Road trips with kids can be fun and very, very challenging. They are a necessary evil at times to get to your final, more fun, destination. Each age group presents different challenges, none really being dramatically easier than the other (well, so far that I have observed!) They do gain the ability to entertain themselves for longer periods of time as they get bigger (thanks Minecraft!) which is GREAT, but it still doesn’t mean these truths won’t happen. They will. Maybe when you have teenagers, they will just sleep the whole way there?? That would be nice 🙂
No matter what age your kids are, there are certain “truths” about road trips with kids. Here are 10 things that will most likely happen to you when traveling with kids.
1. Your trip will feel X times longer than it really is. (X being the number of kids you have traveling with you.)
2. No matter how many thoughtfully planned snacks you bring for your kids, someone will want the ONE thing you didn’t bring; and probably throw a fit because so.
3. Someone will always have to go potty in an inconvenient place. Think: the middle of the desert. Or in a scary place.
4. You will hear “are we there yet?” at a minimum 3,000 times during the trip.
5. Someone will be “bored” during the first 30 minutes. Probably your 8 year old.
6. The DVD you chose for the kids will most likely skip during the best part.
7. Someone will drop their snack on your newly vacuumed floors and most likely step on it. It will also probably be a bag of goldfish.
8. Someone will drop their favorite toy/stuffed animal/book in that small crack between the seat and the wall/door and they won’t be able to get it on their own. Fits will ensue.
9. You will need to take at least one dose of ibuprofen due to the backache you received from twisting and turning around so.many.times. every.three.seconds.
10. No matter how bad, tiring or long the trip there was; the way home will be much, much worse. Or, if you had a lovely trip there, expect the opposite for the way home.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind traveling with my kiddies, kinda like I don’t mind going to the dentist. It just has to be done.
What are your road trip “truths” when you travel with your kids?
I love this list because it is so true. I will have to remember this we are planning a small trip at the end of June to visit my grandmother. 😉
If you prepare enough it’ll work out fine! Best of luck on your journey!
Michelle, travelling in the RV we can’t hear them when they argue as they sit so far back! And, we take our own toilet with us – so much easier.
I used to keep “gifts” they could open at various mile markers/distances, if they behaved. It isn’t comfortable being strapped into those seats (for the little guys) where you really can’t move around much, so keeping something to look forward to seemed important. I remember some great trips, and some rough ones. I totally relate to the turning around so many times!! But then my kids grew into teenagers, and they “plugged in” and got silent in the back seat. And I’m not sure that was better:)
I try to keep in mind how they feel in their little seats too, which is why I try and gather as much fun stuff as I can to make the time pass by quicker! I’m always been thankful that my hubs had been traveling ling trips with us, I don’t know how I’d turn around and drive too haha! I guess NOT turn around 😉 Thanks so much for stopping by!
The last time we did a long road trip she was 4 months. Vancouver to Southern California. Next week we’re doing it again at age 4, but heading north. My list will be a little different because we’ll be in my parents’ motor home.
Enjoy the rest of the weekend. I followed you on bloglovin and twitter.
I’m sure a motor home would be MUCH better! At last you can move around some and have a potty!! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!