The following article was published 4/8/10 on Momchats.com. http://momchats.com/turn-drive-time-into-mommy-me-time/

Have you ever thought about what the world was like before radio?  As a Mom, I LOVE those quiet moments when I can just stop and think.  And yet, I’ve realized that I fill every hour of my day with noise.  Think about it…music permeates our lives.  There’s music playing in every store we visit.  When we get in the car, we turn on the radio.  And at our house, the TV’s on when the radio’s not.  What did people do before radio?  I’m guessing they talked, or sang, together.

How much time do you spend in the car with the kids?  Do you turn the radio up?  Do you listen to talk radio?  Do you turn on a DVD for them?  Have you thought about how much time you’re wasting?  Here are some easy ways to build relationships with your kids while you drive…

• Play games while you drive, like ‘I Spy.” This game takes absolutely NO preparation and kids love it!
• Turn your car into a classroom! If your kids are under 5, teach them their opposites with the “opposites game.”  (It’s not big, it’s ___________. )  The rhyming game is another favorite with little ones.  (I’m thinking of something that rhymes with house.  It says “squeak squeak.”  It’s a ____________.)  For older kids, you might practice addition, subtraction, multiplication, spelling, vocabulary, etc.
• Tell stories. Kids today are rapidly falling behind in their reading  & writing skills, in part because parents don’t have time to read with them.  You can use your driving time to instill a love for stories in them, which will inspire them to read, which will make them better writers!  Not good at making up stories?  Tell kids about your childhood or old stories from your family, giving them a sense of identity.  Do round robin story telling—you start the story and then everyone takes turns adding to it.  Kids are great at telling stories, and they’ll love that you’re playing with them!
• Do devotions in the car. Teach your kids Bible verses or tell them stories from the Bible.  If you’re not religious, think of other ways to teach your kids your values.  Share stories that teach a lesson or have kids memorize inspirational quotes.
• Ask questions! Use your drive time to get to know your kids.  Little ones love sharing their favorite colors, favorite foods, favorite animals, etc.  Older kids might enjoy more philosophical questions, such as those found in the Kids’ Book of Questions.  Ask questions about what’s happening in the world.  This teaches kids to think and to respond thoughtfully on their feet.

All of these suggestions are easy to do; after all, when you turn off the radio, conversation usually ensues!  That’s not to say that you shouldn’t turn that radio up and sing with your kids, too.  But driving can be a wonderful opportunity to build relationships with your kids because you can be totally focused on them (and the road, of course!)