Ah, summer… the scent of fresh blooms, the feel of the hot sun… and the unmistakable sound of kids asking: “Are we there yet?” from the back of the car. It’s just not a proper road trip without complaining children… but that doesn’t mean you can’t ease your suffering!

Your friendly family at dotsure.co.za has compiled a list of fool-proof ways to keep kids happy, safe, and, above all, quiet in the car. Follow our suggestions, and your summer road trip will be a breeze!

 

Avoid the toys

First up, we’re going against conventional kids in cars wisdom: that stuffing your vehicle with bits and bobs will help keep the little ones occupied. Instead, you’re much more likely to get irritated – and distracted – by the noisy toys and the eventual tears when a plastic dinosaur inevitably gets lost in the car’s footwell.

 

Picture perfect

Go old-school and entertain your kids with photo albums – but actual ones, not the kind on your phone! While we do have photos on our phones, they’re always the new ones. Once they’ve been transferred onto some or other external storage, we rarely look at them. But they can be a great and engrossing trip down memory lane for kids. Who doesn’t want to see their mums and dads in their wacky youthful get-ups?

 

Snack safely

“Mooooom, we’re hungry!” is a common cry heard on road trips. But who wants to risk a car full of pretzel crumbs, spilt drinks and, yes, tears? This is where a compartmentalised, non-slide food tray comes in very handy. A silicone option is less likely to leap out of laps spontaneously, plus the fun colours might just make it easier to sneak a few veggies in among the chips.

 

Power up

Look, while all the “screen-free” parenting advice is great – it just doesn’t apply on long road trips. If having your kids zone out in front of an iPad loop of Peppa Pig will help you reach your destination safely and sanely, then by all means go ahead. But, remember to pack a mobile battery charger – because nothing is worse than the cries after a battery dies.

 

Stay safe on the roads this season with dotsure.co.za. From car insurance at a price, you pick with dotsure.co.za Name Your Price™ to superfast claims pay-outs, choose SA’s #1 rated insurer* and get fast, convenient car insurance – all online, anytime.

*As rated on Hellopeter.com at time of sending for publication.

**T&Cs and possible exclusions may apply and can be obtained by e-mailing u2us@dotsure.co.za. Risk profile and policy dependent.