the factory installed ones are crash tested - but the strap-on ones are not and would be a projectile in an accident.

[ChristyMarie]

Mine is a built in that pops up between the front seats. There are headphone jacks so that he can listen on headphones or through the general speakers. He usually uses the headphones so the adult(s) can talk or listen to the radio or whatever.

I never ever thought I wanted one and almost didn't order it as an option. DH talked me into it. I am SO glad. So glad. It makes car trips so much easier on all of us.

[Ellen Griswold]

Just for another perspective, we purchased a used mini van about 2 weeks ago. I specially did NOT want one with a built-in dvd player. In my mind it is one more thing that would break, my kids (7 and 3) already fight over what movie to watch on long trips, and I believe that my kids (esp. my son) would ask for it to be on all.the.time. The last one was the deciding factor for me. I drive my son to and from school each day, 1/2 hour one way. Having a tv on that much is unacceptable to me. Yes, I could just say no, but I would be saying no A LOT (my child is very determined). Not worth the battle.

It seemed to us that the entertainment package added about $1000 to the cost of the vehicle. Hand helds are far less.

[philomom]

My nieces and nephews have this and I think it turns them into zombies. You can't point out cows, cemeteries, bridges or any other point of interest because they are watching Nemo for the 456th time.

[Drummer's Wife]

I guess it depends on the kids (mine don't care about it - except for long, long trips when we make them stare at it - to get them to stop fighting). They also don't watch much TV at home b/c we don't have cable, PBS, or a DVD player - so that leaves adult shows, which the younger three don't care about.

Now, computers and video games are a different story... which reminds me, they do watch shows via netflix - but they don't ask to watch anything in the car.

[NiteNicole]

We have the kind that drops down from above.

For the most part, it's just our back up on long car trips. She has a doctor that's about two and a half hours away. She usually doesn't ask for it on the way there, but on the way home I'm glad we have it. It usually gets us through the last long 45 minute stretch. It's also been useful on really long car trips to the mountains (ten hours) and beach (eight hours).

They seem to come in most mini vans and SUVs so I know a lot of people who have them. For the most part we all seem to be using them the same way - on long trips. I guess when you first get one the novelty factor may cause your kids to ask for it a lot, but I bet that wears off fast. For the most part, my daughter would rather talk to us (and talk and talk and talk) and it's only when she's really tired or we've been in the car for AGES that she asks for it. Although I guess every kid is different.

[hergrace]

We did not get the built in player when we bought our van and I am glad. We actually have to take the player to the car if we want to use it so it isn't there unless we have a several hour drive. It would be too easy to turn it on for some peace if the little ones were demanding it and it lived in the car.

We give DS1 a handheld player with headphones in the middle row and DD, DS2 and DS3 are in the back row with a screen with speaker that we have wired to a player in the front console. That way, DS1 doesn't have to watch a "baby" movie.

With the speaker on in the back row, DH and I can have a conversation if we are both in the front row, but we can't really listen to our own thing.

I love having it with a car full of toddlers and preschoolers. It makes it possible for us to do the 6-hour drive to visit my parents and come back after a long weekend without feeling totally drained. Now that DS1 is older, I would like to wean him off it completely, but I think it is a losing battle (short of breaking the player), but we do limit him to one movie on a 6-hour drive.

[Ornery]

We ended up getting the strap on ones for our minivan that have headphone jacks. About once a year we make an 18 hour drive (one way) to see family and three to four times a year we make a 10 hour drive (one way) to see family. Those are the only times we use them and they are SO worth it. They are only used for those trips and trust me, they are worth their weight in gold to us.

My children understand that we don't watch them at any other times and really look forward to the trips so that they can. They don't watch movies the entire time (we play plenty of I-Spy) and get tons of enjoyment out of the natural scenery.

I would not have gotten them if we didn't have such long drives. In fact, I resisted getting them for the longest time, silly me, but we have benefited greatly from them.

[Heavenly]

My little zombies...er, children...love it for long trips. We see no point in causing us all to suffer while we drive 6 hours one way every 8 weeks. We have the overhead one that the older two watch and then the little one has her own personal one because there is no way you are going to get a 7/9 year old and a 4 year old to want to watch the same thing. The overhead one is not working right now so instead of replacing it we are probably going to get two more portable units which will be much cheaper and then they can all watch their own thing. Pointing at cows is nice and all but after 6 hours of cows...not so interesting anymore.

