The US is a huge country with much to offer vacationers, which is why road trips are very popular. Rather than fly overseas, many people opt to drive somewhere within the United States instead. Road trips can be a lot of fun.
However, if you have young children, it is a good idea to keep them occupied. This is especially true if you are a nervous driver. Bored children tend to misbehave and distract the driver’s attention from the road. This increases the probability of having a wreck. Fortunately, there are ways of keeping children occupied on road trips.
Table of contents:
1. Gadgets and Gizmos
These days it is very easy to buy technological gadgets such as portable DVD players, hand-held video games, electronic games and MP3 players. If you ensure that there are plenty of gadgets and games for the children to play with, it should keep them busy. If your children enjoy reading, you could also bring along a few books.
By making sure that your vehicle is loaded with games and other distractions, you will keep your children busy. If your kids have a variety of things to do, they will be less likely to bicker with each other. Similarly, they will not pester you with annoying questions or requests.
2. Stop Frequently
Children have a lot of energy and they need to move around a lot. When children are cooped up in a car for several hours at a stretch, there is no opportunity for them to release that energy. Consequently, the children get agitated and frustrated. What’s more, children need to empty their bladders more frequently than adults.
If you are taking children on a road trip, it is a good idea to stop for breaks regularly. During these breaks, make sure the kids use the toilet. They may feel that they don’t need to go, but remind them that it will be a while before the next stop. You might also want to encourage the kids to run around a little bit to get rid of some excess energy.
3. Staying Calm
Providing things to play with and stopping for frequent breaks will do much to stop your children from driving you crazy on road trips. However, even if you do all you can to keep the children occupied, they may still squabble with each other and pester you. It is, therefore, very important that you find ways of staying calm so that the kids do not pluck at your nerves.
Listening to your favorite music can do much to help you relax while you are driving. If you enjoy reading, you might also choose to invest in a few audiobooks for the trip. Focusing on music or listening to a story gives you something else to focus on other than the way your children are behaving.
Hence you can arrive at your destination safely with your sanity intact.1