Road Tripping

A couple of years ago – when Kate was 3 years old – our family set off on our first road tripping adventure.  We drove from our home in Madison, Wisconsin down to Indianapolis, Indiana to visit G’s Aunt Anne (a.k.a. “Aunt Mimi) and Uncle Dick, and G’s cousins.

Prior to this, Kate’s average car ride was about the 5 minutes it takes us to get to her daycare, Target, and Starbucks.  A “long” car ride, in her mind, was the 45 minutes it takes to get to Grandpa & Grandma’s house.  This road trip – which was supposed to take us 5.5 hours – stretched into 7 when torrential downpours shut down the interstate just 11 miles away from our destination.

Along the way we made several stops so we could use the bathroom and get out and stretch, but Kate wouldn’t take any bathroom breaks. Not a single one!  She was eating and drinking the entire car ride, and every time we stopped G and I urged her to try but she refused. When we finally made it to G’s cousin Chris’s house in Indianapolis I insisted (read: flat-out bribed) that she go potty.

After dinner, we loaded back into the car for the short 15 minute drive to Aunt Mimi’s house where were staying, and as soon as Kate was buckled back in her carseat she said, “This time, no stopping – let’s just get there!”

This girl was made for road tripping.

Is there a road trip planned in your future? Check out my Road Tripping Guide for a Stress-Free Adventure at Homes.com, and be ready for anything!

(There’s even a tip on how to handle the unpredictable potty-related behavior of preschoolers!)

Once you’re properly prepared for a safe, and stress-free road trip, be sure to bring some memorable fun along with these Entertaining Road Trip Games & Questions – great for adults and kids!