Help for Parents Traveling with Children
Summer is finally here and families across the United States are packing their bags for family vacations. Just the thought of spending 12 to 14 hours or more in a car with children can cause many parents to have a panic attack. The screaming, fighting, and whining can make anyone think twice about a road trip.
The most important thing to remember is that traveling with children is different than traveling with teenagers or adults. The age of children is important to take into consideration, also. An eight year old has different needs than a three year old.
Also understand that, while you may like to stop at a restaurant and have a sit-down dinner, your children are just anxious to get to the destination. Some parents find it easiest to travel at night, but the children miss scenery and the experience of the road trip.
Some things to pack in the car:
1. Make sandwiches the night before leaving so your little riders will have a snack to eat along the way. peanut butter and jelly is a good choice because it won’t spoil. This also cuts out time that would be spent in a restaurant or fast food drive through (neither of which would help the children wear out their energy).
2. Include a lot of non-messy snacks and drinks. Little carrots, apple slices, pudding cups, small individual sized bags of chips, M&Ms, etc. Try to stay away from beverages that contain caffeine and lots of sugar. Juice boxes or water in a sippy-cup or fun thermos makes for great travel rehydration!
3. Don’t forget to bring along a few bags to put garbage in, otherwise you’ll have to do some serious cleaning once you reach your destination. Keep a trash bag in the backseat and be sure the kids put their trash in the bag.
4. Pack some fun things for the kids to do along the way. Ad-LIB books, coloring books, colored pencils (NOT markers and NOT crayons- the heat will cause them to melt or explode), car games (many toy stores sell games to be played in the car), cards, summer reading books (if you are traveling at night a flashlight or book reading light would be useful), etc.
5. Bring a pillow and blanket for each child and encourage them to take an afternoon nap.
6. It’s also a good idea to cover the seats with an old comforter or sleeping bag in case of spills.
7. Prior to leaving, buy each child a few new toys or things to do in the car. Don’t let them have any of these items until you are on the road. Give the items out throughout your road trip.
8. Some parents swear by the DVD players in their cars. This is great for really young children. You can let them pick out a few new DVDs before leaving, save them until you get on the road so they are something new and different. You can plan how many videos you will need to take and let the kids know that you will be at the destination after they watch all of the movies- if it takes 14 hours to reach your destination, bring along 7 DVDs. Your child can visibly see, from the pile of DVDs, how much progress is being made and will cut down on the infamous “ARE WE THERE YET?”
9. Bring headphones and CD players for each child so there is no arguing over music.
10. Make sure the kids dress comfortably. Tight pony tails, waistbands that are too tight, shirts that are too hot, or dresses with itchy lace or fabric will make your child irritable and miserable. Road trips are not the time for fashion statements or best-dressed kid contests.
Some things to help along the way:
1. When planning your route or calculating the time it will take to reach your destination, include an extra hour or so for bathroom breaks and leg stretches. Bring a Frisbee or ball to play with during these breaks so the kids can run out that extra energy that has been building up. Let the children get out at the gas station to stretch their legs.
2. Tell your child ahead of time when you plan on stopping. Make her drink fluids about 30 minutes before you stop so that she will go to the bathroom when you stop.
3. If your child is old enough to read a map, get an extra map for her to follow along.
4. Encourage the kids to switch seats after each stop for a change of scenery.
5. Point out various landmarks and/or scenery along the way.
6. Encourage naps, but discourage late afternoon naps (you DO want them to sleep through the night).
7. Make up some fun games to play in the car, like:
a. Billboard alphabet- start with A and find a billboard with a word that starts with A. The only rule is you cannot skip a letter. This can also be done with store signs, advertisements, etc.
b. The license plate game- make a list of all 48 mainland states and put a check next to each state license you see on the road. Cars at a rest stop don’t count!
c. The road sign bingo, before you leave home, make bingo cards of various road signs or scenery. The first person to have bingo wins.
The most important thing to remember is that kids change a road trip. Try not to lose perspective. You may not make “good time,” but you can have fun along the way. Isn’t that the whole point to a family vacation?
