One of the mainstays of modern family life is the road trip. Whatever your opinion of it, you will have to undertake these at some point. And at the very beginning of your child’s life, it can be quite stressful carrying your precious cargo from one point to the other, especially with the amount of things that you have to take, from diapers to bottles, and preparation for every single eventuality, which usually means, at the very least, four changes of clothes for as many hours! As your children get older, there are more distractions in the vehicle, and they usually come from the children themselves, so what do you need to ensure that your family, and yourself, are protected sufficiently?
Establish Some Rules
We don’t need to be a military dictator about it, but if we’re going on a long road trip, it’s worth laying down some ground rules so you can focus on the road, and everybody can emerge unscathed. Mess is one of those things that needs to be minimized, not just because it makes for a clean a car, but it will make the vehicle stink less. And no matter how much you try to establish some of the best ground rules, you have to be prepared for the eventuality that some mess will be made. It’s worth investing in some seat protection, like the CalTrend seat covers, just so the car will be easier to clean up before the journey home.
Planning And Preparation
It’s so easy for us to rely on the GPS these days, but you will save yourself a lot of stress if you plan ahead. Look at the journey on the map, and get an idea of alternate routes if there are roadworks that you hadn’t factored in. Likewise, if your journey is going to be a few hours, and your children will endlessly need to go to the restroom, you’ve got to implement a few stops within the journey, not just so you can stretch your legs, but everyone can get food and back on the road in good time. It’s quite a fine art. And by planning the journey, it’s going to make you feel less stressed, which is the worst when you are in the driver’s seat; there’s traffic, and at the same time, your children are making a lot of noise!
Prepare For An Emergency
No matter how much you think you’re prepared, it’s always handy to have a first aid box in the trunk in case there are sudden injuries, or your children have a cough or a cold. As well as this, you need to have enough supplies in case something happens to the car. You need to get the car serviced, especially if you’re heading on a long journey, but an emergency kit that has jumper cables, a flashlight, as well as a spare tire will keep everything at bay.
A family road trip is very stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. Instead, ensure that everybody is ready to go, but this means a lot of planning and preparation beforehand. And don’t forget, keep the children occupied!
