Stress-free road-tripping with teens and tweens

On this episode of MommyUpgrade LIVE, we talk with my co-host Molly as she embarks on a Spring Break trip with two tweens and a teen to Washington DC.

What’s her secret to keep the kids amped up about the road-trip? In short:

• Let them each have a responsibility. For example, AJ is manning the technology – that include GPS and of course, the camera for our live show. Addy is in charge of entertainment – movies, music, etc. Megan took the reins for the food – which was really healthy I might add. 🙂
• Speaking of the food… what is it about road-trips and snacks? They’re able to keep it healthy and cut down on frequent snack stops by using a plug in cooler to keep their food cold until they can get to the hotel.
• Make it an adventure – Road-tripping isn’t like when we grew up! With the help of the GPSMyCity app, Molly and crew have a walking tour and directions already outlined. They’ll sightsee the monuments and other interesting points of DC, complete with facts and trivia for each stop along the way. By booking a hotel outside the city, they’re not only saving money, they’re ditching the car and utilizing the rail system to get to their destinations each day – something these suburban kids don’t get to do in their normal life.
• Get their face out of their phones – Playing the license plate game is classic competitive road trip fun, but take the games outside the car as well. Molly created and printed out sight-seeing bingo with boxes for things like, a middle school bus tour, someone wearing an touristy shirt, and a stroller blocking an entrance. Winner gets extra spending money.
• Be prepared! Backpacks, tennis shoes and battery packs for this crew. Hands-free with everything you need keeps them going from morning to night.
• Stay in a hotel with an indoor pool. (Call to verify because hotel photos found in reviews uploaded by guests aren’t always accurate.) Fast-paced adventure all day, swim all night. That’s how you get them to unplug and sleep well.

Watch the full episode (below) that aired on Blab.im and Periscope (@TristaP).

Join us twice a week for MommyUpgrade LIVE where we talk product reviews, DIY’s and parenting! Replays are on my YouTube channel here.