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Get Enough Snacks. When children have to travel for hours and stay put in the back of the car, they will get bored, and try to find an excuse to get out and run around. You can prevent them from nagging you to stop for food every few miles if you give them enough snacks that will last the trip. Try to get some carrot sticks and apples in a cooling bag instead of buying cookies and big bags of sweets that will take their appetite away.
Plan Your Route and Stops. You need to make sure you know your route and everything is planned. Try to stop every few hours for a toilet break. If you are traveling with a baby, you might need to stop more often to feed them and change their diapers. Find country parks and small attractions with a toilet and recreational area where your kids can stretch their legs and roam freely while you check the road ahead and get some light bites.
Provide Entertainment. If you have a built in DVD player in your car, apack some of your kids’ favorites. If not, it might be time to get a tablet holder attached to the back of the seat, so your kids can play and watch movies while you focus on the road. Keeping your kids busy can help you make the most out of your journey, and you will find that time goes faster. You will not have to keep on talking to the children, so you can focus on the traffic.
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Adjust Car Seats and Head Restraints. Before you set off, you should check the condition of the child seats and adjust the head restraints. In case of an accident, the head restraint that is adjusted properly can prevent some serious injuries. You will also have to check the seat belts every time the kids get back in the car. In case you are involved in an accident, you will need to prove that you made the necessary precautions to keep your kids safe, and if you need to get legal help with personal injury, this is the first thing your lawyer will ask about.
Travel Sickness Tablets. Most young children develop travel sickness at one point, and this can be extremely stressful for you and them as well. Don’t let them eat much before you set off, and give them a travel sickness tablet just in case. Have bags and wet wipes ready just in case. You might be the smoothest driver when your kids are at the back, you have little or no control over traffic conditions.
Stay In Charge. Don’t let your kids dictate when you stop and where you have lunch. You need to stay in control, unless there is an emergency. Explain them the route and how long they will need to stay in the car for, and keep updating them on your progress. Don’t wait until they start asking “are we there yet?”.
Have an Emergency Kit in the Car. You will be surprised what kids can be up to at the back of the car when they know that you are focused on driving. Always keep an emergency kit in the car. They might run and fall when you stop at a park, or suffer insect bites that need immediate attention. If you need to brake suddenly, they might also suffer minor injuries that you have to treat on the spot.
Traveling with kids can be challenging even for the most experienced driver. Make sure you have everything covered, and get them to understand safety rules. Keep them entertained and informed, stop regularly, and stay in charge. Check up your car’s safety equipment and child seats before you set off on a road trip, and you will enjoy taking your family out on day trips.
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