Excess Energy while traveling
by Maureen
(Cleveland, OH)
We have always found that our kids end up with loads of un-used energy after a long car trip. No matter how good they can be in the car, sitting for hours with a seat belt keeping them in place is just too much to bear some days.
The best way we have found to deal with this is a break for 10-15 minutes every couple of hours. Sometimes we come across a park with a play set where they can run, climb, slide, swing or whatever for a little bit. Sometimes it is just a bathroom break. Some times it is a meal break.
If we are stopping to eat and need the kids to sit still and behave in a restaurant, we park in the farthest part of the parking lot and then let them hop, skip, jump or whatever they need to do on the way in. This way they can get a little bit of being active into their day. It makes the sitting easier on everyone.
We try not to bribe the kids into sitting with treats as it messes up their regular eating schedule and makes it hard for them to behave at dinner. We aim for hungry enough to eat a good meal without being so hungry they are cranky.
If we can time the travel for nap time so the kids will sleep in the car, we all seem to end up happier. Driving at night seems to work for some people, but in our house, it just makes the adults tired and cranky.
