I’m sure there will be talk about the role of the passenger (I can feel it in the recommendation for the reacher stick 😂). Over the years of many road trips my husband and I have decided that instead of the popular phrase “passenger princess” aka one who gets to read, scroll, nap, we are the “passenger concierge”. Think the one who doles out snacks, gives out new activities, and picks up the dropped stuffy for the 82048494th time. It’s not glamorous, but it’s needed.
Honestly, I love road tripping with the kids by myself sometimes -- because for 9-10 hours I can say "hey, love you, but sorry I can't!" and get away with it. They're resourceful (and old enough now where that actually works, ha!) and 100% of the time now they figure it out.
I think this is great for you and your family! I'm proud of you for getting to this point! I personally don't really enjoy road trips, so we only do them when driving within Florida (which can be long as depending on which way you are going would take 7-8 hours to Georgia, lol). I don't do screens in car trips less than 2 hours. But if we are driving to Orlando/Disney/Legoland (4 hours) I do allow them for my prone to motion sickness kid since he can't really read or draw and watching a show doesn't seem to trigger the motion sickness. But I look forward to hearing more tips and would love to be able to do more of this when we do drive. We have a drive this summer, so I'll be taking notes.
Love it! I’’d love your thoughts on things to occupy when reading isn’t an option. I get motion sickness very easily - I can’t even go on instagram in the car - so I can forget reading. I know many kiddos in my life who absolutely cannot read in the car. Curious on your thoughts…..and tips here!!
Came here to comment this, Katrina — I too get crazy motion sick! I often find it hard to turn around and help our son with things in the backseat because I get so sick. We’ve been relying on music and kid-friendly podcasts to keep us occupied (the Okee Dokee Brothers music and Super Simple Songs podcast are two favorites right now), but I’d love more tips!
Yes, I was just going to come in here and ask about motion sickness. I'm lucky in that I don't get it, but my son currently does, so reading and drawing are not recommended. I do give him medicine as feeling nauseous is miserable. We listen to a lot of audiobooks in the car but I wish he could do something other than stare out the window.
We haven't had as many long road trips, but keep ours screen free too! Lots of books and definitely time with an adult in the backseat to help keep spirits up! We have used stickers on the windows (the reusable peel and stick) and also get some read a loud books from the library. Definitely a treat to have something novel and self directed!
When I was growing up my parents would talk in coded language when they thought we were asleep (literally using x and y) and I would try so hard to figure out what they were discussing!!
Emily, grandmother to 5, mom to 3 adults here. We always read books to the kids. Sometimes, the passenger adult would position herself in the middle of the kids and read picture books and as they got older, read chapter books, YA novels and sometimes a book from a series (Narnia, etc.) I still remember reading The Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton Peck and the kids and I sobbing. But seriously! I would never give up the memories of kids kicking the back of the adults' seats or the kids asking, "Are we there yet?" The memories! If you haven't read Robert Haidt's new book, The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness, I encourage you to do so. (He's also on Bari Weiss's and Russell Moore's podcasts.)
Constance! I love these memories! And oh yes, The Day No Pigs Would Die is a tearjerker for sure.
I'm a few chapters in to my copy of The Anxious Generation and loving it, of course!! My full review (and a giveaway!) will be the first newsletter in May!
I have so many fond memories of being shaped, internally and imaginatively, by "thinking time" on road trips. And giving that to our kids has been a huge joy. And a massive opportunity for connection we'd otherwise waste -- learning to see the drive as PART of the experience and not something to just get through. It wasn't always like that for all of their early years, but several years ago we started designated a screen hour, no matter the length of the drive. More often than not, though, especially the the last year or two we don't even bring the iPads along!
My family in the 80s had a road trip game. I have no idea what its name was, but it was competing with my siblings to look for certain things (barn, yield sign, horse, etc.). Kind-of like bingo. Or we would play the alphabet game (with words on signs) and try to win. You need siblings close enough in age and old enough for these things, though. We have an only child, so the games that worked for my family when I was a kid may not work for us.
