There are ways to keep your kids from driving you bonkers during the balik kampung trip this festive period, writesIntan Maizura Ahmad Kamal
FESTIVE balik kampung trips should be fun. After all, it has been ages since you last saw your relatives and indulged in some of the most awesome culinary spread, courtesy of all 10 of your ever doting aunts who never fail to make you feel like you’re the best thing to roll up their already bumper-to-bumper driveway in years.
I’ve always loved long road trips. And a balik kampung trip for my family is one long road trip that will see us make countless detours, just to ensure that we don’t miss a single relative on our northward-bound pilgrimage. There’s my mother’s side of the family (which encompasses pretty much the length and breadth of Penang) and also my husband’s (at the heart of Malaysia’s rice bowl, Kedah) to visit.
But long road trips with children in tow? It’s the stuff that nightmares are made of for many parents. Especially if your kids are still too young to fathom the meaning and significance of that murderous glare that you’ve perfected on your husband.
Backseat melt-downs and the irritating “are-we-there-yet” refrains being lamented ad nauseam are enough to drive you bonkers and erase any joy you may have with long road trips. Thankfully, my daughters are already old enough to find their own source of amusement. Although I may despair at their monopoly of my CD player as they repeatedly crank out their British band du jour, The Vamps’ repertoire of songs, AND think nothing of subjecting my poor eardrums to some seriously loud karaoke, at least I can say that no one’s unhappy. Throw them some food during a CD change, and we’re sorted.
Unfortunately, for mother-of-four Suziana Masrom, the joy of balik kampung is always short-lived. With four young kids, all of differing temperaments, the trip back to Johor is always a test of her sanity. “Respite comes when they fall asleep,” she says, chuckling. “But sleep comes only after the serious havoc. The two older ones (10 and 8) like to tease each other until one of them gets really upset. And then I end up having to play referee. The youngest, (3) meanwhile, tends to throw a strop every time he doesn’t get his way and it takes ages to appease him.”
Food and journey breaks inevitably end up being her “saviour”, confides the affable 30-something insurance executive. “When I ply them with lots of food, they’re distracted so there’s less of the whining. My husband will also make pit-stops and get everyone out at some roadside stalls where they can, yes, have some food, and the kids can run around for a bit.”
So what else can parents do to stop their kids from driving them bonkers during the long festive drive? Prep work of military precision. And it’s not only to save your sanity. If you’re the driver and you’re having to spend time sorting out fights or bargaining with the kids or constantly checking on the rear-view mirror, it effectively means that you’re not really monitoring the traffic properly. And that’s dangerous.
According to Car Junky, an online automotive links directory, studies have shown that nearly 25 per cent of crashes occur when drivers are dealing with kids in the back seat.
Here are some ideas:
• REWARD GOOD BEHAVIOUR
Most of us will balk at the thought of bribing. But hey, when your mettle’s seriously being tested, nothing beats the power of a bribe. If it makes you feel better, call it an “incentive” towards everyone’s mental and emotional wellbeing. How about offering them the chance to pick where they want to eat on your next stop in exchange for an hour of whine-free time? There are plenty of other “incentives” that you can rain down on them depending on what ticks their boxes. And this, only you would know.
• SMELL THE ROSES
What’s the rush? And chances are you’d be stuck in the balik kampung congestion anyway. So why not schedule in some fun by injecting the occasional pit stops for photo ops or detours to interesting locales (preferably those known for great food). If you spy a playground en route, unleash the kids. They’ll be grateful for it. This is one way to make the otherwise monotonous long drive more exciting.
• FUN AND GAMES
If you’re seeking peace, then don’t start them off with loud and raucous games. There are plenty of car games that can be played in a semi-subdued manner. For example, my kids are into the card game Uno and will also pore over their Wordsearch books for ages. A game I like to play with the kids is the “quiet game”, where they’re challenged to be the quietest. The winner is the one who remains silent for the longest time. And he/she gets to choose the prize he/she wants (within a given list). You’ll be amazed at how great this game is because most of the time, my children end up dozing off for the rest of the journey!