Boredom, limited space and overflowing energy are a source of nuisance for a child when in a restaurant - how much more in the narrow cage of a car on a hour-long ride. You have barely left your home when the notorious "Are-we-there-already" starts, sometimes replaced by the equally infamous "How-long-is-it-still-going-to-take" and "I-have-to-pee" (the latter preferrably on highways with no possibility to stop).
So again, the key here is entertainment. It's more difficult because you have a very limited space in your car and often a very long time to go.
The "surprise bags" described above do a good job also here. In case of a long ride, you can prepare several smaller bags and scatter them in intervals of several hours, thus keeping the excitement going. Be careful with loose plastic boxes and toys, though, they can become missiles heading forward in case of an accident.
Why are kids asking the "How-long?" - question? Well, first of all, because they're bored and annoyed. But it's also hard for children to understand a distance of 500 miles or a period of 10 hours. So when you're planning your trip, just make a simple map for your children, displaying your home, the target and important points in between. Add some pencils or crayons and point out when you're passing the marking points. This way, your kids have an overview of where you are and adding drawings will keep them busy. Later on, you can put the maps in your holiday album for souvenir. Keep in mind to make a map for each child.
If your child doesn't mind sleeping in the car, you can consider travelling during the night. That can buy you some peace during the ride, at the cost that you're tired when you arrive at your destination. If you have a spaciuos car, like a van, you can use some pillows and blankets to turn it into a cozy place.
Entertainment electronics can make your trip a lot easier. A game boy can keep a child occupied for a very long time, and you can even get a small, portable tv / vcr combination for a reasonable price. You can bring your kids' favourite videos and they'll probably be fine for the entire trip. When it comes to music, you should consider that you'll have to listen to it also, so make sure you can stand the constant repetition of child songs. Otherwise, a walkman might do the job.
A major problem with playing in the car is the very limited space. Toys easily fall down and slide under seats, so you have to stop in order to pick it up again. A tray like the ones used in fast-food-restaurants may help there: it supplies a solid, even surface that can be used as a foundation for eating or as a playground. Childrens' imagination is still vivid, so a plain plastic tray can turn easily into a setting for the favourite action hero's next adventure. If you have a family, you should get rid of the idea of having a car to impress and rather trade it for something spacious and comfortable. It might be hard at first, but later on you'll be thankful for the extra space that helps getting through even a long trip without too much disturbance.
Brigette Meier is an occassional author for http://www.e-nterests.com - visit the site for more interesting articles.
limo Midway Round Lake .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareThere are software programs that you can purchase to keep... Read More
Giving with a happy heart. If you teach a child... Read More
Imagine having no television for an entire season. Such was... Read More
'How can I start getting my children to help out... Read More
"I WON'T DO IT!" "YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!"Whether parent or... Read More
Dear friends here we will charge up our mind with... Read More
1 "Law of Belonging": The greatest need of teenagers (after... Read More
When I was pregnant, we knew that we had some... Read More
Choosing to leave your child with a caregiver is one... Read More
Last week in my newsletter, I mentioned that... Read More
One of the most difficult parts of being a father... Read More
In his recent newsletter "Happy Kids", parenting expert Michael Grose... Read More
"Family Matters" was the headline that caught my attention in... Read More
It is extraordinary times that we find ourselves in. Change... Read More
Spare the rod, spoil the child!This philosophy's been around a... Read More
"Life consists not in holding good cards but in playing... Read More
Using 14 "at" Flashcards To Teach Reading:This exercise helps your... Read More
In the news, we hear and see an increasing number... Read More
One of the most important aspects of parenting, is ensuring... Read More
Vacations and trips are great family events, but how do... Read More
A learning disability is defined as a permanent problem that... Read More
"I took care of Callie," my three-year-old announced.Callie had been... Read More
We're all familiar with the over-indulgent parent. But there's another... Read More
How should one look upon Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)... Read More
There are many reasons for treating your twins as individuals... Read More
bmw rental chicago Barrington Hills ..Here are ten simple pleasures you can enjoy with your... Read More
The First Reason: For one thing, child development experts are... Read More
Looking back through my files I've come across several great... Read More
Graphology for Child development.:- Graphology is the science of understanding... Read More
What a dreamer I am when thinking about parenthood. Most... Read More
'And all because of a damned cat! It's only a... Read More
Often, the struggle at dinnertime with your picky eater is... Read More
There are two methods for teaching children to read; whole... Read More
Q. With another school year starting, we are not sure... Read More
Do you think you really know your child? I don't... Read More
The purpose of this article is to address some of... Read More
There are a lot of sophisticated parenting theories and techniques... Read More
MYTH: All teens have to rebel, and the teen years... Read More
Dear MomOn this day set aside to honour "Mother's" let... Read More
1. You reheated the same cup of coffee three times... Read More
1. New Word of the DayIntroduce your preschooler to a... Read More
This year alone, 1,600 teenagers aged 15 to 19 will... Read More
Speaking as a Michael (a Hebrew name, meaning "Who is... Read More
For every season, check, check, check, There is a chart,... Read More
Why do some children still do best after divorce and... Read More
In 1996-97 we were contracted by VAXA International of Tampa,... Read More
Oh Please, Don't Say Maybe!!!!Are you often a participant in... Read More
Here's some of the bad news about sedentary lifestyles:? Forty... Read More
We begin forming healthy habits at a young age. With... Read More
For over fifty years, public-school officials and politicians have tried... Read More
Parenting |