I’m sure there will be talk about the role of the passenger (I can feel it in the recommendation for the reacher stick 😂). Over the years of many road trips my husband and I have decided that instead of the popular phrase “passenger princess” aka one who gets to read, scroll, nap, we are the “passenger concierge”. Think the one who doles out snacks, gives out new activities, and picks up the dropped stuffy for the 82048494th time. It’s not glamorous, but it’s needed.
Soooo true! John is our default driver, but on really long drives I usually request a turn at the wheel because it feels like a luxury, ha!
Honestly, I love road tripping with the kids by myself sometimes -- because for 9-10 hours I can say "hey, love you, but sorry I can't!" and get away with it. They're resourceful (and old enough now where that actually works, ha!) and 100% of the time now they figure it out.
I think this is great for you and your family! I'm proud of you for getting to this point! I personally don't really enjoy road trips, so we only do them when driving within Florida (which can be long as depending on which way you are going would take 7-8 hours to Georgia, lol). I don't do screens in car trips less than 2 hours. But if we are driving to Orlando/Disney/Legoland (4 hours) I do allow them for my prone to motion sickness kid since he can't really read or draw and watching a show doesn't seem to trigger the motion sickness. But I look forward to hearing more tips and would love to be able to do more of this when we do drive. We have a drive this summer, so I'll be taking notes.
Love it! I’’d love your thoughts on things to occupy when reading isn’t an option. I get motion sickness very easily - I can’t even go on instagram in the car - so I can forget reading. I know many kiddos in my life who absolutely cannot read in the car. Curious on your thoughts…..and tips here!!
Came here to comment this, Katrina — I too get crazy motion sick! I often find it hard to turn around and help our son with things in the backseat because I get so sick. We’ve been relying on music and kid-friendly podcasts to keep us occupied (the Okee Dokee Brothers music and Super Simple Songs podcast are two favorites right now), but I’d love more tips!
Yes, I was just going to come in here and ask about motion sickness. I'm lucky in that I don't get it, but my son currently does, so reading and drawing are not recommended. I do give him medicine as feeling nauseous is miserable. We listen to a lot of audiobooks in the car but I wish he could do something other than stare out the window.
The next post will definitely have tips for motion-sickness littles, Katrina! It's tricky!
We haven't had as many long road trips, but keep ours screen free too! Lots of books and definitely time with an adult in the backseat to help keep spirits up! We have used stickers on the windows (the reusable peel and stick) and also get some read a loud books from the library. Definitely a treat to have something novel and self directed!
When I was growing up my parents would talk in coded language when they thought we were asleep (literally using x and y) and I would try so hard to figure out what they were discussing!!
Oh my gosh, I love those memories, Anna! So sweet and funny!
Emily, grandmother to 5, mom to 3 adults here. We always read books to the kids. Sometimes, the passenger adult would position herself in the middle of the kids and read picture books and as they got older, read chapter books, YA novels and sometimes a book from a series (Narnia, etc.) I still remember reading The Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton Peck and the kids and I sobbing. But seriously! I would never give up the memories of kids kicking the back of the adults' seats or the kids asking, "Are we there yet?" The memories! If you haven't read Robert Haidt's new book, The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness, I encourage you to do so. (He's also on Bari Weiss's and Russell Moore's podcasts.)
Constance! I love these memories! And oh yes, The Day No Pigs Would Die is a tearjerker for sure.
I'm a few chapters in to my copy of The Anxious Generation and loving it, of course!! My full review (and a giveaway!) will be the first newsletter in May!
I have so many fond memories of being shaped, internally and imaginatively, by "thinking time" on road trips. And giving that to our kids has been a huge joy. And a massive opportunity for connection we'd otherwise waste -- learning to see the drive as PART of the experience and not something to just get through. It wasn't always like that for all of their early years, but several years ago we started designated a screen hour, no matter the length of the drive. More often than not, though, especially the the last year or two we don't even bring the iPads along!
My family in the 80s had a road trip game. I have no idea what its name was, but it was competing with my siblings to look for certain things (barn, yield sign, horse, etc.). Kind-of like bingo. Or we would play the alphabet game (with words on signs) and try to win. You need siblings close enough in age and old enough for these things, though. We have an only child, so the games that worked for my family when I was a kid may not work for us.