Car trips with kids: a 10-point plan
Mapping it out…
Your trusty sat nav might get you there, but showing your child the route on a map can help to make the journey more enjoyable for everyone.
He’ll take more interest, while you can plan plenty of stops to alleviate the boredom which leads to squabbling and moaning.
In a recent survey, 58 per cent of parents cited bickering children as their number one in-car distraction (compared to just 18 per cent who nominated their hands-free phone). So involving your child, and spotting places to look out for, might just give you a head start…
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Patsy1964 replied 9 weeks 6 days ago
And the relevance of your comment to the article, DavidCarla?
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Patsy1964 replied 9 weeks 6 days ago
The general advice for long car trips with small or even teenage children, and assuming that you are going on holiday, remember that it is just that: a holiday. Firstly pack everything the day before you intend to leave, pack the car lock it or put it in the garage for safety.
Even if you are taking your car overseas and need to catch the ferry/Euro Star, then plan stops so that you get a break from a long drive, and more to the point the children can let of steam in a large garden area attached to a pub or services station. You can also have a break and it keeps the kids from getting bored and comming out with the proverbial :" Are we nearly there yet?"
One trick that was provided to me on another site altogether was the sleep over in the car by travelling at night. This is particularly suited to very small children between two and seven years and can be very effective. The parent who is going to do the first part of the driving (assuming that both parents can drive) goes to bed in the early afternoon to gain the sleep required to see them through the first couple of hours or more.
In the meantime, the other parent plays with the kids in the garden, preferable energetic games like playing "it" (tag or however it is referred to these days) or football, rounders etc.
This will (hopefully) wear the kids out and so they are more likely to want to go to sleep earlier than usual. Meanwhile, wake up other parent an hour before you are due to leave so that they are not driving immediately after waking up and have "come round" and attentive for driving purposes.
Later, bath the children, and put them in to pyjamas and a dressing gown, and put either socks or warm slippers on their feet. Give them a little snack and make sure that they go to the toilet before you put them in the car and start your journey.
Hopefully driving over night will mean that the children will be asleep for the majority journey and when you change drivers whilst they are asleep in the back. You will probably have to wake up your partner too because they will have been as exhausted as the children, but they will at least be "fresh" to drive, and you can take your nap.
Of course you will need to take a break, so you can get refreshments and "stretch your legs" and the children can be woken up for them to go to the toilet again and taken in to the services. If the children are very young, no one (in their right mind) is going to worry if the children are wrapped up in a dressing gown, and providing the children don't start running around.
Once you have had your break, then the other partner takes over the driving whilst you take your nap. The children will still probably drop off to sleep again and you will hopefully avoid the boredom for the children on long journeys.
Of course you still go for the songs on the in car entertainment, or family games like good old "I-Spy" and perhaps playing card games (I am not suggesting poker!) like snap or board games where the pieces are plugged in and cannot slip after they are moved. I would not suggest that you play draughts or Chess or similar board games as heavy breaking may throw the items across the car and all parties throwing tantrums !
If your trip is to go on holiday, then time is not of the essence unless you have a plane or ferry to connect with. Long journeys where is of the essence then you need to plan your stops and make sure that you can wake up the kids, partner, lock the car and check in your luggage with an hour to spare before the external departure.
If the children are in pyjamas you can quickly change them in to easy care clothes like the equivalent of jogging bottoms & T-Shirt and slip on shoes. Put the pyjamas in the hand luggage, and jump on the plane.
I have probably made this sound far easier than it will probably turn out; but it will at least cut down on the "are we nearly there yet?" routine.
Happy long distance driving !
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DavidCarla28 (not verified) replied 42 weeks 7 hours ago
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