GRAND Magazine - July/August 2018 - 28

ask dr. gramma karen

Make family road trips a blast!

A
Must--‐Read
for
Grandparents

BY KAREN L. RANCOURT

grandmother recently asked me how she and her
husband could make a road trip they were planning for their two adolescent grandchildren fun
and interesting. I had some simple suggestions for her.

Let the grandchildren have age-appropriate
input into the details of the trip.
For example, let the kids take turns picking from
options the grandparents provide for them in
advance: 1. things to do on the trip; 2. restaurants;
3. where to get gifts and keepsakes for family and
friends.

Look
Inside

Be ready to split up to accommodate
grandchildren's different preferences.

basket are some apples." The next person has the letter
B and has to remember what the person before him/
For example, at a museum one grandparent can take
one grandchild to the dinosaur exhibit while the other her put in the picnic basket. "We're going on a picnic
and in the picnic basket are some apples and bergrandparent and grandchild go see the blown glass
exhibit. Or, grandparents can split up to accommodate ries." Process is repeated through the entire alphabet.
(Resources: Kid World Citizen lists many car games;
the kids' different hiking, biking, or canoeing abilities.
MiniTime provides numerous games and activities
Everyone doesn't have to be together all the time-
then there can be lots of good sharing of the different for different kinds of trips that can be printed out in
advance; Parents.com lists eight different activities.
experiences when everybody reconvenes.
Listen together to books on tape (using Blueray,
USB cable smart phones, etc.). There are lots of
Have a variety of activities planned for long
good choices, depending on the ages and genders
stretches of car travel.
of the grandchildren. (For example, go to Goodreads:
In addition to each grandchild having his/her own
under Browse there are over 30 genres from which to
activity bag of things to do solo, plan activities that
choose.)
involve everyone.
Keep a record of the trip: Print out maps of
Play group games that involve everyone, e.g., "We
the trip for each grandchild and have them
are going on a picnic." The first person starts with
the letter A: "We're going on a picnic and in the picnic use a marker to follow their travels. Make sure each

28 GRAND

MAY JUNE 2018

grandchild has his/her own phone camera or disposable camera and a notebook to take notes on what
they see and do on the trip (leaving room to affix their
photos when they get them developed or printed out).
Then when their parents and friends ask them about
their trip, they are ready to share their trip maps, notes,
and pictures.
Some simple planning ahead can help ensure memorable and enjoyable trips.

"This
book...set
me
straight.
I
wasn't
sure
where
my
boundaries
were
as
a
grandma..."
"Karen
identiﬁes
the
cause
and
eﬀect
of
family
issues
in
plain
and
simple
language."
--‐
Amazon.com
Reviewers

Karen L. Rancourt, Ph.D., writes
an advice column for parents and
grandparents at Mommybites.com
and is the author of Ask Dr. Gramma
Karen, Volume II: Savvy Advice to
Help Soothe Parent-Grandparent
Conflicts.

Show me the book!

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GRAND Magazine - July/August 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of GRAND Magazine - July/August 2018