Summer is often the time when we pack the kids into the car and head off on vacation.
There are those who will tell you that car travel is a story about frayed nerves, hoarse voices and a firm determination to never, ever do this again.
And yet, there are families who travel by car and not only survive, but have fun doing it. What are their tricks?In the summer of 1973 we decided, against the advice of everyone we knew, to pack up the kids (who were then 14 months and 28 months of age) and head off in the family auto from Vancouver to Toronto. We had a ball. We ignored our negative friends (many of whom had no children). Instead we got advice from friends whose children were grown, who had travelled with various numbers of children of all ages, and who told us we would have fun.
That trip was one of many, and the trips were invariably fun. So sit down and pour a cup of coffee while I pass on our tips for successful travel with children.
AttitudeI have a friend with four children. When she gets in the car she assumes everything will be fine with the children, and it is. Another friend gets in the car saying, "I just know this is going to be a nightmare," and usually it is. Children will most often exceed our expectations.
So decide that the trip will be fun. Look forward to it. This not only gives you extra energy to make it work, it lets the children know what you expect.
PlanningNow it would be great to think that a positive attitude is all that is needed. Most trips are a disaster because there is no planning. There is plenty of agonizing, worrying and fretting, but no planning. Travelling with children involves certain strategies, accommodations and structures. The trick is to plan the trip with the specific needs of your children in mind.
Developmental NeedsBabies and toddlers co-operate beautifully when there is no disruption in eating and sleeping patterns. So, you will have a much better holiday if you plan your trips to accommodate their mealtimes, naptimes and bedtimes.
If you have older children who can read without getting carsick you are a winner. Magnetic games are a hit with school-aged children. CDs are wonderful and you can sing along. And your kids will want to bring their electronic games and their own music. This is great but it's a good idea to determine how much time they can spend plugged in. You don't want them to miss the actual trip.Print or digital maps are a great idea for school-aged kids. They let the children know where they are, where they are going and they love to trace the trip. For those who are using tour books (again either print or digital), children can be recruited to research motels, campgrounds, restaurants, and tourist attractions along the way.
Turn all trips into a bit of a field trip (but don't lecture the whole way!!!). However, you can make it interesting and exciting.
Food and ExerciseGetting the whole family up, dressed and out in the morning is as big a problem on the road as it is at home. We had a sure-fire method for handling this. We would serve the children juice in the motel room as we all quickly dressed and hit the road. We stopped for breakfast an hour or so later. By this time the kids were ready to eat a good breakfast. Children don't have the patience to sit quietly while their parents enjoy a cup of coffee. Our strategy was for one adult to take the kids out for a run immediately after the meal. The other stayed for a quiet cup of coffee. We alternated this arrangement. In this way each adult had an occasional quiet moment alone, and the children got exercise before getting back in the car.
Lunch was picnic-style so the children could run. The menu invariably included meat, cheese, rolls and fruit that could be nibbled on the fly. If they didn't eat, we didn't worry; they'd had a good breakfast.
Mid-afternoon was cold drinks and exercise time and we always stopped early in the evening. Because schoolyards are easier to find than parks, we took the children to the local school for a good run before dinner.
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The trick is simple. Plan your family vacations realistically. Children need regular exercise, have short attention spans and need frequent food, drink, and bathroom breaks.
Kathy Lynn is a professional speaker and author of Vive la Différence, Who's In Charge Anyway? and But Nobody Told Me I'd Ever Have to Leave Home. If you want to read more, sign up for her informational newsletter at parentingtoday.ca.
