 I’ve
had a lot of questions from parents lately about
how to make car trips a bit less stressful.
I recall the car trips of my youth -- four kids
packed into a station wagon, no seat belts, someone
always car sick, no air conditioning, and a lot
of fighting. Perhaps that is why my current
family takes very few long car trips. BUT,
that said, even a trip to the grocery store can
become more soulful with a little thought and
planning. Here are some ideas I’ve
come up with. Want to add to the list?
*Listen to books on tape together. Depending
on your children's ages, some of the classics
make for great conversation: To Kill
a Mockingbird and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
for your 12 and up and
Shel Silverstein’s delightful poems for
any age.
*Wrap inexpensive items to open at designated
times during your trip. For instance, To
Be Opened at 233 miles,
To Be Opened at 2:45 pm, To Be Opened when
you see a truck carrying chickens. The prizes
could be as simple as a Mad Lib tablet or miniature
slinky.
*Get creative and tell made up stories about
people you pass. This game
has kept my children occupied for hours and
is a wonderful to develop improvisational skills.
"Well, I think
this family is on their way to a new home.
The
Mom has a job running an elementary school
and the
children are not sure
if they will like living in a small
town after growing up next to Ted and
Maria Smith in Boise, Idaho..."
You get the idea.
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