1 Entertainment and Food Are Key
Dr. James Hind of Nottingham Trent University interviewed 2,000 parents and found that the average time it takes a child to throw a tantrum during a car ride is 70 minutes. He used that and other data to compile the following formula:
T = 70 + 0.5E + 15F – 10S
Translation: The probability of a tantrum is reduced every minute a child is entertained (E). Food (F) can delay a backseat meltdown by 15 minutes. But having siblings (S) in the car was found to shorten tantrum-free time by 10 minutes. The statistician also found that the average child will ask “are we there yet?” 32 minutes into a car ride, and will ask four times total.
2 Unlimited Snacks Not the Answer
“If you have only one child, and you can keep them entertained and occasionally bribe them with food, you could manage two hours of tantrum-free driving,” said Hind. “Unfortunately, two children with no entertainment and no snacks can brew up a tantrum in just 40 minutes. Snacks are important but there is a limit to how much they can help, so keep them to two an hour max. Entertainment is key, but even that fails with really long journey times.”
3 What Are the Main Causes of Backseat Tantrums?
The research found that boredom is the #1 cause of backseat tantrums, as cited by 68% of parents, followed by the trip taking too long (62%) and kids being hungry (57%). “Taking breaks to ‘reset the clock’ is important for preventing tantrums, as well as making sure you are not tired while driving,” said Hind.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb
4 Tantrum Hacks
The UK Sun recently published a series of hacks to forestall kids’ tantrums during car rides. They include planning exercise breaks; traveling at night, so part of the journey occurs when kids are sleeping; talk about the importance of seat belt wearing before the trip; and play interactive games that involve all of you.
5 Just Ignore It (If You Can)
An expert told Parents magazine that if a tantrum happens, the best thing to do is just ignore it (unless it involves aggression toward others). “Turn your music up, sing yourself a little song, and concentrate on the road,” suggests Marni Axelrad, Ph.D., a child psychologist at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston. If you can’t concentrate, pull over, but keep ignoring the tantrum-thrower until the drama ends.
