tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post3382588187549338494..comments2024-03-28T04:36:56.831-04:00Comments on House Unseen. Life Unscripted.: 7 Tips for your Road Trip with KidsDwija {House Unseen}http://www.blogger.com/profile/17887429052179249473noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-35832185040736216802011-08-18T14:33:23.629-04:002011-08-18T14:33:23.629-04:00It's a brand new world out there if it's y...It's a brand new world out there if it's your first time to bring your kids on a road trip. Compared to your buddies you're always with, some of the kids will easily get bored throughout the trip, so keep them entertained with toys, DVDs, or road trip games.Patrick Gauerhttp://www.autoplanetusedcars.com/cadillac-ajax.htmnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-49964988809123003232011-06-26T17:29:12.511-04:002011-06-26T17:29:12.511-04:00I think I will second all of these tips. We just ...I think I will second all of these tips. We just finished up a 10 hour drive with our two year old and all of your pointers apply (though I do wish you had posted this exactly one week earlier).Jessicahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12799613980655749514noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-78969715492321119172011-06-25T14:40:01.382-04:002011-06-25T14:40:01.382-04:00You're such an awesome mom, Dweej. Seriously, ...You're such an awesome mom, Dweej. Seriously, your kids are lucky to be growing up in such a fun household! I loved these tips...mainly because they took me back to my own road trips growing up. Some of my favorite memories from vacations are of the road trips themselves and not the destination. I had awesome parents, like you guys are awesome parents, and they always found a way to make the journey even more fun than the destination. <br /><br />Oh, and my favorite line: "your younger kids will love almost getting hit by other cars." HA! Had to read that one aloud to Jeremy...we both were cracking up. <br /><br />Love you, buddy!Katie @ Chicken Noodle Gravyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02852793993330125727noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-18557410868579499352011-06-25T13:51:34.626-04:002011-06-25T13:51:34.626-04:00The portable DVD player saved our lives. We barely...The portable DVD player saved our lives. We barely hear a peep out of our two since we bought it. We have the kind that you strap around the head rest. I think it cost $150 at target, but it was the best investment I ever made.<br /><br />I love you friend's suggestion in number four. A little surprise every hour? That's an awesome idea. My kids would totally be excited by that.<br /><br />Great suggestions, Dweej, and you are pretty much the authority on cross country trips in my book.Amber_Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01065654066135186743noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-83476503173860852252011-06-25T08:55:23.906-04:002011-06-25T08:55:23.906-04:00Um, yes please to the portable dvd player! I borro...Um, yes please to the portable dvd player! I borrowed my mil's for our recent trip only to discover that it didn't work! I ended up playing movies for the girls on a laptop instead, because oh how movies make the time pass! <br /><br />Also, you belong to the correct school of thought when it comes to roadtrips - the lets take our time and meander and have fun school! I'm a big fan of stopping for the world's largest whatever or the best toffee this side of the mississippi, all of that stuff. That's what makes it fun!Lucy The Valianthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10017727113612906573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-20038770199256153702011-06-25T06:28:46.292-04:002011-06-25T06:28:46.292-04:00Why is it that my arms seemed so much longer years...Why is it that my arms seemed so much longer years ago? I remember being able to reach the back seat of our station wagon, easily, to dispense both food and slaps during those long, long road trips.