On the Road Again

Road trips and kids sometimes just don't mix. I mean, the idea of going away and having a weekend somewhere fun is great, but the reality of kids whingeing and fighting in the back, complaining about how long it's all taking... not much fun!

Last weekend we had a little trip north for Aunty Anna's wedding, and I tried an idea for keeping the kids well behaved, using coloured poker chips (or in my case, Connect Four counters).

It had mixed success, because (sad to say) I am a bit crap at follow-through! So although the kids had earned tokens, they didn't get them redeemed for cash because I hadn't come prepared.

This weekend, we had another trip planned - this time twice as long - to visit friends in Lake Taupo in the middle of the North Island (a four hour trip).

And this time I was determined to be better prepared, so I came loaded up with $1 coins. I waved this glittering stash under the noses of my offspring, and went over the rules again...

• no fighting or squabbling
• no whingeing or complaining
• every 15 minutes of good behaviour you will earn a token (Miss Fab = yellow; Dash = red)
• when you have 4 tokens you can cash them in for $1
• Put the money in your wallet and that is your spending money for the trip

Well, what a difference a little bit of hard cash makes (not to mention planning and preparation)!

Every 15 minutes they were good I wordlessly passed them a token. Wow, their shiny eyes when I handed them their first $1 gold coin in exchange for their first four tokens!

True to form, Miss Fab immediately lost $1 somewhere between her hand and her wallet. Dash had a shining moment when he handed her one of his coins! Ohhh... what a kind big brother! (we later found the coin and Dash got it back.)

At the half-way point we stopped for petrol (just a small amount of drama, as the petrol light was on and not a gas station in sight... we prayed we'd make it to a petrol station and coasted in on the smell of an oily rag).

Usually this would be where the kids would start asking for stuff: "Dad can I have...??"

Not this time! They had money of their own! By this time they had earnt $2 each and off they ran to spend it.

They came racing back waving their sweets proudly, "Look what I got!"

I am loving this scheme. Great behaviour all the way, no fighting or whingeing for stuff; teaching the kids the value of money earned.

The final remark has to go to Miss Fab (they had some change plus a couple of $$ more they earned by the time we reached Taupo):

"Mum, when we get to Taupo can I use my money to buy my friend Sofia an icecream??"

Bless her!