Does your backseat look more like a war zone than a car? Siblings often squabble, and many times you can separate them or walk into the other room and let them figure it out. However, when this happens in the backseat of the car while you are trying to drive and while the kids are strapped in with nowhere to go, not only can it cause a major headache, it can also cause distracted driving.
In today’s blog, we’ll offer a little bit of advice about what might help to bring your car from chaos to peace and how the kids travel accessories from K4 Dynamics can help.
Preventing Backseat Brawls
Separate The Kids As Much As Possible
For a long car ride, try to create as much space as possible between the kids if they tend to fight in the car. Whether that means one is in the middle row on the driver’s side and one is in the very back on the passenger’s side or you simply pile up activities and pillows in the middle seat, giving each kid their own space can help prevent squabbles.
Pull Over
We know you want to get to your destination as quickly as possible, but sometimes pulling over is the safest and most effective thing to do. Let the kids know you’ll continue driving when it’s safe to do so, as in, when they are quiet. Feel free to use this time to catch up on emails, take a walk around the car, or organize your glove compartment. If you’re headed to a destination, let the kids know they are wasting their own time. A simple, “I hope the zoo doesn’t close before we get there…” might be enough to convince the little ones to keep calm and carry on.
Allow Screen Time
Many parents have mixed opinions about screen time, but when it’s a choice between a peaceful car ride or feeling like you’re in an actual zoo, putting on some cartoons or a movie can distract the kids for a good part of the ride. Our kids travel trays securely strap around their waist and can be used to prop up an iPad or tablet. If each child has their own device, encourage the use of headphones so you’re not listening to two screens at once.
Keep Snacks Close By
Sometimes a kiddo is just hungry. Keep snacks on hand within easy reach of your little ones and choose snacks they can open themselves. Our car seat travel tray has mesh pockets on the side that are perfect for storing string cheese, crackers, apple slices, and other car-friendly snacks.
Create Entertainment Stations
Each kid has different preferences for what they do in the car to occupy their time. For long or short car rides, make sure that each child is surrounded by their preferred toys, games, and snacks. K4 Dynamics makes this easy with the combination of a back seat kick protector with four roomy mesh pockets and our kids travel activity tray with mesh pockets on the side. These items will be within reach of most toddlers and kids and can easily be grabbed by parents at a red light as well.
Offer Rewards For Good Behavior
Rewards go a long way in reinforcing good behavior. Let the kids know that whoever displays good behavior throughout the car ride will get a special treat when they reach their destination. Be sure to follow through with giving rewards for good behavior and withholding the reward for bad behavior, even if it means one child is rewarded and the other isn’t. This could be the clue they need to fix their car behavior.
Create Strict Boundaries
If you have siblings, you likely remember car rides with a finger in your face and your sibling yelling, “I’m not touching you!” Or, perhaps you were the one doing the “not touching.” You might have also played a few too many rounds of Slug Bug and received a stiff punch in the arm every time a Volkswagen Bug drove by. Creating strict boundaries in the car can help prevent the escalating of fights. Encourage children that the space in front of them is theirs, but any space between them is off-limits. Use painters tape to create a physical line if you must! Our kids travel activity tray features sturdy walls that can act as a makeshift boundary.
Keep The Peace In The Car
Driving should be a fun and safe experience for everyone. When you set out on a car ride with the kids, make sure you are prepared for anything. Using a kids travel tray for activities can give each child a space of their own to play, eat, and keep themselves busy — and out of each others’ hair! Shop K4 Dynamics today to find more ways to make traveling with kids easy!