Car trips with multiple children
by Rose Marie
(Georgia)
Traveling by car is sometimes a royal pain, especially when you are traveling with more than one child. Now imagine that you are traveling with children close in age and or the same age. You just added to everyone's stress level.
Have Children Pack Fun Activities
Prior to embarking on a long road trip, I always sit down with my kids and have they pack a back pack of their favorite toys. I try to encourage them to pack books, drawing pads, and small items that they can play with in their car seats.
Map Out The Trip
In addition I map out the trip and try to get a good idea as to where the road side stops are so that I have an idea of where bathrooms are for emergencies. Just in case I always bring a portable potty training potty for them and bath tissue. You never know when you are not going to make it.
Snacks Inside the Car
For inside the car, I pack snacks and drinks. Things that they can eat without making a big mess and place some within reach of each child.
Portable DVD Player and Movies
I am lucky enough to have a DVD player in the car, I always bring movies they have not seen in a while, and in fact I have movies that are just for long road trips that they only watch on road trips. This way they are new to them. Seeing how I have three children, to eliminate the "who picks what movie" dilemma, we always go in birth order. So the first born picks the first movie, then middle child picks second and last born picks third.
Good luck and stay safe!
