Today is serious business.  Despite all my blog posts about family travel, I was more than a little hesitant about our 14 drive to the Yellowstone region.  So much so that I almost cancelled our trip.  Fortunately, I had some friends who walked me through some thoughts on our itinerary, we made some adjustments, and I felt excited for the adventure again.  I knew we needed a good audiobook.  My kids keep up on the more popular book series so we were in need of some fresh ideas.  I turned to fellow mothers and readers on Facebook and was so excited with the response I received. 

Whether it’s for listening in the car, reading together as a family, or for a child to read on their own, here are the top recommendations we received for kids ages 10-16.  Now I have not listened to every single one of these titles.  Please—that’s a lot of listening, but each of these comes highly recommended.  I didn’t want to keep this list to myself.  Enjoy!  Thank  you to Facebook friends who shared your wisdom to create this list!  

If you are looking for a more specific age range or wonder about language, violence, or sexual content, check out commonsensemedia.org.  They not only review the book, but rate it based on specific content.  When we are looking to please a variety of ages, this is a tool I love.

Sideways Stories from Wayside School – Louis Sachar

Leven Thumps – Obert Skye

Hitchhikers guide to the Galaxy – Douglas Adams

Little Britches – Ralph Moody

Laddie – Gene Stratton-Porter

Carry on Mr. Bowditch – Jean Lee Latham

To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee

Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson

Code Talker – Jospeh Bruchac

The Three Musketeers – Alexandre Dumas

The Work and the Glory – Gerald N. Lund

Fablehaven – Brandon Mull

Beyonders – Brandon Mull

Harry Potter – JK Rowling

Chicken in the Headlights – Matthew Buckley

Bullies in the Headlights – Matthew Buckley

Janitors – Tyler Whitesides

Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites Series - Chris Heimerdinger

The Gravity Keeper – Simon Bloom

Candy Shop Wars – Brandon Mull

The Rithmatist – Brandon Sanderson

The Ascendance Trilogy – Jennifer Nielsen

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind – Kamkwamba

Unbroken – Laura Hillenbrand YA version

Percy Jackson and related Rick Riordan titles

The Enchanted Collection (Audible)

The Adventure Collection (Audible)

The Graveyard Book – Neil Gaiman

Nick of Time Series – Ted Bell

Incident at Hawk’s Hill – Allan W Eckert

Brighty of the Grand Canyon- Marguerite Henry

Cheaper by the Dozen - Frank B. Gilbreth and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey

Charlie Bone Series – Jenny Nimmo

Magyk series – Angie Sage

Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis

Sweetness at the Bottom of my Pie – Alan Bradley

 

Tip #1:  Electronic devices—bring ‘em!  This is a great time to let the kids zone out. 
-Get some fresh movies and apps for the road.
-Screen shot the route of travel and identify cities/monuments along the way.  (Easy to do on paper and let kids color the route.)
-Think extra battery or portable charger!

Tip #2:  Music.  Take out the earbuds and listen together.
-Have each person pick 10 songs and ask older kids to create a family playlist.
- Laurie Berkner has great silly songs with a more soothing sound to the adult ear.  “Gross Songs Kids Love to Sing” by Twin Sisters is fun and entertaining for kids up to 10.

Tip #3:  Audiobooks.  This is as close to magic as it gets in our family.  Start a few hours in.  It’s a great distraction as people tire of movies and electronic devices.  Try a free membership at  Audible.com or check to see if your library has a digital system that allows for free downloads. 

Tip #4:  Shopping at Gas Stations
A long stop at the gas station makes me crazy.  I hate it!  My family loves it.  Indluge.  $3 per kid at the gas station works wonders if you didn’t plan enough snacks or they just need a pick me up.  

Hint:  Plan an extra little bit for the magic question, “Can I have 25 more cents!?” 
or
Respond with, “How much do you have to spend?  Choose quickly.”

Tip #5:  Pack plenty of snacks and a small cooler.  Granola bars only taste good for so long.  A quick sandwich on the road can be a big boost; especially if you are in the middle of nowhere.  Hungry kids = grumpy kids.

Tip #6:  Create a small store.  Grab a tub and fill it with snack or dollar store finds.  Then as each hour or 65 miles passes, announce shopping time.  

 Tip #7:  Give gifts.  Wrap small games or treats to pass out on the hour.  Even my teenagers liked this. The items only hold their attention for a short while, but it’s nice to break it up device use and connect with one another if even for a few minutes.  Ideas we've enjoyed:  playdough pictionary with mini-playdough tubs, pictionary with dry erase markers on the windows (older kids), card games, favorite candy bar, a new CD or movie to watch together. (Hide a download on their device).

Tip #8:  Plan for motion sickness.  Have gallon Ziploc bags tucked into pockets just in case.  Cinnamon bears or peppermint essential oils on the wrist help with mild nausea.

Tip #9:  Conversational Games seem to last longer than independent activities and help keep the driver awake.   "Would you Rather?"  "A my name is Alice" and "The Ungame" are easy to adapt for a long car ride.  

Tip #10:  Hand over the camera and see what delights make it back to you...a string of selfies, blurred images of fingers and toes, 500 cow pictures..who knows!?  

