Whether you're driving to a nearby supermarket or are about to hit the highway, there are numerous potential hassles when driving with kids. While parents would know how to keep the toddlers calm and happy when at home, things can get far more challenging when travelling in a car. Here are at least 10 things you should never do when driving with kids -
9 Things you should never do when driving with kids
Last minute route revisions
Remember, even minor changes in the plan can make things troublesome for your kids. If any, the unplanned detours and stop-offs should be for the children's benefit. So, not taking a pothole-ridden road in a bid to reduce the travelling distance should be an absolute no. Moreover, having an extra stop merely to enjoy the scenery could be a bad idea as the toddlers would instead want to get to the comfort of your home at the earliest. Keep in mind, long drives with kids should be just about quickly getting from point A to B without causing any trouble to the children.
Not carrying enough food
Always make sure you have enough food for the toddlers. Even if kids' stomachs are full before commencing the journey, they can start feeling hungry within a couple of hours. Having cranky kids in the car would only distract you from driving, and hence, make sure to load up on the eatables.
Ignoring them when they 'feel sick'
Nobody likes to have a whiny kit but not listening to your children when they say "I feel sick" could be a pretty bad idea. Kids can easily experience motion sickness and throw up owing to nausea. Hence, attending to them on time will save you the trouble of driving around in a dirty car.
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Putting on your favourite music
While you might love to listen to heavy metal or hip hop when travelling, such soundtracks can easily cause discomfort to the kids. Hence, make sure you put on their favourite tracks. While you might get bored listening to such music, the softer tunes will ensure that your kids stay happy and entertained.
Assuming they'll keep themselves entertained
While the adult occupants can easily keep themselves busy through conversations or checking out the view outside, children can quickly get bored sitting idle over a long duration. Having irritable kids can distract you from driving and ruin the travelling experience of the adult occupants. Therefore, you can keep the kids entertained by playing their favourite animation movies on a portable media player or engaging them in playing with their favourite toy.
Taking their sleep for granted
It's true that children can get quite sleepy while sitting idle but let's not forget that they are not used to sleeping in the car. Hence, make sure you carry their favourite pillows and teddy along to help them relax.
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Forgetting to engage child lock
A child can unlock the door accidentally. To avoid this safety hazard, it is a good idea to engage the child lock on the rear doors. In case your child is seated at the front, make sure to engage all door locks through the central locking system.
Forgetting to turn off the passenger airbag
In case you use a child seat in the front passenger seat, make sure you turn off the passenger airbag. While airbags are a life-saving safety feature, they deploy with a high force that can easily cause injury to an infant or a toddler.
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Letting them peep out of the sunroof
If your kid wants to gaze at the sky, park the car on the side of the road safely before allowing the child to lead out of the retracted sunroof. It is highly unsafe for an occupant to be unrestrained when the car is in motion. Hard braking or a jerky driving can cause severe head and neck injuries if the child is reaching out of the car in a standing position.
