By Marcia Hall
Traveling during the holidays is stressful on its own.
When you add a car filled with small children, you have a recipe for the
longest day of your life. Fortunately, there are a few ways to make the
experience not just tolerable, but fun, in the family adventure kind of way.
How?
Plan in advance. It is always important to start with a plan. It’s likely the plan
will change, so flexibility is key, but if you start with a plan in place it
will be much easier to adjust as you go. Starting with a plan does not mean
that you are stuck with the plan, but rather that you have some idea of when
you will start, what route you will take, where you hope to take your breaks
and when you want to eat.
Pack light. Wherever you are going, there will likely be a store you can stop
at if you don’t have what you need. No one in the family needs seven different
outfits for three days at your mother’s. Decide what is needed, bring one extra
outfit and be done with it. If you have an infant, it can be tempting to bring
every piece of baby equipment you have at home. DON’T. You will be with family.
Everyone will want to hold the baby anyway, and you probably won’t even use the
equipment you bring.
Avoid a lot of liquids. There is something about traveling that makes some children thirsty.
Try to limit how much your child drinks on the trip because liquids will go
right though her. Though you are going to expect frequent stops, inevitably
your child will not have to go when given the chance, then need to go 15
minutes after you leave the gas station. For children who have recently been
potty trained, you might want to consider using a pull-up for the trip. Doing
so can save you from accidents when it is just not possible to stop right away.
Have healthy snacks available. When children eat junk food on trips, especially if they are not used
to eating it, their bodies tend to overreact to it. It is best to stick with
snacks that are healthy and that your child is used to eating. Use sturdy
containers that close well and a thermal bag for packing favorites. Bring
napkins and wipes to clean up messes.
Bring activities. There is only so much time a child can relax and stare out a window.
DVD’s can be helpful when children get bored, and parents should not feel
guilty about having children watch a little TV during the holidays. Perhaps use
holiday DVD’s and make viewing them a special treat. You should also bring
crafts, games and books that are travel friendly. However, be aware that some
children get carsick if they use these. Try books on tape or have the adult
passenger read aloud, if possible.
Make up games. Verbal games not only help your child pass the time, they also help
engage her brain. If your child is learning the alphabet, search road signs for
letters. Grab an empty tissue box, put an object in it and have the kids guess
what it is without looking. Let them feel, shake and smell it to see if they
can guess what it is. Play a few rounds of I Spy. Get creative and you’ll find
that the kids will even make up games to play.
Sing songs. If your kids are young, they will love singing together. If they are
older pick songs they love and hope for the best. If they are teen’s, they may
roll their eyes and put in their ear buds, but they’ll still remember your time
together.
When things go wrong – and they will – take a deep
breath and realize that despite the travel issues, whether big or small, your
child will have fond memories of the trip if you respond with patience and a
smile.
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