Driving around the country can sometimes mean long days of travel. We try to keep drive times to around 5 hours, but that is not always possible and we have had up to 9-10 hour drives from time to time. Keeping the troops happy during this time can be trying. So how do we manage long travel days without loosing our minds? We have found a routine helps, at least most of the time. In fact routines are how we manage most things in our full life. It is extremely helpful because all our kids regardless of special needs or not know what to expect.
C asks the same questions over and over about our day, having a routine helps limit the questions. A can overreact to the unexpected, having a routine decreases overreaction. D forgets what we have said or planned, again routines make it easier for her to remember. B, well she is pretty good with changes and does not overreact, but a plan helps her decide what she wants to do during the drive and how to divide her time.
We always start a long drive day after a good breakfast. nourishing food is not something we try to do it is our lifestyle and our constant choice. For a drive day it is best to eat a filling meal, especially for Daddy since it takes a lot of energy to drive the beast. We pack everything up, double check that all items are secure and we are on our way.
The kids start a long drive with learning (yes even during summer). We aren’t learning a lot of new stuff just solidifying things we learned all year. Every summer since they were 5+ we have done a similar summer routine. Handwriting (print or cursive), journal writing, and math review encompass the basics of learning time. Then they have flash cards of math facts or sight words as needed. After that they choose some fun work mad libs, math based puzzles, coloring fact sheets things like that. Unless they are really stalling their work takes less then an hour to complete. We once had a child spend 6 hours on it! That only happened once though since they lost out on all the fun stuff that day. This little bit of learning is crucial in our little ones greater education. Without regular reminders C, and to an extent D, forget a lot of what they have learned. Keeping up with regular reminders makes it harder to forget the basics.
After they finish work they get to read and listen to music on their tablets. The silence is amazing as they read and listen!! Although this momma’s heart sings when they exchange and share books and songs. No games though, that time is earned through out the week and used on Saturday or Sunday. Our 6S behavior system is based on earning and loosing points with rewards and consequences based on point totals, that though is a whole different post we will put together.
At some point we find a place to pull over make lunch and hopefully stretch our legs a bit. A park in a local town, a beach, or a rest stop are a few of our favorites. Since we have everything we need in the RV we don’t need much at a stop, but getting the kids to move is top priority. After lunch they decide on a dvd (we brought a bunch from home) and settle in to watch a movie or continue to read if they choose.
By 4 we try to stop again for a stretch and snack. Depending on timing though sometimes we just hand out a snack and keep going. At this point all devices are off and they have to do the dreaded entertainment without screens. Ha ha! They have toys, books, art supplies, games, each other, and the windows. Not that it is always loving and peaceful, but down time is good for everyone, including all kids. Working it into our day helps make sure it happens and the kids are not surprised by it.
What do we do if they are bored? Well we will let you in on a 6S strategy that has changed the way our children see down time. The kids never (or hardly ever) say “I’m bored” if they do it is always answered with “boredom just mean you aren’t using your brain” or “yay! Great things come from being bored and working through it” being consistent and never solving their boredom has made the words (almost) disappear from their vocabulary. Not every strategy we have tried works, but this one definitely did and our kids are better for it. They don’t rely on others to entertain them, they have developed their own brains to entertain themselves. In our world that is a gift a lot of kids are not getting.
So what helps make our travel life successful? A set yet flexible routine. We all know things happen, life never goes as expected, and there needs to be room for change. Yet having a routine set for our longer drive days helps us get through them without too many problems. Do we still get frustrated? Yes. Is there still sometimes tears, yelling, or time outs? Most definitely yes. But more often then not once we establish a routine we all feel a little better, make it through the day with more smiles, and most importantly enjoy the ride.
Our 6S Full Life 