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Summer is a time when families of all ages and sizes head out on the open road for a warm weather adventure.
Their destination might be the beach, the big city, or maybe just Grandma's house, but before they get wherever they are going, they have to survive the road trip.
While road trips can be fun, entertaining, and educational, they can also be grueling for both parents and children. Parents are on a schedule to get to the destination, however long it takes, and kids are not good at waiting and entertaining themselves.
Patience is just not a virtue most children have, and by the end of a long trip it can be in short supply for parents too.
With that in mind, here are five tips to help families survive a road trip.
1. Plan ahead.
Not everyone has weeks to prepare for a trip, but a lot can be done in even a day or two and can make all the difference on the trip. Make sure the kids' favorite t-shirts (or dresses, jeans, whatever) are washed and ready to go.
Shop for favorite snacks and treats and make sure to have car-friendly, age-appropriate toys and books. Buy new batteries and charge up the iPad, portable DVD player, or other electronic device. They will come in handy.
And don't forget to make sure the car is properly checked and maintained. AAA estimates 7.9 million motorists will get stranded this summer and their road trip may end before it begins.
Remember the old adage, "those who fail to prepare, prepare to fail."
2. Get the kids excited about the trip beforehand.
Parents should tell them about the destination and all the fun they will have when they get there. Make it seem like its worth the hours in the car.
Older kids can pick it out on a map and look up places to stop along the way. Younger ones can get an introduction to geography.
Prepare children for the length of the trip. Will it be as long as two movies? Or two days?
3. Pack their favorite foods.
Road trips are not the time to force-feed broccoli to children. However, they do not have to eat chocolate all day (and that gets messy anyway).
Buy the kids' favorite fruits, chips, and special treats they don't get often. Lollipops are great because they take a long time to eat and keep kids quiet too.
Make some sandwiches, bring juice boxes, sodas or water so fast food is not the only option.
4. Understand kids have limits.
Children are not just small adults. They need to burn off energy and can not be expected to sit still for countless hours.
Breaking up the trip with an hour at a park or a McDonald's playland may put Mom and Dad behind schedule a bit but will make the trip go much further.
And let them watch TV, movies, or play video games. It helps them pass the time and helps Mom and Dad keep their eyes on the road.
5. Have fun.
Sure, it can be long and messy and boring but have fun on the road trip.
Sing silly songs, play "I Spy", have the kids read a book aloud, tell them stories of the "old days" before kids were in the picture ... Just make it fun.
Make the road trip an adventure and just as much fun as the destination.
Vacations start when the car pulls out of the driveway, not when it arrives at the destination. Enjoy it!
Sources:
Metroparent.com. Web. 9 July 2012. "Safe summer road trip tips for your family vacation".
http://www.metroparent.com/Metro-Parent/July-2012/Safe-Summer-Road-Trip-Tips-for-Your-Family-Vacation
Newsroom.AAA.com. Web. 9 July 2012. "AAA expects 7.9 million stranded motorists this summer travel season".
http://newsroom.aaa.com/tag/summer-road-trip
Reviewed July 9, 2012
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith
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