<br /><br />Yes, I slapped my kids; sometimes it was the only way to break up a strangle-hold one had on another during a trip. Don't judge me...Pattyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00983686239033756332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-84935160184522796292011-06-25T06:21:01.092-04:002011-06-25T06:21:01.092-04:00I LOVE road trips! Listening to the kiddos chatter...I LOVE road trips! Listening to the kiddos chatter away in the backseat is alway fun :)Samantha Sottohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14116257082088369600noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-43454403319140292372011-06-25T03:21:50.416-04:002011-06-25T03:21:50.416-04:00Okay... I need to do my road trip. End of July. Ma...Okay... I need to do my road trip. End of July. Maybe not ALLLL the way, but part way. Thanks for inspiring me :)XLMIChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12268964638359962511noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-71516030213109598642011-06-24T18:39:29.105-04:002011-06-24T18:39:29.105-04:00You're such a good mom, and so thoughtful! I ...You're such a good mom, and so thoughtful! I love your tips!Nataliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11642130855047361118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-23553915733016598652011-06-24T18:20:10.488-04:002011-06-24T18:20:10.488-04:00Wish we would have had tip number three type littl...Wish we would have had tip number three type little gifts on our long family journey in 1974. How did you know? Three of us in the back seat from California to NY and back. It will have to be a book. Intangible Heartshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05047040538015079182noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-34193956102141992152011-06-24T17:00:48.910-04:002011-06-24T17:00:48.910-04:00More excellent tips! My readers are so resourcefu...More excellent tips! My readers are so resourceful. I love it :DDwija {House Unseen}https://www.blogger.com/profile/17887429052179249473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-72228831623020242552011-06-24T16:58:43.141-04:002011-06-24T16:58:43.141-04:00I always kept an awesome snack box in the car with...I always kept an awesome snack box in the car with a variety of items portioned out in snack bags, along with some juice boxes/bottles. That way, nobody starved when there were no suitable restaurants open, or we were trying to stay on a schedule!jamiewhitewyatthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10447384102934083655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-3528442973218676192011-06-24T16:57:14.553-04:002011-06-24T16:57:14.553-04:00Great tips! My mom used to make the four of us ki...Great tips! My mom used to make the four of us kids rotate seats in the van every potty stop. The toy buckets stayed at the seat but the kids moved. We got a new seat & new toys every couple of hours. Brilliant!<br /><br />On the topic of budget car toys - my mom made us felt boards in a shoe box. The inside of the lid was the board and the box held all the parts. Felt = cheap. Shoes boxes = recycled. And we could ONLY play with them on our long summer road trips.Elizabethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18144938504014711029noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-8929074080040109712011-06-24T15:21:24.668-04:002011-06-24T15:21:24.668-04:00Great trips. I wonder if I could get Roy to wrap m...Great trips. I wonder if I could get Roy to wrap me a present to open ever few hours. Hummm I will have to work on that one. <br />I think the portable DVD player has got to be a heaven sent thing for you who travel with kids.Berniehttp://onemixedbag.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-38358326175914802632011-06-24T15:08:24.578-04:002011-06-24T15:08:24.578-04:00I think they could, Audrey! Maybe he can gander a...I think they could, Audrey! Maybe he can gander at a map to help choose the route...decide which cities to stay in. Help book the hotels (depending on how long the trip will take). I'm guessing the electronic gizmos are already covered ;).Dwija {House Unseen}https://www.blogger.com/profile/17887429052179249473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-77884651886815729232011-06-24T14:56:21.839-04:002011-06-24T14:56:21.839-04:00Could these tips be adapted to two 50-something pa...Could these tips be adapted to two 50-something parents traveling with a bored teen across boring (to him) Wisconsin from southeastern Minnesota?<br /><br />FYI: I graduated from high school in 1974.<br /><br />Honestly, a helpful post, if only my kids (except for the teen) were not grown up and gone from home.Minnesota Prairie Rootshttp://mnprairieroots.