Beating “Are We There Yet” Syndrome:
How To Help Your Kids Enjoy Road Trips!
Anyone who’s ever attempted a family road trip knows that pretty common moment, usually about thirty minutes into the journey, where the first frustrated cry of “are we there yet” drifts up from the backseat like some sort of omen. If you’ve another six hours of driving ahead, it’s not nice to know the kids are already bored out of their minds, and you may start to wonder if flying might have been the better option.
Thankfully, road trips with kids can actually be pretty fantastic adventures if you approach them with the right mindset and maybe just a touch of planning against this kind of experience comes to pass. You’ll still probably hear that infamous question at least seventeen times before you reach your destination, but there are ways to make the journey feel less like a hostage situation and more like the fun family bonding experience you originally planned out.
After all, children have a great ability for finding wonder and fun if you let them, but you have to remember that chiildren experience travel completely differently than adults do. What you like they might find boring, but this can work in your favor, because what you find boring they could like. Let’s go into this topic a little more below:
Turn The Car Into Entertainment Central
Kids need stimulation, which means sitting still for hours while staring out at the same stretches of motorway can feel tiring to their active little brains, so you might want to think about altering your vehicle to have more entertainment. Load up a tablet with downloaded movies and shows they haven’t seen yet and use a mount to place it behind your headrest, and you might be able to use movies to help relax them.
Audio books can be absolute lifesavers too, especially ones with engaging narrators who do different voices for characters. You could also create personalized playlists with their favorite songs mixed in with some new discoveries which is easy with apps like Spotify now too. Don’t forget car games, and breaks.
Make The Journey Part Of The Adventure
Fighting against kids’ natural energy levels is a losing battle, so instead you could use the idea that frequent stops aren’t delays, they’re actually helpful for mini adventures that break up the monotony and give everyone a chance to stretch their legs and explore something new. Heading to certain roadside attractions, cafes, and landmarks if there are any can help.
You might also find that letting kids help navigate using old fashioned paper maps gives them a sense of ownership over the journey, and they’ll get genuinely excited about spotting upcoming towns or geographical features they can point out themselves. Even if you know exactly where the RV park is, asking them to point you there can be fun for them.
Pack Smart Snacks & Surprises Where Appropriate
Hunger can turn your sweet little angels into cranky monsters in approximately zero seconds flat, so having a steady supply of appealing snacks within arm’s reach can prevent many potential meltdowns before they even begin.
That’s not an insult to your little ones, all kids are like this. If you can pack nibbles or dense foods like sandwiches, fruit pouches, crackers, and maybe some special treats they don’t usually get at home (because novelty can be just as important as nutrition when celebrating), you can stop them from feeling too overtired and cranky. It does help..
With this advice, you’ll be certain to beat “are we there yet” syndrome.
