Whether you are travelling to visit family or are planning a road trip so that you can have a covid safe vacation, driving long distances with your children in tow can be a lot of fun. After all, you get to spend a great deal of time together and experience something new. In fact, road trips or long-distance journeys can prove to be a great adventure for you and your kids. However, they can also be incredibly stressful – especially if you aren’t used to spending hours behind the wheel or simply cannot stomach hearing the dreaded, ‘are we there yet?’ one thousand times in a row.
With that in mind, here are some top tips that you can use to make long car journeys with children a breeze.
- Safety first. As always, whenever you are getting behind the wheel, you should ensure that you are operating with a safety-first mindset. For example, you should not drive if you are too tired as this will limit your ability to focus. However, you should also ensure your car is well-prepped for long-distance journeys. Usually, your MOT will indicate the condition of your car, but you should also complete a thorough inspection of your vehicle before you get behind the wheel.
- Settle in. Do not leave packing up your car until the last minute. In fact, you can save yourself a great deal of stress by getting everything ready the night before you travel. Doing so also reduces the chances of you leaving something important behind by accident. In addition, you should also ensure that you have your children’s car seats set up and in position the evening before you travel. If their car seat is looking a little worse for wear, or if they have grown a little quicker than expected, you might want to buy a new seat ahead of your trip. Check out this link to browse some of the best car seats.
- Keep boredom at bay. Travelling with little ones becomes a lot more difficult when they are bored – as this means that they are more likely to start complaining. However, you can avoid this issue entirely by finding a way to keep boredom at bay when driving. For example, you could turn the back of your car into a cinema, by allowing them to watch their favourite films when travelling. Alternatively, you could bring along a series of activity packs or books for them to enjoy. If they find it hard to read when driving, you could listen to a kid-friendly audiobook together.
- Take plenty of breaks. As mentioned previously, you must be alert when driving. As a result, you should ensure that you take plenty of breaks – especially when you feel fatigue creeping in. This will allow you to clear your mind, stretch your legs and liven up your senses. It also means that you can grab a cup of coffee if you need one. Ensure that you do your research ahead of time to schedule regular breaks into your journey. This is particularly important for those who need plenty of bathroom breaks.
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