Surviving the Road Trip

As fall continues and the weather gets cooler, my thoughts have naturally turned to simpler things, namely, cuddling up with my daughters and being warm and cozy. This season is all about getting back to the basics, staying in, eating yummy comfort food and relaxing. And with Thanksgiving approaching, I am looking forward to being with my family and friends over the long weekend, catching up, gossiping, hanging out and making new memories. Since I do not live near my family, I have also started planning for our impending Road Trip. Before having children, a day on the road was like any other day. But like anyone with children knows, a day on the road with children is a whole other experience — hence the capital letters in “Road Trip.” I think the severity of the situation warrants the use of them.

Given how bad the traffic is on Thanksgiving weekend, many of you might be travelling with your children to some faraway place like Pittsburgh too. So here are some suggestions to hopefully make the ride smoother for all of us. The long weekend is all about relaxing and enjoying one another’s company after all, and that enjoyment should begin from the moment you get in your vehicle, not just when you reach your destination.

Plan ahead and pack strategically. Just packing for a trip might sometimes be reason enough to throw in the towel and decide to stay home, but it needn’t be this way. Give yourself plenty of time to determine what you will need for your trip. Make a list if you have to, so you don’t forget anything. But know that no matter how much planning you do, you will probably end up overpacking, like me, or underpacking, like me when I tried to break myself of the habit of overpacking. Just make sure you pack everything you might need during the road trip in a separate bag so you don’t have to dig through the big suitcase in the trunk. And be sure to have a change of clothes handy for you and your kids in case of an unexpected mess.

Choose your travel time according to your children’s needs. You know your child best so you know what his or her temperament tends to be during the course of the day. Plan your trip according to your child’s sleep patterns, eating patterns and temperament. Make sure your child can get some sleep time in during your trip. For example, if your child naps well in the afternoon, you might consider leaving right after lunch. Or maybe you can leave a bit before lunch so your kids can eat on the road. The meal will occupy them, and you can make it into a fun treat if they are not used to eating in the car. And try not to stop anywhere while your child is sleeping. If your child is like mine, the second the vehicle is put into park position, her eyes will snap open, even if she just went down ten minutes before. Some people like to travel at night, putting their kids in their pajamas and hitting the road. But, of course, this works only if you are awake and alert enough to drive and if you have a child who sleeps well in his or her carseat or booster seat. If this plan backfires, you might find yourself somewhere on the interstate with a wide awake toddler at midnight.

Remember to stop regularly. If you’re traveling with toddlers, younger kids or children newly potty-trained, try not to drive more than two to three hours at a stretch. Expecting kids this age to sit still for longer is unrealistic. And make the most of those stops. Be as active as possible, maybe playing a quick game of tag in the park if it’s not too cold outside, having jumping contests or exploring some roadside attraction. The key is to plan ahead and know when and where you will take a break. Ask people who know the route for some recommendations. Check the internet for playgrounds, parks and attractions, such as fruit farms or scenic points. There are lots of ways to break up the drive without losing more than an hour.

Pack more snacks than you think you will need. I learned this lesson the hard way when I ran out of snacks halfway into the trip. Some favorite snacks that travel well are string cheese, pretzels, cookies, raisins, cereal O’s, sandwiches, apple slices and granola bars. Try and avoid messy snacks, like most fruit, juice boxes (which, with one squeeze, will spill all over your little one and the car seat), yogurt and anything else that requires a spoon. Keep water handy in spill-proof sippy cups. And try to let your regular rules about junk food slide for the duration of the trip – remember, a cookie might end up saving your sanity. Plus, having special trip-only treats can make the road trip an event to which your child looks forward. If you stop for a meal, try and choose a location that is kid-friendly. A good website to check out is www.kidseatfree.com. The site lists all the restaurants by state that offer free meals to kids. Certain conditions apply, so it’s a good idea to review the list beforehand.

Plan some low-key entertainment. When I was a kid, no entertainment was scheduled for me and my sister. We just talked and laughed and fought our way from Point A to Point B. But there are some low maintenance things you can do to keep your kids occupied for awhile. For babies facing the rear, bring along an activity mat or colorful toys to hang on the carseat bar. For older kids, keep some books in the car for them to read or sticker books to play with. Another great idea is to take some letter/shape/animal magnets and a cookie sheet on which to stick them. Magnetic drawing boards are also a big hit. You can also listen to books on tape or CD and lots of their favorite music. If your car doesn’t have a DVD player, consider renting one or buying a portable one. And don’t rule out the fun of car games, like I Spy and the Letter Game, which we used to play as kids. The object of the game is to find all the letters of alphabet in the right order anywhere along the road during the drive (road signs, license plates, etc.) The first person to get to Z wins! Another one of my favorite games is I’m Going to _______ And I’m Taking A ______. You start off the game by saying, “I’m going to,” then name the place you’re going, like Grandma’s house, and what you are taking (“I’m taking an apple”). The next person says, “I’m going to Grandma’s house, and I’m taking an apple and a balloon.” Keep going, repeating what has been said, and adding a new item starting with the next letter of the alphabet until you reach the letter Z.

Also, if you are travelling with another adult, make the person not driving in charge of the social activities, such as distributing the snacks, getting the DVD/CDs set up and handing out the games and coloring books. If you have enough room, you might even consider having one adult sit in the back with the kids.

But no matter what you do, plan on some backseat meltdowns, whether a fussy baby or squabbling siblings. By making sure your kids are well-fed and rested, you can keep these to a minimum, but of course there are no guarantees. When the going gets too tough to handle, pull over and take a break. The ultimate goal of a great road trip is getting to your destination safely and still on speaking terms with one another. If you arrive there one or two hours late, it’s not a big deal – chances are, you created some memories along the way.

Brinda Abu-Obaid is a stay-at-home mom who lives in Clifton, VA with her husband, Aladin, and her two daughters, Yasmina and Noora.