Kids while driving

Mom To 3 Knuckleheads · Mar 28, 2007

how do you handle upset or unruly children while driving?

my oldest 2 are starting to argue,fight..etc and it makes me soo nervous and i have to pull over because im scared ill crash.

arly1983 · Mar 28, 2007

Oh, boy, I know what you mean, sorta.
Sunday, Jackson and Camille got in a fight over a purple plastic spoon. She had one end and he had the other. I was like, hello, you guys are only two and 7 months, stop it. I ended up haveing to put Jackson's seat back on passenger outboard. I did have it in the middle.

My Sweet Blessings · Mar 28, 2007

right now, i just have my son. our second baby will be arriving in september. so far, he just screams for something that he has dropped or something that he wants. I tell him "mommy is driving. you will have to wait" and try to tune him out until i can get somewhere that it will be safe for me to tend to him.

mylittlet · Mar 30, 2007

I have pulled over or threatened to pull over. This is a hard one. We have a 5 and 6 year old. They were one in the 2nd row and one in the 3rd, so they couldn't touch each other, but we are having a baby anyday (hopefully in the next 2 days), so they are both now in the back, so both the rearfacing babies can be in the middle. We also have a just turned 1 year old.

I have also threatened to put them back in 5-points. The only option we have though is a Regent and we have to replace our Roundabouts this summer, so that is really not an option, but they don't know that. They like to touch each other and then they get crabby with each other. We do have movies and gameboys which helps keeps them busy.

Stefanie

skaterbabs · Mar 30, 2007

My crew is not allowed to talk to me while I'm driving - that's been the rule for 5+ years.

I did recently move the boys to the 3rd row of the Suburban - DD was hitting and kicking DS#2. :doh:

Victorious4 · Mar 30, 2007

I don't believe there's any rationale for thinking you're more likely to crash while pulling over to cease the distraction as opposed to continuing to drive with the distraction

My kids (even those who aren't actually *mine*) know that in MY vehicle, I only tell them to stop once -- then I pull over. It's about follow through. Empty threats encourage more misbehaviors

However, I also attempt to set them (& therefore all of us) up for success: we agree on a win/win situation for music & soft toy sharing or agree to make no deal whatsoever (which means no one gets anything & they're still required to remain quiet/respectful)....

I have also found that extended harnessing is not only about keeping kids safer in crashes, but is a very effective way of limiting backseat arguments since they can't bend over to mess with eachother

southpawboston · Mar 30, 2007

papooses said:
I don't believe there's any rationale for thinking you're more likely to crash while pulling over to cease the distraction as opposed to continuing to drive with the distraction

the safety of pulling over depends on the road.

if you're on an interstate, it's a bad idea to pull over on the shoulder for anything other than a real emergency, when there are big trucks and other cars whizzing by at 90 mph. (this is commonly stated--"no stopping except for emergencies"--on some interstates).

similarly, on narrow, twisty backroads with little or no shoulders (such as the many in your neck of the woods) i also think pulling over is a bad idea *unless* you can find a quiet side road or driveway entrance that you can duck into.

around town it's much easier to safely pull over on a moment's notice.

canadianmom2three · Mar 30, 2007

I have 3 kids and they are pretty good, but every once in a while they get very silly and loud, or take to fighting. I have spread them out as much as I can - youngest center 2nd row, oldest two outboard in the back, but still.... If they have been listening to the radio and getting really silly I warn once then turn it off. We're not very often on the highway so around town (and 'town' is loosely speaking - our town is pretty small

) if they are fighting, I pull over. I get very angry and tell them that I may crash if they are too distracting. If there is no choice about going to the destination I sometimes lock up the big kids seatbelts, or move one of them up to the 2nd row closer to me. If the destination was fun for them, and sort of optional sometimes we turn around and go home - this really makes them a little more careful next time! I must say, I can always count on them to be very well behaved if we are in a sticky situation (snow storm, bad traffic etc.) and I warn them that I really need to concentrate.

murphydog77 · Mar 30, 2007

I pull over to a cut-out lane or parking lot then sit quietly. Depending on how mad I am is how hard I stop, lol. When I sit quietly, they usually quiet down pretty quickly because they know I'm angry. We sit until they get uncomfortable and start to complain. Then I tell them to sit quietly and make them a little more uncomfortable to teach them the lesson that messing around when I'm driving is serious stuff and not to be done.

I can't remember the last time we've had to pull over or the last time I've had to threaten it. I wish it worked in the house

.

Victorious4 · Mar 30, 2007

southpawboston said:
if you're on an interstate, it's a bad idea to pull over on the shoulder for anything other than a real emergency, when there are big trucks and other cars whizzing by at 90 mph. (this is commonly stated--"no stopping except for emergencies"--on some interstates).

True enough & all our country roads (even the steep, winding ones) have at least a few designated areas for pulling over.... I'm still not really convinced that crashing while in motion is any more or less dangerous in general than being stopped while someone crashes into you: isn't Robert the expert on this type of stuff

Besides, when I have decided the distraction was an emergency worth pulling over even on the Interstate & a police car pulled up I simply explained the situation for what it was & he looked in the back to also tell the kids they needed to let the driver focus on the road for their own safety. I'm sure there are some individuals who wouldn't have been as helpful, but I personally believe (as he also seemed to agree) that a severely distracted driver *is* an emergency!

Kids while driving

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