Enjoy The Ride
August 29, 2006
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Whether you are driving solo to work or driving a carpool, I challenge you to enjoy it. At times the car is the very thing that frustrates many of us…my kids are too crammed together in the back seat of my car (we are looking for a used mini-van!), however, I have been trying to make peace with it. During the summer my kids constantly were picking at each other and making life miserable for everyone until we started telling stories, playing I Spy and singing songs more often. Now, I drive carpool in the mornings and if I didn’t try and get the kids talking and telling jokes (I give prizes for the best joke of the week), then we would travel the 10 minutes in silence.
Here is a quick game/story outline to play with your kids:
I start out saying, ‘Once upon a time, there was a ………………named…….. and a ………………, named……………..
(then I make them fill in the blanks.)
They decided to …………………… and on the way ………………….. (introduce some sort of conflict here).
You get the idea….just keep it going. Name animal characters to star in their tale, give them funny and interesting hobbies, introduce antagonists, etc.
Today’s Magic Wand:
Get your family talking in the car. Turn off the cellphone, turn down the radio/iPod (or off) and spend time together, it just might become your favorite time of day.
If you are driving solo, enjoy the peace! I always love the rare opportunities to be in the car by myself to think and meditate in silence, no music!
Great advice. I dreaded commuting until I realized how much I can learn and think in the quiet 30 mins. twice a day. Now I look forward to it.
When traveling with my son I love listening to his CDs and singing along. It’s also a good time to explain things to him.
Being in the car for more than 20 mins is ideal for these things because it eliminates a lot of distractions.
Thanks for the tips Kelly!
BTW, “Enjoy the Ride” is a great metaphor for life. When the ups and downs in life seem overwhelming I visualize people on a roller coaster. They are having fun and anticipate the slow climb up and the rush coming down. A lot of life is perspective.
It is also a great James Taylor song: “The secret to life is learning to enjoy the ride…” There is a preschool group called MOPS with a magazine. The final article is about mompreneurs. I will send you a copy.