If you’ve got kids, you probably spend a lot of time in the car. Whether you’re driving to school, running errands, dropping them off at practice, or going on vacation, you’re likely to spend hours each week behind the wheel with your children in tow.
Unfortunately, driving can be extremely dangerous. Around three million people are injured in non-fatal car accidents every year in the United States. You don’t want to be one of those people, and you definitely don’t want your children to be injured in a car accident.
You can’t control how other people drive on the road, but you control how you drive by influencing how your children behave in the backseat. Here are some tips for helping your kids in the backseat to be better passengers so you can focus on the road.
Have Rules for the Car
The best thing you can do for your children, whether they would agree with you or not, is to have rules. That includes rules at home and rules for school, but it also includes having rules for the kids in the car.
Some general rules for the car should include:
Always wear your seatbelt
Always use both the lap and shoulder belts
Never share a seatbelt
Kids always ride in the backseat
In addition to these safety rules, you may also want to add rules that are specific to your family. For example, if you have very young kids, a rule might be not to kick the seat, while older kids may be instructed not to throw things.
Never Dole Out Punishments While You’re Driving
Even with rules, your kids are probably going to act out in the backseat at least every once in a while. It’s important to let them know that you’re serious about correcting the behavior, but disciplining children in the car shouldn’t be done while your car is still in drive.
Avoid yelling at your kids or punishing them when you’re still on the road. Instead, pull over to address their behavior. If you do it while you’re driving, you are likely to spend more time looking in the backseat than out the front windshield. Not to mention, getting aggravated and angry while you’re driving is never a good way to avoid getting into an accident.
Let Kids Use Signals
Not only can you get frustrated when you’re driving, your kids can get frustrated with each other and being on the road too. Instead of everyone showing their frustration by yelling, kicking, or throwing things in the backseat, give your children the power to tell you and others in the car that they’ve had enough.
For example, if you have one kid that likes to talk or sing out loud, and another kid that gets over stimulated easily, have them raise their hand when they are all talked out. Clapping could be used as a signal that someone is getting frustrated, while a word or phrase could be used to let your kids know that it’s time to stop whatever it is they are doing.
Give Them Something to Do
Being stuck in a car seat can be boring, especially if you spend a lot of time in the car. Try and make it fun by giving your kids something to do.
Car games are always an option, as are books, but electronics can be especially important. You shouldn’t feel bad about giving your kids a tablet to watch a movie either. If it keeps you sane and enables you to focus on the road to keep everyone safe, a little screen time is definitely a good thing.
Follow Through
How many times have you heard someone say they are going to stop the car or turn right around and go home? Maybe you’ve said these things yourself, but have you actually followed through?
Keeping your word is extremely important. Otherwise, your kids won’t take you seriously. If their behavior in the car is so bad that you’re willing to say you’re going to go back home, then you have to be willing to actually go back home. Do it once and chances are, your kids will become better listeners the next time you get in the car.
Driving is stressful enough without having to deal with misbehaving children in the backseat. The good news is that you can influence your children’s behavior so you can focus on the road. These tips will help you do just that.
