You, as a parent, deserve a fun vacation. There is no need to look for the babysitter or beg the grandma to watch the kids. You can take your angels with you. Nowadays a lot of families rent used motorhomes and hit the road, so consider doing the same in the summer. You will not have to think about accommodation, plane tickets, airline luggage restrictions, etc. You can make a plan and go whenever you want. All you need is a bit of knowledge.
Here’s what you should know about traveling with kids by motorhome for the first time:
Regulations
You can drive a motorhome of up to 7500kg without passing additional exams. Only drivers aged over 70 can’t drive motorhome heavier than 3500 kg. If you drive an RV with a maximum authorized mass of between 3 and 7 tonnes, you will need to have a category C1 license.
All passengers are obligated to wear seatbelts during the trip. The driver can be fined up to £500 if they break the law. All kids should be traveling in the car seats until they reach 12th birthday or 1.35 meters. Also, you can’t drive at night while your kids are sleeping since they will not be wearing seat belts.
Space
There are a lot of different RV types. Choose the bigger one if you can. First of all, your kids will need a lot of space to play freely. Secondly, you will be able to take more things with you. Let’s not forget that kids don’t know the concept ‘have less – be more.’
Also, you will have more privacy. Living with kids under the same roof might be stressful sometimes. In large RVs, you can close the curtains and enjoy the quiet.
Make sure to use your space smartly. To avoid disaster, you may need to buy space savers such as pull-out tables, boxes, and organizers to hang toys or books.
Pack your stuff
Make a list of things you take preferably a few weeks before the trip. Packing the last day can be very stressful since you will have to think about everyone’s needs. Don’t forget to include into your list all kinds of cooking supplies. It will be cheaper if you cook in your motorhome. Also, buy food and bottles of mineral water in advance, so that you will not have to look for a supermarket in the middle of nowhere.
Basically, you need to be prepared for everything. So, don’t forget to include basic camping first aid kit into your list. You should take sunburn relief spray, adhesive bandages of various sizes, anti-diarrhea medicine, hand sanitizer, bandaids, antiseptic cream, an antihistamine for allergic reactions.
Also, plan how you will entertain your kids so that you will not hear ‘are we there yet?’ every two minutes. To prevent your kids from staring at the phone all day long, you can take some board and video games with you.
Set the rules
If you don’t want to be like Cinderella, who serves everyone, teach your kids responsibility. Start by setting the rules in your motorhome. Small space gets dirty pretty fast, so encourage your kids to help you with cleaning. To keep it fun, make competition so that the one who cleans the motorhome faster will get a present.
You can explain to your kids that traveling by motorhome requires a lot of effort. Feel free to give them other tasks to do since it is a great way to teach them. For example, they can take care of younger siblings or help with cooking (under your control).
Plan your trip ahead
Encourage your kids to help you with planning your travels. It can make them feel like important members of your team. Another crucial thing is to find some places where you can park your RV for the night.
Driving motorhome
As stated above, you don’t need a special license to drive the motorhome. However, it’s recommended to get to know your rig before you hit the road. It is bigger than the average car, so you need to get used to wide, slow turns and parking. When you are on the road, maintain a four-to-six second gap between you and another car that is ahead of you; it will allow you to keep a safe stopping distance. Small and medium-sized RVs have the same speed limits as cars. If you plan to travel abroad, check the speed limits by country.
In case you know a motorhome driver who can teach you, don’t hesitate to ask for help. Only practice can guarantee safety, which is crucial when you travel with kids.
