Spending a long time in a car can be very challenging for children. When they’re used to your undivided attention and unlimited access to entertainment, being trapped in an enclosed environment can cause boredom to turn into frustration and tantrums quickly. If you’re planning a long car journey, then the chances are that you’re already dreading it, but you can make your experience considerably better with a little forethought. Take the time to do some proactive planning, and you may even turn your journey into a bonding experience that your children remember forever! No matter your reasons for a long car trip, consider these three methods of reducing your stress levels and easing the strain.
Travel at Night
It may seem like the most obvious solution, but that’s because traveling at night has become a much more common strategy for parents in recent years. There are numerous reasons for this, but the most useful is the fact that children are very likely to sleep for the most significant chunk of your travel time. It’s worth remembering that this method for dealing with long journeys does have some risks. Unless you have adjusted your own body clock, you’re going to become tired through a night drive, and that combined with the fact that you’re driving in the dark increases your chance of accidents. Remember that in the case of traffic accidents, you should employ the services of an experienced personal injury and accident lawyer such as Selectschnipper.com, who can help resolve any issues that may be caused. However, traveling at night remains a popular option despite the risk, simply because it removes the need for constant attention.
Allow for Entertainment
There’s this all-pervading myth that allowing your children to get absorbed in their tech devices is ‘bad parenting.’ On long car journeys, those devices could be a gamechanger for your sanity, so don’t be ashamed of making sure that all laptops, phones, and tablets are fully charged and loaded with entertainment options. Even the most stunning of routes can start to get boring after a while, and children are very prone to sudden and immediate boredom at any time. Make sure that you can concentrate on the driving, and allow your children to entertain themselves with their favorite tech options. Remember, you can always limit device use to the car if you’re on vacation!
Use the Opportunity to Bond
There are many ways that you can bring your family closer together if you’re on a long car journey. There are a wide variety of games to play that can create a fantastic atmosphere your children will love. From traditional car games like the license plate game or 20 Questions to more recent suggestions like Would You Rather or something more simple such as Hot Seat, if you focus on games, then you’re not going to run out of ideas. You can also use this opportunity to discuss ambitions, favorite memories, and truly get to know each other. Some families no longer see long car journeys as a chore, but rather a chance to learn more about the people that they love.
Whether you’re traveling for a well-deserved vacation, off to visit distant relatives, or just fancy getting away for the week, long car journeys needn’t become the nightmare that they are so often portrayed as. Decide what kind of trip you want and commit to it. You could even be starting a family tradition that sees you loading up the car on a regular basis!
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