You’ll have to excuse my relative silence this past week. I had a busy weekend.
You see, a long time ago in the 70s my dad was a successful professional athlete. Don’t get too excited. I can’t tell you his name because my grandma is convinced that internet stalkers are alive and well. Plus, my dad’s success as an athlete is only impressive to a niche market of men aged 55 and older. Nobody else really cares (sorry, Dad!)
Anyhoo, he was so successful that he was awarded a street sign in his hometown, a mere 3 hours from where I live. So he and my mom flew in to spend the weekend with my family and then we all piled in a minivan and drove 6 hours round trip to see the street sign.
I learned a few things during the car ride with me, my husband, my two kids, and my mom and dad. Here’s my wisdom:
1. Make sure the DVD player is charged.
2. Make sure you have enough snacks for hungry kids AND hungry grandparents.
3. Definitely get the minivan model with as many climate control zones as possible.
4. Be prepared that not everyone will love their seat assignment and you will have to switch hourly. This makes the minivan with the captain’s chairs a MUST.
5. Make peace with the fact that someone will probably read aloud every road sign for 3 hours {Grandma!}, someone will yell and scream at his DSi game {Will!}, and men will tune out the world and talk sports forever {Chad and Grandpa!}
6. Have your 5-year-old sit next to a grandparent. This almost guarantees you a mini-vacation. I got to stare into space and rest my brain while Grandma got to listen to the singing dinosaurs on the DVD player and hear jokes that only a kindergartener could love. I feel so refreshed!
Have you gone on a road trip recently? What stories or tips can you share?
Image courtesy of digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
This is the second minivan post I’ve read today! Apparently, there’s an epidemic…
I don’t own one, we just rented. But it was perfect!
Katy @ Experienced Bad Mom recently posted…Tips for Riding in a Minivan with Grandparents
Oh you had me at the title . . . Grandparents and minivan trip shouldn’t be in the same sentence! Bless you for being so flexible! I myself, am ashamed to admit that I am not as patient. I totally had to crack up about making sure there are enough snacks for kids and grandparents. Glad you had a safe and successful trip 🙂
Erin recently posted…7 Year Old Phineas and Ferb Birthday
Thanks, Erin! Yes, it amused me to see my parents and my children fighting over the Pringle crumbs in the bottom of the can! 🙂
Oh my goodness…at least grandparents did not do the driving? Riding with my father is now an adventure since the steering wheel follows his eyes and he has a habit of looking around a lot. My mother the speed demon, on the other hand, has now become a turtle. I rode the 12 mile trip with her into town recently and she never topped 50 mph…driving 35-50 the entire way. How times change!
Visiting from SITS girls and from http://asktracyann.crochethappy.com/
Happy SITS DAY!
Tracy Joyner recently posted…Oct 24, Free Crochet Patterns-Baby, Infant and Preemie
Thanks for chuckling and commenting! 🙂
I can visualize this so well! Grandparents and grand kids are so alike. Someone once said they get along so well b/c they have a common enemy. 🙂
Mare recently posted…Things I Know for Sure
Common enemy…so true, so true!!
Katy @ Experienced Bad Mom recently posted…Tips for Riding in a Minivan with Grandparents
HAHAHHAH, I don’t allow anyone over 50 sit in the passenger seat when I am driving. Due to the annoyance factor we would not make it to where we were going alive.
Not Winning Mom of the Year recently posted…Bed Rest