Road tripping to Joshua Tree - Part 1

For the last 13 years, every spring we take a week-long road trip to the desert to camp under the stars and to rock climb and hike. This family rhythm re-ignites our passion for one-another and for the world outside of our normal lives. 

This year we went to Joshua Tree National Park. It's a 6 hour drive and for some families that would not be enjoyable. People ask, "That's a long drive...how do the kids do in the car?"

Our kids are great travelers. Before they were 5 years old, three of them had been to 3 different countries multiple times (2x to China, 2x to the Dominican Republic, 5x to America).

Here are our top-tips with traveling with little kids (our kids are 9-7-5-3):

1. Bring stuff for them to do in their seats...but don't give them too many things to do. Introduce something new every 30 minutes. 
2. Cultivate conversation in the car. Ask questions and talk about stuff.
3. With really little kids....let them cry and bring ear plugs. DON'T TURN AROUND. The storm will pass (in a few hours).
4. Keep them going with food. Snacks are your friends. Don't let them pound the water though...only stop for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
5. Let them be bored and don't always fix it for them....boredom is the soil for creativity and imagination. Seriously, we have found if we weather the whines about being bored...in 10 minutes their tune will change and find something to do. 
6. McDonald's with play areas are your friends. Let them RUN LIKE WILD MONKEYS in the play area!
7. For drives over 10 hours, plan the traveling time over naps and bedtime. Sometimes that means that you'll be driving at night or extremely early in the morning. It's worth it for us to be wrecked, more than dealing with our kids being wrecked. 

After a while....our kids inevitably fall asleep in the car - the rhythm of the road lulls them into deep contentment. Long car rides are just as much a part of our experience as is the camping, hiking, and climbing. The minute we're in the car....the adventure has begun! 

That evening we arrived in the town of Yucca Valley we rented a cheap motel next to a beautiful Joshua Tree reminding us that the following day we would be camping under the desert moon.  

Oh, and top-tip number 8: Long drives need to end somewhere awesome for the kids. A cheap hotel with a pool is worth it in our opinion because no one likes to set up a campsite after a long-drive on little sleep. Best to leave these things for the morning when everyone is fresh and excited about the day!  

Road trips are the containers that hold new experiences, personal growth, and family love - an important combination for any healthy family. 

These are good days.