You will have to forgive my two month absence. We were busy adjusting our lives from the “baby season” to the “school season.” It has been quite a whirlwind and our schedule is as jam-packed as I was afraid it would be. I have found some helpful tips though that I will share with you here along with some first day of school posts that are a bit belated but worthy of documentation regardless.

Let’s keep it short and sweet. After the first few weeks of kindergarten-preschool drop off and then preschool-kindergarten pick-up I began to realize my morning of cumulative 3 hours in the car would need to be… what shall we say? A different experience?

With frazzled nerves and thinning patience, I made up 4 car rules. I ordered some car organizational things from Amazon and I picked up 5 car toys that are only for the car. Want to know how much noise those toys make??? NONE. It was a struggle finding things that didn’t jingle, twinkle, bong, and blink. But, I found what I was looking for in miniature size no less! Perfect for the car.

Don’t worry, I’ll share my finds.

Car Rules

No Fighting – Agree to Disagree. Answer the first time your name is called by anyone. No obnoxious Noises. No Screaming.

You may be surprised how much is has helped to outline these rules. They have herd me scream them at them for weeks, but only until I made it an official “Car Rule” did it register to them that these were actual expectations.

Car Organization

Back seat organizers. Hand held Dirt Devil with a 16 ft cord and car adapter. Trunk hooks to organize bags and keep them off the floor.

Car Toys

Mini Write and Slide: pen is attached and not easily lost in the car, silent, easy to use, doesn’t get lost, works on dexterity and creativity

Mini Etch-A-Sketch: Silent, nearly indestructible, increases dexterity and creativity, no additional parts to be lost in the car

Pin Push:  Silent, sensory. (This is where you lift your hand on the bottom of the pins and they push up to create the outline of your hand. It’s a favorite, I’ll have to get another one.)

Art Pad & Colored Pencils : Silent, Artistic, Dexterity. (Colored pencils don’t melt like crayons and I have a little zipper case for them.)

These rules, toys and organizational things have really saved my sanity and I hope that as school starts up for you all too, that these tips are helpful. As a rookie, I underestimated the car ride. I’ll not be making that mistake again with young children.