It has to be one of the most exciting times for an adult to have besides when you win the lottery. A vacation is time off that we all have worked hard for, so we definitely deserve it.
So for your time off, you decided to take your family on a road trip. Only you know your excursions itinerary, but we should have a list to make sure we have everything before we leave, so here is that list of 9 Critical Tips for Parents to Check for Before the Next Road Trip.
Wallet or Purse
One time or another, you will forget your wallet or purse, and you will not notice until you need to use it. So a nice trick to keep this from happening is if you are looking for your wallet, run your hand over the pocket you usually keep it in.
If you do this before you leave your house, your mind will start doing it habitually. Psychology Today has done research on this matter and have seen that it takes on average sixty-six days before a new action can become
a habit.
I so used to this habit from the military to check and recheck my gear before leaving on a mission, the worst feeling you can have is the feeling of being unprepared.
I actually open my wallet and count my cards before putting my wallet back in my pocket due to my terrible memory. It is comforting to know I didn’t leave a card somewhere when I need it.
So make checking for your wallet or purse a habit and prevent yourself from being unprepared.
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Kids if you have Them
Yes, it doesn’t just happen in the movies, but it can happen in real life as well. No, I am sure parents don’t mean to forget their children, but in times of high stress, a parent could forget.
Why do you think elderly people play crossword puzzles so often? Yes, I am sure there are people out that actually enjoy the problems, but WebMD has done research showing that playing crossword puzzles can exercise your mind and increase your memory.
Weak memory can be caused by depression, stress, under the influence of alcohol and drugs, low B12 in your system, some types of medication, Alzheimer’s, and illness of some kind.
So maybe it isn’t you, but there is always something we can do to prevent a bad memory so which one do you think would work for you?
Luggage
This point I find funny, but that is only because my wife checks our daughter’s luggage before we leave. Due to their overpacking for trips!
But this is another excellent point for all you parents out there, and if you know what I am talking about I am sure you are getting a good laugh in.
It is vital with your luggage that you double-check you have everything you need for your trip.
This way when you get to your destination you have all you stuff…now unlike parents suitcases our children are packing for forever, they do not know when they will return from their journeys, so they pack EVERYTHING!
I remember on one road trip that my family and I went on, one of our daughters packed eight pairs of shoes, and it was only a four-day trip.
Now I know there are ladies out there that love their shoes and I don’t hold that against my daughter. I do, though, on the other hand, hold it against her that the shoes were the only thing she packed and was okay with wearing the same clothes for the next four days…..
This is why you need to check all suitcases and make sure that your family as a whole is ready!
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Tire Pressure
Tire pressure is not only essential to make sure you don’t have a flat tire. But tire pressure also can affect your fuel economy up to 3%!
That’s right; checking your tire pressure will change your fuel economy. This has been shown in research done by the Department of Energy.
Fuel Level
Now I know my fellow parents can agree with me on this tip. I know I am guilty of it just as much as anyone, but you need to check your fuel level before you get on the highway.
The best time to do it to save even more money is fueling up before you get your kids in the car. Because if you don’t, they will think this is when they need to go to the bathroom and grab snacks!!
We just left the house; no, you don’t get snacks 400 feet away from our home! Sound familiar? So fuel up and don’t forget it!
EZ Pass
Now if you do not use this toll road payment system, then whatever is offered in your state or country. For the East Coast, it is the EZ Pass system, and you do not want to be caught without it if you are taking a toll road.
For Virginia, if you go through a toll for the downtown Norfolk, VA tunnel and have your EZ Pass, it is $2.20, but if you do not have the EZ Pass, it is then $5.76.
Make sure you put the money on your EZ Pass at least 72 hours before your trip, or the funds will not be loaded onto your account, and the tollbooths will charge you like you never had an EZ Pass at all!
So it definitely helps to have your EZ Pass assigned to your vehicle and make sure you actually have money on it. If you do not have money on your system, you are charged the same as if you don’t have it at all.
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Charge Cord
I cannot think of many people in this day and age that do not use their smartphone for directions when they are driving.
For a parent, their phone is much more than just a GPS, it is your camera, a watch, a child’s toy, wifi hotspot, book reader, and much much more.
So if your phone is this important to you, there is something you should never forget, and that is your charging cord!
A dead phone is no phone at all, so a great way to prevent this all together is to purchase extra charging cords.
You can find them online for a high rate, here is a low priced android charging cord and an Apple charging cord for all of you Apple users.
These are coming from Amazon that is not only cheaper than the cords you can get from the gas station, but the quality is on point as well, so that saves us money from m needing to purchase another.
Know your Route
Have you ever used your spouse as your navigator? I know every now, and then I have attempted to use my wife as my navigator, and it can go well for the first…..50 miles later the boredom of the road comes into effect.
Next thing you know you are in the middle of nowhere and your navigator is reading a book.
So the best way to prevent this is to use your phone with a handsfree phone holder so your phone can tell you the directions (since your not using it anyways, while driving) and your spouse or friend can use their phone for a fix to their boredom.
Prevent yourself from being stranded on the highway with an overheated vehicle. Here’s my article on How often should I replace my car’s thermostat?
Check for Kids Again
Have you ever took so long going somewhere and then noticed before leaving that one of your children is now missing?
Live strong has done research on this topic, and they have seen that children that are in their teenage years to adulthood need to use the bathroom 4-6 times every day.
If the child was awake for 16 hours out of the 24 in a single day, that means that a child will need to use the bathroom once every 2 and a half hours.
Now a child that is between the ages of 3 and 12 can go to the bathroom on average 12 times every day.
That means you are going to travel for an hour and a half before they need to stop again. This is why it is crucial to check to see if your kids have used the bathroom, have everything they wanted to bring, or something else that seemed essential to your child.
It is a big to-do to get everyone ready and get started on your trip, but if you follow all of your prep trip steps, you should be able to make your journey a lot easier on you and everyone traveling with you.
In Conclusion, then we can Hit the Road
So as a conclusion I feel that we covered all nine points justly and we are now ready for our road trip.
You have your children (if you have any) and if you don’t have any make sure no children are sitting in your car.
That would be quite frightening, especially if you just got done watching a zombie movie. Remember on your road trip it is a time that you and your family get to spend together so look up from your phone or laptop from time to time.
Making money is great, and all but this is a time that your family has been waiting to reconnect.
So unplug yourself and enjoy the time with your family. These are the times that your children remember when they are grown.
So have an excellent and safe time and thank you for reading my article. Please share with your friends and family, so they are ready for their next road trip!
Check out my Youtube channel for up to date video how-to guides. Thank you again!
