Surviving Long Car Trips

Remember the days when we didn't have 'ON DEMAND' or a DVR and could only watch a show when it was actually on TV?  Abby is genuinely confused when she asks to watch something and I tell her it's not on right now.

I am always amazed by how much technology has changed since I was a kid.  Abby now casually uses the word email and knows we can look things up on the computer.  She even started putting '(dot) com' after certain words:  Mickey(dot)com.

When I was a kid, games were board games.  Now, they come from some sort of screen.

I pick and choose when it comes to screen time.  I prefer it to be limited and have some sort of educational value.  But there are times that technology really does make life easier.  Such as, on long car trips.

Whenever we go on a trip thats over 2 hours, we put the dvd player into the car.  What I wouldn't have given to had that when I was a kid!  The only downside?  The process of choosing a movie!  Now that I think of it, I was one of 5 kids so the process of choosing a movie may have made this more of a headache than a sanity saver in my parent's case!

She was so tired from running around outside that she fell asleep with her movie choices on her lap!

We also always make sure to take the IPod which was mine until I made the mistake of putting games on it.  Now it's Abby's "game" and as soon as she sees it, she wants it.  (Guess I'll listen to the radio!)

As soon as she saw me taking pictures, she wanted her "games".  Who could say no to that face?

We do make sure to bring some non-tech fun on trips too.  Abby always picks out a bunch of her toys when we go away as well as books.  And there's nothing like a good old fashioned sing along, except sometimes I have no idea what she's singing!

However, the movies make time go the quickest and we have to hear, "Are we there now?" the least!

What do you bring on long trips to keep your kiddos busy?