Ok, I know I need lots of help in many different ways, but this one is for the car. We are driving to Oregon next week and although we've done it many, many times, I need new ideas. Each trip seems to get progressively worse. So driving in a minivan for 12-14 hours (depending on number of potty, tantrum, food, etc. stops we have to make) with 4 kids in the hottest part of summer is really unnerving me right now. In the past I have tried activity boxes, toys, little gifts each hour, bribing with money, watching movies, listening to books on CD, etc. I need something new. Driving at night (we are considering this though) isn't our first choice because both Chris and I don't do well trying to stay awake and neither of us can tolerate No Doze type medicines. So if you have any great ideas, please share!! I really can't handle one more bad road trip.
Thanks!
4 comments:
Well, uhm, I gave you kids Dimetapp before you went to bed on Christmas Eve so you'd be sure to sleep right through the night! But 12 to 14 hours on the road, well you might consider 'tiny doses' just to get them to nap??? Just kidding!
Love ya!
Mom :o)
I just thought of one more...Chinese finger traps???
Just kidding! The only thing I can think of is a road diary and someone writes times left, arrived,# of miles traveled, destinations, travel bingo, the usual.
Love ya!
Mom
Here's a link I've had in my clippings for a while that had some fun ideas http://mommymonsters.blogspot.com/2008/03/tips-for-traveling-with-kids.html
I really liked the last one but think LaRue might be to young yet.
Also this one
http://chasingcheerios.blogspot.com/2008/06/toddler-activity-bags.html
And I saw on another blog but can't find if I have it saved somewhere giving them a bag of O cereals like fruit loops, cheerios, fruity cheerios, apple jacks or generic types of any of these and a piece of yarn or string so that first they can occupy themselves making a necklace and next they can eat it. Your older kids might think that's lame, but I can just never tell:)
I'm glad that you put this out there I'll totally be checking your comments for good tips:)
Have you considered getting them hooked on Twilight?!
Since that's the plan for MY entertainment, I have to think of something for my kids too so I can enjoy 12 solid hours of reading :)
My rule is no movies until it's dark out, but seeing as how it will never be dark on this trip I may have to bend that rule. You and I've talked about ideas in the past and I'm pretty sure none of my ideas helped then. But just in case, I thought I'd share some this time anyway. Plus, it's helping me think ahead to next week. So thanks :)
I like the Road Diary idea from Mom! That will work really well for my kids, having everyone (Q and B will gladly "help" Zack and Braxton) take a turn to add what they find interesting at the moment. The kids have our old digital camera too, so they can use that. It could be fun to turn it into a scrapbook for them later.
Also, I just bought a new Atlas at Costco. I don't know if the kids will care or not. They used to, before the old one got ruined. We'll see.
Bob has everyone make estimates on what time we'll arrive at each stop. He gives them a ballpark figure and then we all pick our exact times. The kids don't ask us how much longer this way(!!!), they just keep their eyes on the clock.
We ALWAYS bring the LeapPad. Someone always uses it, or helps Zack use it.
Quintin ALWAYS brings his Nintendo DS.
Brynnly ALWAYS brings her MP3 Player.
I should also mention here that we ALWAYS bring headphones for everybody too.
Everybody brings a new book or two. By new I mean from the Library or one from home they forgot they had.
At each stop Q and B rotate sitting by Zack or Braxton.
I never pack snacks anymore. Bob always stops and gets some anyway. So now we just let everybody pick one when we stop for gas and potty breaks.
And believe it or not, we also make them look out the window occasionally. Well, actually it's usually Zack who announces what there is to be seen, every few minutes, every time he sees a sprinkler, or a cow. But on the big ones we make them pause games, mark pages, and look up.
Mostly we just make the kids pack their own car bag and they have to live with it. That's not very revelatory, sorry. But it makes them think about what to expect on the drive and then some of the responsibility is on them too.
Okay, sorry it's so long, and I'm even more sorry if none of it helps!
See you in Oregon!
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