advice on dealing with "stoopid" behavior from an 8yr old on a long trip (she isnt stupid, too long a trip)

Question

eye spy only works so long before my brain starts to melt

recently went on a camping trip to the other end of the country travelling by coach, we were either too hot or too cold and she got tired, on the return trip we started at 9 am and didn't get home till nearly 11pm, might be doing another trip before the end of the summer, so i just want more ideas/coping strategies for keeping her happy instead of bored and un cooperative

ok the fact we overslept the day we set off and didnt finish packing toys and stuff didn't help

we were camping anything requiring electricity is of limited value - no electricity, batteries only last so long and are useless if they are rechargeable if you can't recharge them

lmao we played the can you be quiet game, walking down a path after five minutes she whispered to her mam, "Im bored with this can we play a different game" so i suggested we looked for interesting stones....(we were on a gravel path) that passed a few more minutes, she made a nature box to take home that kept her interest for a bit

her mam says I'm not allowed to leave her at the gas station, we're in the UK so any american references don't help there is an ocean between us and the nearest target store

Answer 1

Chloroform?

Answer 2

Hi, dealing with an 8f - i would buy her a bunch of cheap makeup, that would keep her busy for hours... and, i bet other women on the coach, would just love to play makeup with your daughter... women r like that... so you can pass her off for a while...... also take her school books along, so if she mis behaves, you can get them out....this should stop impending naughtiness

some nice large lollipops.. a 2 hour sucker.....

Answer 3

Try the number plate game, Pick the 1st or 1st and 2nd letter from a passing car number plate, then they have to make a word from them letters, starting with 1st ending in 2nd etc?

Or make a play pack before you leave, colours, reading book, activity, i.e how may red cars, how many windmills etc, the more they find, the bigger the reward at end of drive. Bag of sweets, McDonald's.

works for me, most times

Answer 4

You can buy travel packs now for children with minature board games puzzles drawing colouring etc. I've seen them in Asdas but you must be able to get them in other places. What about a walkman?

Answer 5

A game boy with a life time supply of batteries

Answer 6

ah, nothing that a roll of duct tape can't solve!
jk!

umm... get her to read "Harry Potter"? maybe she'll get into it and read it all thoughout the trip...

I also agree with a previous suggestion of leaving really early so she'll sleep through part of the trip...

burn her a couple of CD's w/ her favorite songs and give her a CD player to listen to them, that should keep her entertained singing [hopefully not too loud, just humming-like] to herself for a couple of CD's long...

tell her you'll pay her $3 for every licence plate she sees from california/wyoming/texas/any random state that you're not too likely to find on your trip, but to prove that she's seen it she has to write down the licence plate number and then give you the list at the arrival destination

coloring books + crayons! [did you know that 16-crayon boxes were selling at target for 20 cents each!?]

have her start writing her letter to Santa four months early...

have her plan the birthday party of her dreams, she'd have to write everything down though... the invitation list, what they're going to eat, what the theme is going to be, what needs to be bought for decorations, are there going to be entertainers... etc... just let her imagination flow and keep her busy with that while she also writes it all down... having to write all this ideas down might take up even more time than just dreaming it all up

gameboy

polly pocket

count the hairs on your arm

tic-tac-toe

wave at people driving besides/behind you and see who can get the most people to wave back

make funny faces at drivers-by and see if they make faces back at you

make funny/weird signs that say things like "honk if you like cheese" or "honk if you love petunias" and show them against the window [just make sure to not block the view of the driver of your car] and wait to see if people honk

play bingo/lottery, use the glue-y part of post-it notes to mark your numbers instead of pebbles or beans

have a contest and see who can go the longest w/out speaking a word


good luck!
have a fun and safe trip!
=)

Answer 7

yeah, just sit her in front of the dvd player or nintendo!! then maybe HER brain will melt! there are other games besides i spy. tons and tons of games the 2 of you can ENJOY. TOGETHER. either portable board/trivia games, or ones you make up. be creative!! i always liked the alphabet game. you think of a subject... colors. take turns you start with A- alabaster, your daughter B-blue so on and so forth. and the subjects are endless... food, articles of clothing, t.v. shows, you get the idea. have fun!!

Answer 8

I agree with the portable dvd player. I had a nephew come stay for the weekend and he grated my last nerve. The Gameboy didn't shut him up because he kept asking how to do something in the game. But usually tv and movies shut them up for good.

Answer 9

have her listen to music on an ipod or portable cd player. Plug in a DVD on a portable DVD player

Answer 10

Colouring books, reading books, dolls with accessories and clothes, snacks, drinks, music machine, hand held computer games.

For you? Ear-plugs.

Good luck