Are We There Yet?
I thought the “are we there yet?” repetition during roadtrips was a family comedy cliche, meant to garner laughs in movies starring Chevy Chase or Ice Cube but not lauded in a lot of real life truth. Like with most everything else, though, my 6 year old son has proven me wrong.
The entire way there, this is what we heard. “Mommy, how much longer?”
“I don’t know.”
“Give me a number!”
“I can’t say an exact number. There’s traffic and a lot of things to consider.”
“Daddy, how much longer?”
And it went on like this for the two hours it took to get there, which could have been half a day for all the fuss from the backseat.
Then on the way home, “I want to go home! Why aren’t we home yet?”
“We’ll be home soon.”
“Mommy, how much longer?”
“Around 30 minutes or so.”
“Daddy, tell me exactly how much longer.”
Between Abby’s incessant blabbering and random ear-splitting attacks of crying, Buzz’s instigating, and Jedi’s neverending are we there yet? loop, peaceful and quiet scene-gazing car rides just aren’t what they used to be. Namely, they are anything but peaceful and quiet. Where’s Ice Cube when you need him?
I'm Crystal. A 30-something mom to 3 young kids living in the Midwest USA. When I'm not chasing my children, I'm a freelance writer and web designer. I like to tell stories from our days and share what we enjoy...
20 Responses
on June 01 2010
We are going on a road trip very soon and I dread fielding questions and trying to calm my four year old down in between destinations. Sometimes I just put on my headphones to get at least one minute to appreciate the view.
Hope you had a good trip despite all of the regular chaos.
.-= Rudri Patel´s latest blog post: Limits =-.
on June 1st, 2010
@Rudri Patel, We did the DVD thing and bribery. It worked to an extent, but obviously not well enough.
on June 1st, 2010
@C. (Kid Things), Funny. DVDs and bribery. I think that’s how husband handles me on a road trip.
.-= Eva @ EvaEvolving´s latest blog post: House Question #5 – Is this familiar? =-.
on June 01 2010
One thing I’ve been thinking about a lot lately is how often I see my own childhood mirrored in my kids. I mean, at this age they should be too young for that, but I also have a sibling that close in age and the things I say to them and how they interact with each other – and then I have this whole new world of sympathy and understanding for my own parents.
.-= maggie´s latest blog post: I bet someone’s post topic will be, "Um, how about you just don’t WRITE when you can’t think of anything to write?" And then I’ll have to be, "Hmm. Point taken." =-.
on June 1st, 2010
@maggie, I do, too. And maybe I’m just blocking out some of my childhood behavior, but I don’t remember ever making a fuss during car trips. I’d mostly just stare out the window. My parents may have a different take on it, though.
on June 01 2010
We know a family with four kids who would…drug them all with Gravol before a road trip. Tempting, but I can’t bring myself to do that. Instead, we buy a new DVD before a road trip and dust off ones they haven’t watched in awhile. That seems to take the edge off.
.-= Angella´s latest blog post: It Almost Didn’t Happen =-.
on June 1st, 2010
@Angella, We’ve tried the DVD thing. It works to an extent, but everyone still gets bored with it after about 20 minutes.
on June 01 2010
Precisely why I avoid road trips longer than an hour like the PLAGUE.
.-= Christine LaRocque´s latest blog post: Small town regret =-.
on June 01 2010
Anything more than 4 hours and I need a plane! I remember long trips to Ohio (like 13 hours) and I don’t remember all that fussing. (Except for when my brother and I would try and kill each other). I also remember that was before people used seat belts…I am so old. So we would jump around the back of a carpeted conversion van. It was like a traveling playground.
Best,
Tina
on June 01 2010
Hmm portable dvd players and an army of snacks works for us. But she’s only 2! I suppose driving in the dead of the night might be your best bet!
on June 01 2010
I too thought that phrase was just something coined for comedy, but now I am convinced all children are born pre-programmed with this phrase. Because I am pretty sure neither my husband or I have ever uttered these words, even in jest, in front of our three year olf daughter but now all of a sudden whenever we are out in the car she starts asking “are we there yet?” and goes on and on asking. I find it funny but it drives my husband crazy – which I think is why, having figured that out, she now keeps doing it
I can’t imagine the car ride with three little ones all doing their thing!!
.-= Aging Mommy´s latest blog post: Milestones, Memories and Moving On =-.
on June 01 2010
We use a combination of DVDs, hand-held gaming devices like Nintendo DS, books and of course – games! How about a game of “I Spy” or “ABC” game?
on June 1st, 2010
@Cathy, My oldest has an iPad he can play with, but it usually just results in more whining and crying because someone else wants it than anything. We did point out some things along our way, but we might try some games next time.
on June 01 2010
We take turns with the iPod, so the kids focus on what song they’ll listen to next rather how much longer we’ll be in the car.
We also play road games like Cathy mentioned. Our favorite is the ABC game. We also try to guess how many of a certain color/type of vehicle we’ll see, etc. Just little things to keep them engaged.
Sometimes we’ll break up the trip so that they can get out and run around a while midway through.
.-= Kelly´s latest blog post: All she wants to do is dance =-.
on June 1st, 2010
@Kelly, Unfortunately, my kids aren’t really into music, yet. We stopped at a rest stop and let the kids run amok on the playground equipment there. My 4 year old just got mad, though, when we had to leave.
on June 01 2010
A few months ago, I did a (nearly) six thousand kilometre trip down and around the East Coast of Australia with my four year old twins. We took very few toys as they get lost and only hold attention for minutes. We had DVDs in the afternoon and regular stops for leg stretches. Yes they got bored, but also invented some wonderful games that were very nearly the highlight of the trip. For example, The Foot Family Sagas-an ongoing epic drama enacted by four feet (changing characters).If I hadn’t been driving, I would have filmed it and turned it into a miniseries! Bored is good. It allows creativity to bubble up. Just keep deflecting with “I don’t know” they’ll get bored with that too if the trip is long enough!
on June 01 2010
I hated that dreaded question. I remember when they were young we would give the answer in terms of the then favorite TV show. We are 4 Bob the Builders away (2 hours). It seemed to work, not as well as them sleeping, but a little.
on June 01 2010
Is it odd that kids don’t really have a good sense of time, but they keep asking how much longer?
.-= Eva @ EvaEvolving´s latest blog post: House Question #5 – Is this familiar? =-.
on June 02 2010
It sounds like a two hour trip probably felt a lot longer to you…and to everyone! My kids are terrible in the car. They last about 30 minutes (maybe) before it all goes downhill.
.-= Marilyn´s latest blog post: Looking Back: Wednesday of Few Words =-.
on June 02 2010
Dude. Where IS Ice Cube when you need him?