[ellairiesmom]

Thx for all the feedback. I am not looking to turn on a movie everytime we get into the car. And yes, we talk in the car (i wonder how such a little mouth can talk sooo much!) lol, we look at things outside, we sing songs ALL THE TIME (mommy sing, mommy sing!) But I would like some of our several times a week hour long trips to have a backup for when I need it. But I know it will also require me saying no often too...which is tough.

Ideally-a movie once in awhile is great. What would really be the BOMB is dd1 being able to listen to her own music at times. maybe what i really need to be looking into are one of those toddler mp3 players...

For those who mentioned handheld or portable dvd units-when you use them, do you actually just have your LO hold the unit?

The drop down or back of the seat units are a problem for younger kids if you keep them rear facing as long as they are supposed to be. But hand held can be dangerous in a crash PLUS if they drop it, who picks it up if DH isn't in the car too?

[Heavenly]

The one my 4 year old uses is attached to the back of the driver's seat. I don't really see what the issue is with having to say no. That worry confuses me. My kids get told no about things, and they don't always get what they want. They were told from day 1 that the tv was only for long trips. Yes the 4 year old will occasionally whine to watch something and I will just respond, "No, only for long trips" and she drops it. There is nothing wrong with saying no to your kids, they need limits, as we all do.

[an_aurora]

We have/had one (it broke about 2 years ago) of the built in ones. We only used it for long road trips. It was one that popped down, and my kids were all rear-facing and would just tip their heads and look up at it.

[Joyster]

I'm researching a van too. I don't think I'll be getting one. So far my guys are pretty good long distance travelers so I'm not going to get one while they are. We have a portable one that we use on planes-though my kids just pass out the minute we get on one anyhow. If the time comes though, where they're not road warriors, I might consider one that you strap in, they seem a lot cheaper than the built in ones to boot.

[Bellabaz]

Originally Posted by philomom

My nieces and nephews have this and I think it turns them into zombies. You can't point out cows, cemeteries, bridges or any other point of interest because they are watching Nemo for the 456th time.

This is exactly how we feel about them. Although I wil conceded that after listening to dd1 talk for 2.hours.straight. and ask why every 3 minutes, I can understand why people have them. But for us they are a no.

[blessedwithboys]

i bought a new honda pilot 6 mos ago and got every option except the RES. we're taking a looong roadtrip next month with 4 kids and if they get antsy we'll have 3 laptops in the car for them to watch a movie, yes, i know they will be projectiles, but honestly i'm not that worried about it bc it will just be for 90 mins going and 90 mins coming. we have way too much fun just laughing and talking on road trips.

[mama1803]

Originally Posted by philomom

My nieces and nephews have this and I think it turns them into zombies. You can't point out cows, cemeteries, bridges or any other point of interest because they are watching Nemo for the 456th time.

This is exactly why we were adament about not having T.V. in the car. We take some really long trips and my kids are used to reading, playing games, napping and taking in the sights. Because we take such long trips having a T.V. in the car would be way too much viewing time than what I'm comfortable with. With my kids, the arguing over what to watch and wanting to watch more would be more annoying than "are we there yet?"

[cjam]

We have an after market one that we use for long trips only. By long, I mean greater than 3 hours. It's the only way that my kids (3 & 5) can survive the 8 hour trip to grandma's house. I'm glad that we can completely remove it from the car because if it's in the car, the kids will bug to watch it. Yeah, I can say no, but it makes my life simpler if the DVD player is packed in a box in the basement instead of in their face.

[hergrace]

Originally Posted by Heavenly

. I don't really see what the issue is with having to say no. That worry confuses me. My kids get told no about things, and they don't always get what they want.

It's not that I don't say no to my kids. It is just easier on me not to have to. When I am tired and cranky and my willpower is in short supply, I prefer not to have the easy out of turning on a video available.

[Heavenly]

Originally Posted by hergrace

It's not that I don't say no to my kids. It is just easier on me not to have to. When I am tired and cranky and my willpower is in short supply, I prefer not to have the easy out of turning on a video available.

Well, personally I love the easy out of turning on a video.