(VIDEO LINK IN TIP 5)
Summertime... and the living is easy. Time for a nice family road trip. An opportunity to see the countryside and spend quality time together. The intention is always good.
But then there's reality. About midway in, you find yourself trapped in this moving hotbox for hours with children bickering and all you want is out!
I'm going to offer up some tips that I hope will be helpful for you as your embark on a vacation that will bring you all fond memories for years to come.
5 TIPS FOR ROAD TRIPS
1. Make the journey part of the adventure. I know some adults like to create a little competition for themselves with road trips. They want to see how fast they can arrive at the destination while attempting to limit all stops along the way. Well if you have young, active children, you have a choice to make: Get there quickly and have mutiny on your hands or plan for some fun stops along the way and maintain your sanity.
2. Car games like "I spy" are great and can occupy kids for a while, but they will still get fidgety in the car and need to move. This inevitably prompts poking and otherwise annoying siblings. Have your children bring along some "fidget toys" ie. stress balls, wiki stix, fidget cubes, mandala coloring books and markers.
3. Make periodic stops with the goal of releasing energy. Create a 5-minute active game. Perhaps a race to a nearby landmark and back to the car or "Follow the Leader" in which each person runs around the car like certain animal and everyone has to follow suit. (Great entertainment for passersby!)
4. Choose foods strategically. Crunchy foods like carrots and snap peas can help stimulate the need for movement. Sipping thick drinks, like a smoothie, through a straw can also be helpful.
5. When you feel yourself getting frustrated, see if you can cool your jets before responding. I know this is often really hard to do in the close confines of the car, so I made a 2-minute video for you in which I share my favorite tip for calming down in the car. www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnMKVcqWxnc
I hope these tips are helpful. HAPPY ADVENTURING!
