Very soon our family will be taking an epic road trip. This here is no trip for the faint of heart. Fourteen days, 4600 miles, four National parks, one Navajo Nation, one Salt Lake Temple, one Conference session, two hikes, five family dinners, one photography session, two rest days and one rental vehicle. And if we have time, one lunch at Cafe Rio. This is a BIG trip.
I would consider myself a pretty seasoned road tripper. I have visited 46 of the 50 states. (missing Alaska, Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana) As children, my siblings and I had rules about when you could count a state on your "visited" list. You needed to eat there, leave something behind (most likely pee...) and buy something. On one family trip we were super close to New Jersey but had no reason to go there. So we simply drove across the border and bought some lunch at a local diner and used their bathroom. New Jersey: Done. This is how I counted Minnesota and Wisconsin as well. It's a flawed practice, but I am stickin' to it until I can give more time to, well, New Jersey, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Also, airports don't count. (So Mike, that means you don't have Hawaii!!!)
I believe that road trips are important for children. So many valuable lessons. Our children have been practicing for the past couple of months. Every short journey has become the trial run of much longer "stuck in the car" days. I am counting on a couple of emotional, he's touching me meltdown moments. Those are to be expected. But so what, those happen at home. Besides, sometimes epic fits turn into amazing family lore. Last year we were camping in a Yurt and it got really cold. 18 degrees really cold. I gave an impressively fit-like speech to my husband about how it was too cold and how I was sure we had frozen Jeep's legs and how it was all his fault. I think I even stomped my foot. Three Do-it-best hardware stores, one McDonald's and a new portable heater later, I had calmed down. Now this story is acted out and repeated with great gusto by my children. Family lore at it's finest.
Our children have been told to expect little to no screen time. All of us suffer from car sickness, and throw up just makes everything gross, so instead, we have been working on being bored. A life virtue if you ask me. Sure, I have games planned, activities arranged and things to listen to. However, boredom is good, it gives us time to think, ponder and reflect. These lessons teach our children to be still. When we are still we can be inspired and receive inspiration. Letting our minds wander aimlessly leads us to good conclusions or good questions that help us understand others. In some ways, being bored should be a childhood right, a tenet of parenting that helps us grow our children into adults. Road trips are the perfect place for this.
It takes alot of preparation to make a road trip of this caliber to succeed. Lists, maps, miles, money, food and treats. As the mom, I am sure I am forgotten something important. I have made travel pillows, homework packets, mixed tapes (okay, play lists, but that's a boring way to say it!) and called alot of people. All the work is worth it. Seeing America is priceless. When we get back, we will be exhausted. Give us three days to bounce back, recover and recount. And I am sure we will be ready for the next one.
Any suggestions or ideas that helped your kids remain calm and happy on your long car trips?
3 comments:
I love everything about this post. Probably because all of it is exactly what we live and breathe, when we can get it. All my kids get is a small backpack of toys and music (rotating between kid and grown up music). They thrive. (I don't even like them eating in the car.) So...you've totally got this.
What I WILL say is, beware of Mesa Verde. Or, rather, beware of the road from Mesa Verde to Durango, CO. Because, you know. Sometimes on that road your car rolls of the highway and everything gets bad.
But Mesa Verde itself is awesome.
I'm already jealous of your trip.
We've done the cross country thing three times now and even though I am no fan of screen time, it has saved us on those 15 hour driving days. The days where they simply won't stop touching or pokng, when all the books have been read twelve times, all the games have been played twelve times and everyone is sick to death of the music, and staring out the window has gotten old because you've been doing it for four hours. I wish you the best of luck, the greatest of traveling adventures and an update after you get back!
On the other hand, when we drive across the country, we don't stop unless we are taking a potty break or getting gas. I think if we stopped and saw more things, we wouldn't get so crazy in the car!
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