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School commute do’s and dont’s

Posted Aug 19, 2010 by Beth Gaddis

Updated Aug 25, 2010 at 07:24 AM

When you pick up your child from school, day care or camp, do you ask, “What did you do today?” 

You shouldn’t.

Laura Olson, vice president for education at Kiddie Academy and a child care expert with almost 20 years experience in education, put together this list of Do’s and Don’ts to help maximize your time in the car with your kids.

The Do’s:

Do take advantage of learning opportunities. When you are stopped at a red light, count the number of cars that pass by or search for a certain color car. You can also engage your children by having them guess where people in their cars are going, and make up stories based on what they see happening around them. 

Do pack a snack. If your child has been at school all day, bring snack if you have a commute longer than 15 minutes. Something as simple as apple slices and water will help stave off hunger and buy you some time to make dinner once you arrive home.  Since we’re in Florida, you may want to pack everything in a little cooler to keep it fresh.

Do make them comfortable. For younger children having something they can snuggle with, such as a favorite blanket or stuffed animal, can help them get comfortable and unwind during the ride.

Do have structure.  “Kids love to know what’s going to happen next,” Olson said.  “If you can prepare them ahead of time, that will help you get through the day, too.”

Do let them lead the conversation. “You can learn a great deal about your child’s likes and dislikes, and probably learn more than you want to about their friends and their families,” Olson laughed.

Do know their personality.  “My little one is willing to talk from the moment she wakes up until she goes to sleep.  But my older girl is not as verbal,” Olson said.  Follow their cues during your ride home.

The Don’ts:

Don’t force the issue if your child isn’t being talkative. Sometimes children need time to decompress after being around other kids and teachers all day, or like to relax in a calm environment before school.

Don’t always listen to the news. Occasionally playing music that the child likes, such as the Wiggles, Kidz Bop or the Jonas Brothers, can help them chill out after school. If you give them headphones, make sure they don’t have the volume turned up too high, which could cause hearing damage.

Don’t always refuse games. “It’s not good for our kids to be in front of a Nintendo DS or handheld computer game for a long period of time,” Olson said “But if that’s their way to be by themselves after being with 30 loud children, that’s fine for 15 minutes while you’re commuting.”

Don’t just ask, “What did you do today?” Find out from your child’s teachers what they did so you can ask specific questions. “ If you can be more specific, it’s going to help them with their storytelling and language skills,” Olson said.  “What book did you read?  What was your favorite part of the story?  What was your favorite character?”

Don’t forget to tell them about your day, too. Kids love to know what is going on in your life too: what people you work with, what types of activities are part of your day. This also shows them how to tell stories and helps develop their oral language skills.