Babies are cute and gurgly. Everybody loves to hold a baby. It gives parents-to-be the idea that they might like to get involved and raise their own family one day. It gives people who are already parents the idea that they might like more children. Their heads do smell nice, after all. The only problem is that babies grow up. They become 7 years old almost overnight. Next, they want to go to karate and athletics club after school. They want to play sports on the weekend with their friends and maybe even join the local sports teams. All of them. Now, hold on just a minute, you think to yourself, I didn’t sign up for all this evening and weekend bother. But it’s too late. You turned your back for two minutes and your child is already 10 and they want to go ‘bouldering’ at the indoor climbing centre an hour’s drive away. And tomorrow it’s a soccer game an hour’s drive in the other direction. It’s probably best to be prepared for all this weekend travel with your children…
First Aid Kit
Your car probably already has one. I know. But it’s nowhere near big enough, trust me. Give a child a field in which to run around and that child will give you inexplicable injuries that grass and mud and the occasional small stick shouldn’t be able to cause. Stock up on plasters, bandages, antiseptic creams, antihistamines, barrier spray, muscle spray, and eye baths. Going to a sports event? There will be tears. Lots and lots of tears. From all of the children. If you are a qualified first aider, why not take a sign with you? Mysafetysign.com has lots of first aid signs to choose from. Probably best to take a small selection of magazines and a fish tank along too, for your waiting room!
Hand Warmers
Cast your mind back to sporting weekends as a child. Come rain or sunshine you’d be out there running around exposed to the elements – and let’s face it, more often than not, as luck would have it, you’d be caught in a freezing gale and a monsoon-like downpour (but it took an hour to get there, so there was no backing out now). At the sound of the full time whistle, you’d be so soaked through and borderline hypothermic that your fingers would be too cold to work. Getting changed out of your sports kit and tying your shoelaces all of a sudden became impossibilities. That’s why you should stock your car boot with reusable ‘snap-to-make-work’ hand warmers. No electricity required and warm hands in an instant. Perfect.
ALL the standard extras…
Drinks and snacks are a must. Children are always hungry. Snack bars can save you a fortune on drive through fast food trips on your return trip from a weekend sports event with your child. But aside from that, and in no particular order, you’re likely going to require towels, blankets, deck chairs, umbrellas, spare clothes or pyjamas, and a plastic bag (to keep dirty sports kits from touching your car).