Regardless of whether it’s a long-haul drive or a quick drive to school, kids have the potential to misbehave and create mayhem in virtually any vehicle. Especially for younger children, the prospect of being strapped in to an uncomfortable car seat is certainly not appealing, and they will often do everything in their power to make the journey as disruptive as possible no matter the length.
From your family car to a public school bus, here are a few tips specific to both younger and older children that will help you easily teach them how and why they should behave when on the road.
Experiment with different car seats
Clearly aimed at infants, this tip is a great one to try if you have a very young child who acts up every time you place them in the car. Generally, babies begin to become aware of their surroundings between 4 and 6 months of age, meaning this is often the time for the tantrums to happen.
Many parents assume that car seats are standardized and all relatively similar, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Adjustable and even rear facing car seats are available nowadays, which will give your child a different view and more space if they’re uncomfortable.
If you have a large car such as the Dodge Durango, you’ll certainly be able to try out a variety of different car seats to encourage your child to behave without the worry of running out of room.
Enforce rules and reward good behavior
Whilst crying fits are very common during infancy, as your infant grows into a fully-fledged young child, this is where the real car tantrums will start. One of the best ways to combat this from the outset it to establish non-negotiable rules before your child even gets in to the car. This way, they will know what is and isn’t acceptable meaning that, if you become angry when they break a rule, they won’t be surprised at your reaction.
However, it’s also important to reward good behavior when your child obeys rules and is well behaved, especially on long journeys. Research has consistently shown that reinforcing good behavior is extremely important, and is likely to encourage and teach your child the principles of behaving both in and out of the car.
This tip also applies to the milestone of the school bus. Before riding on the school bus, it’s unlikely that your child will have taken a ride in a vehicle on their own before. So, unless you stress to them the general rules of bus etiquette before they take their first journey (i.e. remaining seated until it’s time to get off, arriving on time, keeping their belongings to themselves), how else will they know?
No matter what the circumstance, vehicle journeys have the power to illicit noise and tantrums in children of almost any age. But with the right preparation, the above tips are sure to restore good behavior for virtually all journeys your child has!
Nina Williams works form home, which gives her a lot of time to be around her growing family. She is mother of two. She enjoys sharing her parenting tips online.
