Frontline Mom
Motherhood

Planning a Road Trip with the Kids

June 3, 2011 by · Leave a Comment 

I just successfully completed a road trip Chicago to Baltimore to NYC and back to Chicago. Despite the long hours in the car, a good time was had by all. Indeed, a family vacation should be about relaxing and having fun, even if it is a road trip with the kids. After all, everyone has worked hard and deserves a little R&R. And although life is not perfect, it is possible to plan and enjoy a peaceful road trip with your family.

However, if the idea of enjoying a family road trip sounds foreign to you, consider the following tips on how to plan a pleasant, kid-friendly road trip and maintain your sanity. 

Select an exciting destination. Although it has been said “it’s all about the journey, not the destination,” you have a better chance of rallying your children for a road trip if the destination is worth their time. Consider driving to a theme park, national forest or lake.

Make the most of the journey. Back to the famous adage, the journey should be fun, too. To prevent bored and cranky kids, stop every one to two hours. In addition to stopping for lunch and dinner, take 10 to 30 minute breaks to snack, stretch, enjoy a view or visit a specialty store.

Designate roles. If your son or daughter loves to take photographs or video, assign them the tasks of a trip historian. Other kids can help with distributing snacks, cleaning out the car during gas stops, and (depending on their ages) taking turns navigating the route. A child entrusted with responsibility is more likely to stay engaged and enjoy the journey.

Keep it simple. Driving to a new location and for days at a time is stressful. A road trip is not the time to take risks or travel down the road less traveled. Create a plan and stick to it.

Allow time for daydreaming. Resist the urge to plan out every moment of the journey. Without music or conversation, your children will have the opportunity to peer out the car window and let their imaginations run wild.

Two Kids and Me

May 31, 2011 by · Leave a Comment 

I love my kids – aged 15 months and 4 years.  And they love each other.  The challenge is that recently they both want me  – at the same time – all the time.  I’m very pleased to be in demand but its makes takes a bio break, writing this post or making coffee all the more challenging.  The sibling rivalry recently got more intense – now when one wants me to pick him up – then other wants me to hold her too.   If my daughter is sitting in my lap my son has now decided he needs to get a piece of action too.    My daughter recently complained that I only have time for the baby – I felt bad – but I had just spent hours at the park with her along so not sure I really got it either.  Oh well, again, nice to be in demand.

Most times I find this extra attention amusing but sometimes I just need a break.  Long live the Saturday afternoon escape to get a pedicure!   I’m doing my best to find activities that both like – and my daughter sure does love helping me take care of her little brother.  On Memorial Day we took out the double wide stroller and ran to the local parade – it was a blast.  I got my exercise and the kids enjoyed the firetrucks, marching bands and free candy too.     My husband stayed home to install our new swing set – thank goodness they each now have their own favorite swing and I’ve already perfected the art of pushing them both at the same time. 

We’re working on sharing and doing things as a family – hopefully it is paying off – to teach the kids that they can each have me (and my husband) without losing out when the other has that special time. 

How do you you teach your kids to share (you)?

Frontlinemom Here

May 31, 2011 by · Leave a Comment 

At long last! My fits and starts are hopefully over. I have relaunched my personal blog where my plan is to talk about the fun and challenges of being on the front line – staying on the top of my career and trying to be an innovative marketing while helping my family thrive. As a time-starved marketing professional juggling the run and chaos as a mother of two young kids, I’ve always got multiple balls in the air so blogging is going to have to be a new discipline for me. No more unpublished posts backlogs! Okay, almost no more… I’m going to blog about being a Mom, about ideas related to marketing & innovation, about my global perspectives (I lived most of the 1990s in South America/Europe) and about my hobby of choice – trying to stay fit.

Why is my blog called Frontlinemom? Well, I very often feel like I am fighting on the frontline – with deadlines, household chores, work assignments and the like, but still enjoying the excitement of the battle so to speak. In this blog, I’ll try to share some tips about being on the frontline, and trying to make it all work. I also invite you to share yours with me. My first tip is to put things in perspective – when push comes to shove – ask yourself what are you really fighting for?

How do you survive on the frontline? What are your tips for making it all work?

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