6 Tips for Sanity on a Family Road Trip

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#2 Do it your style.  

There are a lot of ideas out there.  Pick a few that match your family personality and the needs of your children.  What works for someone else may not work for you, and that is okay!

Don’t worry about being equal and do not try to do it all!  Too much stuff in the car can create a big mess anyway.  

The children in your family might even have different things that work for them too.  One kiddo might like silly putty and another might love audiobooks.  Play to their strengths.

#3 Be flexible.  

Some days we can hit the road and pound through the miles with little fanfare and few stops.  Other days, stops at the gas station and roadside distractions are what make the trip.

• If you are traveling with a group, invite one another to stop and go as needed along the way, knowing you will meet at the destination.  Take the pressure of making someone else happy off your plate!
• Plan for the unexpected.  Things don’t always go as planned; roads are closed, there’s an accident, someone is sick or needs a break.  Flexibility is key and can only happen if we allow for some extra travel time just in case.
  

Consider this experience.  One day we pulled off the road because of multiple unhappy family members and found ourselves in the parking lot of an ATV outlet, a pawn shop, and a nail salon.  Odd combination, but perfect!  The boys went one direction, the girls another.  Half an hour later we were ready to keep going.  I never could have planned that, but staying flexible gave everyone the refresh we needed.

Who would have guessed that we would end up with a quick polish of spider finger nails!?  Definitely, not me, but totally worth a few bucks!  Which bring us to our next sanity saving tip.