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-43783524271059899112011-06-24T12:53:21.253-04:002011-06-24T12:53:21.253-04:00Really great tips!Really great tips!Krisztina Cliftonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10083709968500243900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-40197275021180147552011-06-24T11:36:17.523-04:002011-06-24T11:36:17.523-04:00I think stopping a lot and driving no more than 8 ...I think stopping a lot and driving no more than 8 hours per day MAX is also key. <br /><br />The excitement of knowing it's only half an hour until the hotel is another LIFE SAVER!Dwija {House Unseen}https://www.blogger.com/profile/17887429052179249473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-29607709252149549872011-06-24T11:34:46.014-04:002011-06-24T11:34:46.014-04:00Amen on the portable DVD player and the GPS! Those...Amen on the portable DVD player and the GPS! Those have been LIFE-SAVERS (or perhaps, more accurately, sanity savers...) <br /><br />Re: food - yeah - it's important to pick food that doesn't mash, melt or mess easily. (i.e. - licorice vs. M&Ms; turkey & cheese vs. PB&J)...and in the car, NO stainable liquids - just water!<br /><br />Thanks for the reminder to enjoy the journey - not just the destination - which is how I am programmed (unfortunately). Hopefully, I'll remember that later when we endure a road trip this summer. And hopefully, since my kiddos are getting a little older, they will be a tad better at entertaining themselves in the car, so I'm not stuck playing waitress the whole trip.<br /><br />~amy lAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-76212728215258285342011-06-24T11:26:33.059-04:002011-06-24T11:26:33.059-04:00@Debbie: I am not joking: we had zero fighting! B...@Debbie: I am not joking: we had zero fighting! Between them packing their favorite books and workbooks, seeing places we'd never seen, the dvd player, the leapster, the ipod, the snacks, the stops, the switching seats, the naps...5 days went by way faster than you would imagine!!! :D<br /><br />@Allison: Yes, no perishable snacks and no drinks with removable lids. Sports bottles and sippy cups ONLY!Dwija {House Unseen}https://www.blogger.com/profile/17887429052179249473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-91634441225964308172011-06-24T11:14:34.387-04:002011-06-24T11:14:34.387-04:00Here is another one. If the kids are in car seats,...Here is another one. If the kids are in car seats, have something between them, like say, a cooler. And if you don't do that, do not feed them anything throwable or mushable. Do not under any circumstances give them bananas unless you want to stop 15 minutes into your trip to clear banana out of a car seat, toddlers hair etc. Talk about a food fight.Allisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16021781602272064901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-78245478023114511832011-06-24T10:52:34.474-04:002011-06-24T10:52:34.474-04:00You forgot to mention "BUY EARPLUGS!". O...You forgot to mention "BUY EARPLUGS!". Or, find someone who can install one of those soundproof, bullet-proof, roll-up metal dividers that goes right behind the front seats. <br /><br />I was a child that was regularly treated to cross-country drives, and weekend trips where my road-warrior father happily dragged us 300+ miles "for the memories". LOL <br /><br />My husband was not nearly as blessed, so his idea of a "great family vacation" is to rent an RV and cruise the country. With all 6 kids. And, the dog. I can't. I just can't.<br /><br />Actually, his DREAM is to retire (HA!), sell our house, buy and RV, and just cruise the country until we die, stopping only to visit each child for 2 weeks. Won't they be excited when we park in their driveways "Cousin Eddie"-style???<br /><br />Actually, I like your tips a lot and have utilized most of them on road trips AND airplane trips.Mary Katehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12418321424046390588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-88544493575593706482011-06-24T10:49:51.302-04:002011-06-24T10:49:51.302-04:00great tips! We haven't taken ours on vacation ...great tips! We haven't taken ours on vacation yet (sad I know) I want to, but just scared of listening to fighting and noise for hours on end.Debbiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05324506166406888086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-9422347197057571312011-06-24T10:11:39.155-04:002011-06-24T10:11:39.155-04:00You're a wise one! These are all great tips, t...You're a wise one! These are all great tips, thank you for sharing! Have a great Friday, dear friend.Alisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13174981423633745590noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-77677707629823807972011-06-24T10:02:26.842-04:002011-06-24T10:02:26.842-04:00I used to give little gifts to Mac in the car. Oh,...I used to give little gifts to Mac in the car. Oh, memories.<br /><br />Seriously, he loved road trips, he's get in the back seat with about thirty books and no complaints. Of course, it was just him and me, no one to fight with!Ellen aka Elliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17892924619560880572noreply@blogger.com