Above all, have fun!  That’s what this is all about, right?  
Remember, there is no magic formula!  Roll with the punches and enjoy the ride!

 Preparing yourself for a great road trip involves an honest look at reality.  

 Consider this scenario.  Because of school schedules, we did try Magic Formula #2 (See Part 1) recently and it was awesome!  The older boys flew to Utah and then drove home with us.  As we approached the return drive, I heard our oldest make a comment to his younger brother about how he’d better not act like “that” on the drive home or else it would be miserable.  To which the younger sibling replied, “Hey, just so you know, we had a great drive up here without you in the car.  We just listened to music and sang.  It was awesome!”  In my mind the unstated was, “So don’t tell me I’m the problem.”  

I loved it!  Don’t we always want someone else to be the problem?  Reality check, we are travelling with children.  They are unpredictable, emotional, and full of energy.  We know this AND we are agreeing to strap them into the car and be cooped up for a lot of hours; pretty sure this was NOT their idea.  

Tip #1:  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.  Each child in your family might have a different approach.  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.  One kiddo might like silly putty and another might love audiobooks.  Play to their strengths.

Tip #2:  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.

My peeps exploring an unexpected roadside stop in AZ

 If you are travelling with a group, invite one another to stop and go as needed along the way, knowing you will meet at the destination.  

Things don’t always go as planned so build extra time into your travel plans.  Part of the fun is the journey so allow for some wiggle room.  

Tip #3:  Help things go right and keep it positive.  If I only interact with my kids when commotion arises from the back seat, then bummer for everyone.  I don’t think I have ever made a threat that is effective for longer than 3 minutes in the car--trust me, I've tried them all.  They just don’t work and I sound like a big 'ol grump.

 Be mindful and notice what is going well before the chaos breaks out.  

 When things do get tense, acknowledge the emotional state of the child, and help them walk through it.   “I know, you are so sick of this car.  It’s hard to be so close to everyone. Do you need to punch this 
pillow….take some deep breaths…take a walk….can I sit between you guys…hold your hand…read you a story? “

Often children want our help.  We just don’t want to be bothered and are irritated that our bag of tricks isn’t working.  This is where the flexibility comes in again.  Sit with them in the yuck of the drive and don’t worry about giving in.  

I remember one day we pulled over for nameless unhappy family members and found ourselves in the parking lot of an ATV outlet, a pawn shop, and a nail salon next door.  Odd combination, but perfect!  The boys went one direction, the girls another.  Half an hour later we were ready to keep going.

Tip #4:  Tell your family story.  Everyone loves to hear stories about themselves.  Funny ones are the best to start with and capture everyone’s attention.  “Remember the time, you stuffed your comforter in the fridge and we found it at breakfast….”  

If your brain is like mine, it can’t always access these fun stories on the spot so flip through your photos before leaving and come ready with a few memories of each family member.   Share stories of extended family members too.  Just follow the natural momentum and exchange that will follow.  It also helps to remember that you love these people you are travelling with!

Tip #5:  Give yourself permission to take a break.  Get out of the car until the crazy stops.  Put in your earbuds and do some deep breathing or listen to some music.  Go to the bathroom and don’t come out for a few minutes.  (Tell your adult cohort so they don’t wonder!)  Create some space until you, and they, are ready to be nice again.  

Remember, there is no magic formula!  It is unlikely that your road trip will be flawless.  You should actually count on tired kids and parents, maybe a few tears, and at least one moment of melt down (not promising it will be the child that does the melting).  If we accept the rough spots as part of the experience, we can enjoy the ride and move from moment to the next and create connection.

Check back Monday for some practical ideas on preparing the stuff and keeping kids entertained!

I love travelling and exploring new things as a family.  Because we have 4 children, that plan almost always includes a car and a really long drive.  But, honestly, I do not love long car trips.  The thought is painful to me. 

 I really try to have a good attitude.  It’s just not my favorite way to travel.  Watching my kids navigate security at an airport is so much more fulfilling than watching them sit next to one another in the car!  

I have this mental picture of what a road trip should look like.  You know, we’re all happy to be together, getting along, playing license plate bingo, and singing as we drive for hours!  Every once in a blue moon that happens, but often as I look in the rearview mirror, I see zoned out blank stares (my husband calls this bliss) or scrunched up faces of arguing siblings.  

Well, after 16 years of road trips with our family, I finally discovered 2 magic formulas.  Ready!?

 #1  
Get a 15-passenger van.  No touching, breathing on, crossing invisible boundaries or anything.  
Just one child per row.  Brilliance!

 #2
If you don’t have a 15-passenger van, which I don’t, fly at least half of your children to the final destination.  
Why half?  Because flying all of us is so darn expensive, but remove 2 people and you get a little peace.  I’m in.  Besides, it’s much cheaper than a 15-passenger van!!

Disappointed?  Me too!!  Just like all things in life there really is no one formula that makes everything run smoothly.

 The truth is, even with all of my hesitation, we have had some great road trip adventures.  And yes, despite a lot of practice and planning, we have had our epically rough days on the road.  Those days have become some of the best stories and treasured memories along the way.