7 More Takes To Traveling With Children

Last updated on: February 23, 2018 at 10:48 am by Anne Kennedy

7 More Takes To Traveling With Children 2018-02-23T10:48:42-04:00 Anne Kennedy

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

A long time ago I did seven takes to traveling with children–how to get from New York to Texas in a few minivan with six children and not lose your mind. You can google it because it was fantastic and was full of useful information about the shoe bag and how not to lose your mind–no wait, I already said that. So, now I’ve gone into NYC with children and one time was more than enough for me to provide a similar slate of scintillating advice.

One
Go when your children are old enough to walk. There’s no reason to have any kind of an outing with any child under seven years of age. All those people who suggest you should get out of the house with your toddler are lying to you. No toddler needs to go to the library or the museum, unless you are potty training and you want to give the little precious somewhere new to have an accident. No, when the children are little, stay home and enjoy yourself. Eat left over bowls of macaroni and cheese, Cheerios off the floor, and the end of a gross cheese stick recovered from someone’s pocket. Only when the child is long legged and buzzing with so much energy you feel like you’re going to lose your mind is it the proper time to go on an outing.

Two
Finally start telling your children what is going to happen next. If you’ve read me for any number of years you’ll know that I strongly advise against letting young children know what is going to happen next. Think of every day as Sunday, or Friday, or whatever. Every moment is a surprise. Avoid all, ‘tomorrow we’ll see aunt Sally and have ice cream and the day after that you’ll get a shot and then on the weekend we will go to the zoo.” Folly lies that way, and so much crying. No, when a child is very young you let him sit on the floor ripping up paper into ever increasing tiny bits of sadness and say things like, ‘That’s very nice, Johnny. When you’re done with that last square we will put on your coat and go out. No, don’t ask where, it doesn’t matter. There you go, now let’s put on your shoes and get in the car.” Children have no reasonable concept of time anyway. They only need to know what is happening to them as it is happening.

When the child gets to be seven, then you can give more information.

Three
Like, “Yes We Will Eat Food we just don’t know where we’re going to eat it and what its going to be, do you have anything you’d particularly like to eat?” You can chat with all your children and negotiate together about what would be best. When fights break out you can revert back to your previous manner of being. “Be quiet,” you can say, “we’re eating pizza in fifteen minutes.”

Four
Continue with your new habit of telling your children the things that are hurting you whenever they tell you the things that are hurting them. “Oh, your feet are sore?” You can say, “So too with mine! In fact, wait, come back here. Look! The ball of my foot, right here, no look, is on fire.” The child will back away from you in horror and remember that he doesn’t need to tell you how he feels every second of the benighted day.

Five
Revel in the delight that by teaching your children about Jesus and the Bible you are actually giving them the gift of being able to enjoy great art. Stand back as they go delightedly from picture to picture recognizing the slaughter of the innocents, Hagar raising her arms in despair to God, Salome waiting with her platter and her toes curled under, her amused and expectant expression defying you to look away. Gaze on as Other People ask each other what the pictures are of and what they mean. Feel like you did something right, even if it was only that one thing.

Six
Make the children carry their own jackets and sweaters. Never ever give in and carry them yourself because if you do, when you try to give them back everyone will be angry with you. Don’t admit for a minute that it was a bad idea to bring sweaters. Look, it’s February. That is technically winter. It’s not your fault if it turns out to be 80 degrees. That never happens. Explain however many times it takes that it is never ever ever a bad idea to bring a sweater. Rejoice late at night when everyone puts on their sweater for ten minutes while waiting for a shuttle. You won. They did need the sweater. Look who is complaining now! No one, that’s who.

Seven
Admonish your children to go check out more takes. Just kidding, they don’t need to be on the internet. That’s you, you go check out more and better takes!

Learning Notes

Traveling with Children

Previous Post

February 22, 2018

An Outing

Next Post

February 24, 2018 Notes From Home: Remembering Billy Graham

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category books Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Children in Conversation culture watch Daily Devotions Demotivations with Anne faith alone for the grandparents GAFCON In conversation with children In the News Kitchen Notes Lambeth Learning Notes Life Going On Men are Human Notes from Home Pictures Reading the Bible Saturday Links Sermons Signs of the Apocalypse The Bad Word Association The Prayer of Jonah Travel Notes Uncategorized Witless Wednesdays Work and the Christian

Select a Month June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 July 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

True or False: Paul tells the Colossians to set their minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Select your answer to see how you score.

FALSE TRUE

Books by This Author Books by Anne Kennedy

See All Titles »