This is our second multi-week road trip with the kids - and I've had time to think about what has worked well and what I'd do differently in the future. This is a quick list of what worked well and why:
What We Did Right
1. Audio Books - there's obviously a lot of down time driving - and we have found that audio books really make the time fly. We have borrowed cd's from the library as well as downloaded audio books via iTunes and Audible (Amazon). One time last summer, we were so desperate for the next book in the Harry Potter series that we paid full price for the cds at Barnes and Noble (and it was worth every cent!).
2. Big-Ass Cooler - we are all about saving money where we can and eating reasonably healthy. We have the 100 gallon cooler that Costco sells - and it has more than paid for itself. We stock it with drinks, fruit, etc. Almost every lunch is eaten picnic style.
3. Hotels - Whenever possible/reasonable, we stay at a Best Western or Holiday Inn Express. Both places are great basic hotels that offer free breakfasts, free wifi, and have washing machines available. It doesn't take very many nights at either to become one of their frequent guests and then you get things like free upgrades and free nights.
4. Plate Game App - I don't even remember how much this game cost - but it was worth every cent! If allows us to track state license plates we see - sort of a modern twist on a game we played as kids.
5. Water Bottles with Filters - the best part about these water bottles is that we fill them with hotel tap water and the water tastes great. We've been known to refill them on national park hiking trails - and again the water tastes great. Each family members has their own color.
6. Yelp - It's become our rule not to visit a restaurant without checking it on Yelp - the one time we forgot to check, we had a miserable meal.
7. Grocery Store Dinner - We don't eat dinner out every night - again, for both $ and health reasons. We have found that many grocery stores have ready made meals such as salads and rotisserie chickens.
8. Down Time - we are a family that needs it's downtime so we find it's important to schedule time to just read or play video games. As I'm writing this, we got up early to beat the heat and came back to the hotel room for lunch and a quiet afternoon.
9. Laundry Bags - A separate bag for each of us - just a little thing but it helps when it's time to do laundry on the road.
Additional Suggestions for Traveling with Aspergers Kid
1. No Maid - we never let the maid come in to clean during our visit - NEVER. We have found that the possible benefit that she may offer is outweighed by the probability that she will move his stuff - and the resulting stress.
2. Consistent Hotel - sticking with the Holiday Inn Express and Best Western Hotels (as mentioned above) has the added benefit that Henry knows what to expect since the rooms are pretty consistent across the chains - as are the free breakfasts.
3. Bring Food Alternatives - If you have an Aspie, this one is self-explanatory. ALWAYS have something in that big-ass cooler that will work if no acceptable restaurant is available.
4. Downtime - I mentioned it above - but it is really important for our Aspies - especially after spending time holding it together in crowds or lines. During our downtime, we allow the kids to do whatever they want - including iPod or computer games.
Posted with Blogsy
No comments:
Post a Comment