5 tips for road-tripping with kids
Literally, brought you guys on the road with me this week!
Mindfully Capable Mom is taking you on the road with this weeks’ post. Last week was spring break, and we went on 2 separate road trips (we’re crazy, I know). We currently live 4 hours away from our immediate family, so I believe we have perfected our road trip techniques with our numerous trips home.
SC back to ATL. We left for Tampa less than 24 hours later.
Hubby had to work the first part of the week, so the boys and I headed to SC on our own for a couple of days. Once we got back, the 4 of us (well, I) repacked and jumped in the truck for Tampa. I am a planner, and things have to make sense. I’ve developed 5 tips to make it super simple:
1. Determine what kind of trip you are taking
Are you really road-tripping, as in stopping at all the national parks on the way? OR are you on a mission to get to your destination? Knowing this really helps with your travel times and preparation. Here’s what I mean, I am a ‘let’s just hurry up and get where we are going’ traveler. If we are going to my parents’ house, get in the car and let’s go. We will get ONE bathroom/gas break at our halfway point and DASSIT!
Keeping this in mind, we travel right after a meal. Bellies are full for the ride and ready for the next meal by the time we reach our destination. Additionally, take a look at a map before leaving to plan good places to stop, if necessary. I find rest area restrooms to be more accommodating (and cleaner) than gas stations.
2. Dress comfortably
The boys are into athletic clothes only these days. RX calls them soft clothes. He hates for anything to be tight, constricting, or itchy. AND because RX is into it, DL is too. It’s easy to dress them for a trip. Dryfits, joggers/basketball shorts, and crocs… DONE! Same for Hubby. Jeans and dress clothes are not for travel! If you have to look presentable at your destination, consider making a pit stop.
Crocs, beach towels as blankets, and headphones... FOR THE WIN!
Thankfully we have dual climate control in our vehicles because when we travel, I am ALWAYS cold. I have to layer up, and when we travel during the winter, I bring a blanket. Leggings, long sleeve Ts, tanks, and slides are my travel clothes of choice. Notice I mentioned slides and crocs as our travel shoes. The kids and I love to take our shoes off when we are on the road. However, because I’m typically on a mission when we travel, I am not trying to spend a bunch of time tying up shoes. Slip those shoes on and get out! Additionally, if I’m in the car for more than a few hours, I swell... Slip-on shoes (and sometimes compression socks) save a lot of aggravation and discomfort.
3. Pack light and sensible
I used to be the person that packed 20 different outfits for a 3-day trip! We were always pushing the checked bag weight limit, and it made zero sense to have the car packed to the gills for just a couple of nights on the road. For the boys, I started packing by color. If they are wearing black shoes, everything I pack will match those black shoes (or the Crocs they are already wearing). They have a 2 shoe maximum. If you have girls, I have zero tips because I haven’t quite learned the 2 show maximum for myself. Thankfully, grabbing an outfit for each day plus an additional shirt works perfectly for them! Hubby follows the same process.
Boys' clothes for 4 days. Four outfits plus extra shirt, 2 swimsuits, and pajamas. Shoes and underwear not pictured.
All those clothes (plus shoes and underwear) in their own packing cubes! Blue for RX and green for DL.
DL always asks, 'what's my responsibility, Mom?' Guess I have drilled responsibility in their brains (I'll take it as a win). Anyway, their responsibility for this trip was their book bag filled with travel essentials (toys, books, and all their other crap they HAVE to have).
In the summer, I love a good flare or shift dress. It can be dressed up with sandals or dressed down with a pair of sneakers. In a suitcase, it folds up as small as a shirt and most times come out wrinkle-free (hang it up in the bathroom while you shower, if it doesn’t). It can even double as a beach/pool cover-up. It is honestly the best travel item. I need to get more colors, so feel free to comment on your favorites below! In the winter, leggings, pull-on jeans, dusters, pack very well. I follow the same rule and will only pack things that match whatever boots I want to wear.
I’m super proud of myself. I was able to pack a family of 4 for 3 nights at the beach in ONE suitcase and ONE toiletry bag. Packing cubes are a lifesaver, and you should get yourself some RIGHT NOW (I love these and these)! Once we arrived, unpacking was a breeze, and the boys could easily pull out their own outfits. I’m all about ease and independence.
It's totally possible to repack efficiently. The gray cube holds the clean clothes. The rest of the cubes were dropped off at the washing machine when we got home. I even presorted by cube, so laundry shouldn't take forever (keyword: shouldn't!)
4. Set the kids (read: yourself) up for success
Speaking of independence - I’m teaching them to fend for themselves in the back seat, especially when it’s just the 3 of us on the road. Grab and go snacks are crucial. When I’m driving, I cannot open packages, peel oranges, or poke juice boxes - they are on their own. They have their own snack bag (filled with things they can manage) and water bottles within reach.
I bought baskets that fit perfectly in between their seats. Now essentials like masks, toys, books, DVDs, remotes, iPads, and headphones are perfectly accessible and not flying around the back seat when I hit the exit at top speed (shhh).
Preparing kids for a trip is more than just tangible setups. The boys are very time-sensitive, and I HATE the ‘are we there yet?’ question. They always know what time it is and want to know what’s coming next on the schedule. I take the blame for that because I’ve had them on a schedule since they came out of the womb. Once we get in the car, we give them the expected arrival time (pending no traffic). DL has recently learned to tell time; however, he has zero concept of time. He has no idea what '4 hours away' means. But if we get in the car at 8 am, we can tell him we’ll get to SC at 12noon, which helps to ease anxiety because he can check the clock on his own.
5. ENJOY YOURSELF!
That’s it.. That’s the tip!
Hopefully, implementing these tips helps ease the anxiety around road tripping. Check out some of the highlights from our trip. Also, please share your tips with me. I’m quite sure I don’t have it all figured out and would love to hear from you.
Grace, Space, and Love,
