When I was a kid I spent hours and hours traveling between my mom’s house and my dad’s house. They lived 200 miles apart, which meant that every school vacation and 3-day weekend began and ended with a four-hour car ride for me, from age 4 until about 14 when I started having my own social life. I had no iPad to get lost in. Borrriiiiiing.
Now I have long-car-ride-phobia. The four-hour drive to my dad’s house feels like a full day’s work. And I don’t even drive — my husband does it.
Road trips are not really the same as plain old waiting. I’m not sure which is more anxiety-producing for parents of young children. You’ll have to tell me what you think.
Let’s say you’re boarding a long plane fight with your children. You’re armed with an iPad and headphones and a crapload of snacks. After getting situated with your carry-on stowed properly and seatbelts fastened, you’ve been told that all electronic devices must be turned off. Fine, you expected that. But suddenly, the wait on the runway has been extended. In just forty-five minutes you’ll be in flight. FORTY FIVE MINUTES sitting next to someone who does not care to page through the airline magazine or just lean back and close her eyes.
Here’s when you need a piece of paper, a pen, and a good imagination.
I was asked to comment on activities to help make a long wait fun — a topic that we included in Stuff Every Mom Should Know — and here’s what I said:
What games do you play to pass the time?
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I feel you! My family lives in LA and we make that car trip (6+ hours depending on traffic) often! Snacks kill a lot of time, lollipops, I bring cheerios, pretzels and string and have them make a necklace, put it on and eat it. I try to keep them tired before hand so they knock out. Other than that, drawing, stickers and books. In the new mini van we have a DVD player but try to wait that out until the last two hours. We usually sing and dance to our music, forget kids’ music, they don’t really know it exists. We have a 6 hr plane ride to HI in a couple of months with no layover (obviously) joy! Thank goodness for new inventions (iPad, iPhones, etc). How did our parents survive? How did we survive without being dropped off at some road side stop after we whined for the billionth time, “When are we going to be there…” Sometimes I can’t wait until they are old enough to not want to talk to me all. of. the. time. (I say now, I’m sure if and when it happens, I’ll long for the old days!)