Stumble It!
« Hiking Los Angeles: The Temescal Canyon Loop Hike | Main | Amuse-bouche »
Six Tips: Surviving a Family Road Trip
By DesertMama | April 25, 2008
Last week, while I was on my way to Lexington, Kentucky, my sweet husband did a pretty daring thing. He took my two preschoolers on a seven-hour road trip to Palm Desert, California to see his folks. The trip was a success. How did a dad survive such a challenge? In case you’re wondering, we do not have “perfect” kids. In fact, we are often “that” family - you know what I’m talking about.
With that said, here are the six secrets that helped DesertDaddy survive this long road trip with a two and three-year-old in the backseat:
1. DVD player. We scored some $7.99 DVDs at Wal-Mart and let’s just say the kids were as happy as the Berenstain Bears they were watching.
2. Zoobie Pets. Stay tuned for a rave review on these three-in-one critters. Zoobies are a travel-friendly plush animal, pillow, and blanket. The new Zoo Collection just came out this year. The kids don’t even want to take the short ride to the gym without them. Actually, my daughter is cuddled with hers on the couch as I type this.
3. Snacks. This one goes with out saying. But how can dad dish out snacks while he’s driving? I simply packed them each their own lunch box with their favorite snacks in Ziploc bags for easy access.
4. Water. Just say no to sugar on road trips, especially if you have a son like mine who will bounce on a trampoline for three hours after one M&M. Enough said.
5. VTech Tote N Go Laptop Plus is a terrific educational, interactive toy with an LCD screen that teaches the 
alphabet and numbers. Both of my children have their own “laptop” and it keeps the kids entertained for quite a while.
6. Finally, DesertDaddy was simply a good daddy. He stopped when the kids were hungry, required a potty break, or just needed to get out of the car. And that, my friends, is how my wonderful husband survived a seven-hour road trip with two preschoolers in tow.
Topics: Family Travel, The Cookie Jar, Travel Gear |
April 25th, 2008 at
Your husband ROCKS! Really, how many men would have taken that road trip?!
We’ve got a DVD player for our 6- and 8-year-olds, and I’m a huge fan of the $1 DVDs from Wal-mart. They are compilations of some ancient cartoons — Popeye, Betty Boop, etc. They even have a disclaimer at the beginning that something like, “We recognize that some of the scenes are not politically correct, but this was the language of the day…” Pretty entertaining, though.
April 25th, 2008 at
What a brave man!
April 25th, 2008 at
Great tips, DesertMama! For those long drives, we also count on some naps, and singalongs (helps that we told our older daughter that the Beatles are a “boy band”).
May 3rd, 2008 at
Thanks for participating in this week’s Carnival of Family Life hosted by Riley at All Rileyed Up! Be sure to drop by and check out the other wonderful submissions included in this week’s Carnival!
May 4th, 2008 at
Ooh, Zoobie pets - that’s a new one! Looking forward to acquiring a few of these!
May 5th, 2008 at
[...] just like this road warrior: Beth Blair tells us about her husband’s recent road trip in Six Tips: Surviving a Family Road Trip, posted at Traveling [...]
May 12th, 2008 at
[...] 3. Zoobies are easy to use. When my children are ready to pull out the blanket they can do it themselves. They even helped make a successful road trip. [...]
May 18th, 2008 at
[...] in the US is the time where most families head to the beach. These are my picks for the 2008 beach season. This list is based on personal experience, family [...]
May 20th, 2008 at
[...] There are no inappropriate question here, the only caveat being that to fully participate, a child should be able to read at a first- or second-grade level. There is a version for teens as well, and several non-travel versions called Table Topics, with 135 question cards. I really enjoyed driving quietly, while my kids talked to each other in the back. It’s a card game with no winners or losers, a way for siblings to share their experiences, and a useful way to pass time during family road trips. [...]
June 3rd, 2008 at
[...] Blair presents Six Tips: Surviving a Family Road Trip posted at Traveling [...]