Coping with Kids on Road Trips
Here's what to do when they ask, "Are we there yet?"
"Mom, Dad! Are we there yet?"
This may sound all too familiar for the 31.4 million motor-vehicle travelers that the American Automobile Association estimates will kick off the summer travel season this Memorial Day weekend. It would be interesting to count how many times those travelers will be asked, "Are we there yet?"
In the old days, kids entertained themselves on road trips by traditional means such as reading, watching the scenery, and classic road games like "I see something you don't see." Nowadays, kids have more options in the car. Some parents even consider DVD players, videogames and personal music players as essentials on extended trips.
Joni Kirk, a mother of three from Moscow, Idaho, says, "While some people would say it's a baby sitter, I think of the DVD player as a lifesaver. We don't always play it; in fact, we save it for when we really need the kids to unwind and calm down. There are days I wish I could crawl in the backseat while my husband drives and watch a movie, too."
Many parents might agree, but some also admit to feeling guilty about relying on technology to make the time pass.
Christopher Perez of Corona, Calif., says the rule of the road for his family is no DVD for any trip under three hours.
"I don't think it's healthy to need an electronic 'lifesaver' every time the family loads in the family car for a trip. I would feel guilty if I let the kids escape in packaged entertainment every time they're 'bored' because they will never learn to find their own diversions. As a child, I learned to love reading because of my road trips--perhaps it was 'force fed,' but I hardly regret that today! My girls know the drill so well now that they don't even bother asking for the DVD for the standard 1.5-2 hour trips...but they will bug me if they can get a new book at Borders."
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