Tips to Help when Commuting to School

This post was sponsored by Dramamine® as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central.

This is the story of how we found ourselves in the interesting situation of commuting to school.

Once upon a time, we decided it would be a good idea to build a house.

Abigail and I got to the site just in time to see them putting trusses on the house! #roofherewecome #itscomingtogether #buildingahousebuildingahome

A photo posted by Deborah Andreasen (@deborahandreasen) on Aug 29, 2016 at 3:10pm PDT

So, we started the building process, and put our house up for sale. It sold three weeks later.

Goodbye cute little yellow house. You were our first home. We bought you when we were a young couple. We survived adoption and endured IVF under your roof. Our babies learned to crawl on your carpets and walk down your hall. We laughed as we ran through your rooms and as the tickle monster chased us. We slammed more than a few doors. Sorry about that. We complained that you only had one bathroom and only a one car garage. But what you did was more important than what you had our didn’t have. You became our home. You sheltered us and protected us. You kept us safe and became a safe haven, the beacon of Home in a troubled world. So as I walked through your empty rooms and cried my goodbyes, they were tears of gratitude for all you did for our little family. #thankyou

A photo posted by Deborah Andreasen (@deborahandreasen) on Aug 11, 2016 at 3:26pm PDT

Well, huh.

What is a family to do while we waited for our house to build? We decided against getting an apartment and moved in with the in-laws. Lay your fears to rest, it’s actually been great living with my parents in law. But that’s not why we’re here.

Follow along here so you don’t get lost:

We lived in Town A, started building in Town B, and moved into Town C until the house is built. In the meantime, school started shortly after moving to Town C. Since we’ll be moving into B in a few months, we decided to put our kids in school where they’d be permanent. So we live in C and the kids go to school in B. They have music lessons and Ballet in A three times a week. Don’t forget, we live in C and travel to B every day for school, and A every day for work.

Kinda confusing, right?

Let me break it down for you. After doing the math, we’re in the car anywhere from 60 – 100 miles a day. A DAY! I know, this may not seem like very much to a lot of you who commute 40 miles one way. But for a little boy who gets motion sick, this can really take a toll. Especially if he’s on his way to school.

Are you in a similar boat? I know I can’t be the only mom shuttling her kids to a school outside of their current school district.

If you are facing a commute to school, here are a few tips to help keep your morning running smoothly:

Prepare what you can the night before. Lunches, school clothes, etc.
Make a list of things to grab before you walk out the door. There’s no turning back if you forgot your homework.
Give yourself enough time. Know how long it takes to get where you need to go, and give yourself extra time in case of an emergency or traffic.
Always have a stash of snacks in the car for any time you’re far from home. When you’re 30 miles away, it’s not convenient to run home for a drink of water and a granola bar.
Keep Dramamine® for Kids in the car.

The kids have to do something to pass the time! Our kids like to read.

While I love that they’re readers (since I’m an avid reader myself…), this can be difficult for them if they suffer from motion sickness. Starting the day with a weak tummy won’t do your child any favors.

If you can keep Dramamine® for Kids in the car at all times, then you’ll always be ready to treat dizziness, nausea and vomiting from motion sickness. I love that it comes in a travel carrying case. And they’re yummy grape chewable tablets! Not trying to get your preschooler to swallow a pill!

 

My son has grown up in a car. He was adopted at birth, so we drove him 12 hours across state lines to bring him home when he was just days old. We make that same trip 2-3 times a year. Not to mention our trips to National Parks and mountain getaways and scenic drives to the lake and coast. It was sure a shock to us when he developed motion sickness. Does it hold us back? It used to. I am SO glad there’s Dramamine® for Kids!

It’s safe for kids as young as 2 years old, so that’s perfect.

Don’t worry. We can do this together. Commuting can actually be quite a positive experience. I love having time to enjoy the scenery on our way to school. And after school my kids have 20 minutes, trapped in the car with me so I can drill them about their day. I mean, I can ask them how their day was. 😉

That isolated time together gives us a few minutes to connect before we plunge back into the real world.

Grab this coupon for Dramamine® for Kids. Even if your own children don’t suffer from motion sickness, you never know when one of their friends might! And for us grown ups, don’t forget this cool hack for a sick box. Keep it in your car at all times!