How To Make the Drive to School As Stress-Free As Possible

Driving to school in the morning can be a pretty stressful experience, whether you’re taking kids to school or even just driving yourself to class. But with the right preparation, it’s not so bad. Here are some ways to make your school commute as stress-free as possible.

Consider Food & Drink

If your kids have a short trip to school and have time to sit down and eat breakfast before you leave the house, this suggestion may not apply to you. But if you have a long way to go, and/or have to leave early, it may be a good idea to prepare some food and drink for the road. Make it simple, not too sugary, and not too greasy or messy. (A soiled outfit can derail your journey.) This can keep your kids occupied too, so you can focus on driving the car.

Examples of easy breakfasts to go include: smoothies (home-made or store bought), cereal and plain yogurt in a cup that will fit in the cupholder (cereal and milk is a disaster waiting to happen), an English muffin, bagel or a breakfast sandwich. You can also bring fruits such as bananas or mandarin oranges. Make sure to have a mess-free sippy cup for little kids, and a travel mug for older kids. Even teenagers can spill a drink on themselves when you hit the brakes, so that lid is really important. To avoid morning stress, make sure all these foods, drinks and containers are readily available before you go to bed at night.

Cleaning Supplies

Even if you pick non-messy breakfast foods and sippy cups, accidents still happen. Make sure your car is fully stocked with cleaning supplies. This should include napkins, paper towels, and cleaning wipes. It’s also a good idea to keep a few plastic bags in the car to put the used paper products and spilled food into. You will also want to keep hand sanitizer to use after cleaning everything up, and to keep your kids hands sanitized.

Consider A Carpool

Wouldn’t it be nice to not have to drive to school every morning? Connect with a fellow parent (or college student) near you to reduce your driving time, fuel expenses and carbon emissions. If you carpool every day that means every other morning you won’t have to drive at all. If you just carpool once or twice a week, it’s still worth doing, and can be a nice change of pace.

Queue Up A Playlist or Podcast

Music can make any drive more fun. If you have a good mp3 collection or subscribe to a music streaming service such as Spotify or Apple Music, keep an active playlist of songs that both you and the kids enjoy. If you’re driving two or more kids with very different tastes in music, this can be a challenge, but do the best you can. There are bound to be some songs that everyone can enjoy.

If you’re driving alone, keep an active playlist of songs and artists that put you in a good mood, or of music you want to try out. You can also queue up some podcasts. The podcast field has expanded so much in recent years that there seems to be a podcast for every interest: science, history, true crime, economics, comedy, politics, sports, children’s programming, you name it. There are also audiobook services from public libraries or from private companies such as Audible, with huge selections of fiction and non-fiction titles to keep you company on your drive, or play for the kids. Just don’t let your phone be a distraction. Queue up your selection before you hit the road. Maybe even the night before.

Breathe Deep and Enjoy Your Surroundings

Your route to school may seem boring or stressful to you, but there’s usually some scenery to enjoy. The changing seasons. The rising sun. Birds chasing each other through the air. Call your children’s attention to the beauty of nature or the marvels of local architecture. Take deep breaths if you feel stressed.

Stay Alert and Avoid Distractions

Every time you drive it’s essential to stay focused on the road. This can be a challenge when you have needy kids in the car. Let them know how important it is for you to be able to drive safely and keep your eyes on what’s ahead. Remind them whenever necessary. If your kids are small, you may want a convex mirror so you can quickly and easily see what’s happening in the backseats. If they drop their food or a drink, take the time to pull over instead of trying to clean up quickly at a red light. After you drop your kids off, remember all the other kids who may be walking around the school grounds. They get distracted too, and can wander into your path.

If you need a car for your school commutes, stop by the new and used car dealership Floridians have trusted for more than 85 years. At Dixie Buick GMC, we’ve been serving the community of Fort Myers, Florida since 1934. With an extensive online inventory and welcoming showroom, we work with customers to help them find the right new or used vehicle to meet their needs and fit their budgets. Buying a car can be an overwhelming process because there are so many options out there, but we’re here for you, from the trade in process, through working with your credit, to providing excellent service, performed by certified factory-trained technicians, after you’ve purchased your vehicle. Whether you’re looking for a new or used car, we’ve got you covered. To learn more about what our award-winning sales and service team can do for you, visit our showroom, browse vehicles on our website, give us a call at 239-330-9918, or contact us online.