The Tupperware Secret for Long Car Rides

I always say that winding down should involve the outdoors or water, so as soon as we walk through the door at the end of the day, I give my kids the task of washing their hands and face before changing into something comfy. That gives me a minute to catch my breath and get dinner started. They actually love the ritual because it’s so engrained now.

Simple strategies for handling nighttime pushback and long car rides

They’ll do something at the table like beads or color (versus floor activities) while I’m cooking, since transitioning from this type of activity makes it easier for them to shift focus once dinner is ready. Then we really try to connect and catch up as a family. No TV helps make dinner a success in that they actually focus on eating. [Laughs] After that, I give them time to run around. We play music and they dance while we clear the table. After bath, we’ll spend 10-15 minutes watching something as a family or listening to music or an audio book. This part is crucial since it gives me that mental break before I feel like I hit the wall. I’m better equipped to handle bedtime pushback after that, since the girls always resist.

We love driving as a family and taking a lot of road trips. It’s to the point the girls ask us, “Is this a short ride or a long one?” They always prefer the long one. We have the best memories driving to visit my grandparents in Montreal. For the drive, I typically take a tupperware with dividers and put in some playdough, cut paper straws, a silicone cupcake holder, birthday candles, and Legos (since they make a nice print on the playdough). It keeps them occupied for hours. We’ll also do a visual scavenger hunt like, “First person to spot a yellow car wins!” Or we’ll play audiobooks or find fun stops along the way.

How parenting makes you a better person (even amid the chaos)

Selfishly, I think the most unexpected thing about parenthood is it makes you a better person. There’s so much self-awareness and self-improvement that automatically happens when you’re trying to raise kids who are good people. And, of course, it truly brings out the child in the whole family. Fun is much more of a priority in life, even for my kids. Amidst the chaos, we still always find the fun.

Jennie Monness is a parent/child educator and the co-founder of Union Square Play. Matt Monness is a stockbroker. They live with their two children, Tess (6) and Nell (4), in Manhattan. Their interview appeared in It’s More Fun with You: 36 Families on the Everyday Magic of Raising Kids, a limited-edition book by Charmspring.