25 conversation-starters for family road trips

Road trips . . . they can be boring and tedious, but they can also be a time for family bonding. While we certainly aren’t opposed to breaking out the technology for long-haul trips, we try to avoid relying on digital entertainment for shorter trips. For example, a trip to grandma’s house is about 45 minutes, and one we take pretty frequently. Instead of pulling out the ipads, we try to use that time as a chance to have some deeper conversations with the kids, while we’ve got a “captive audience.”  We are a huge fan of games that ask questions, especially questions that encourage conversation.

In an effort to make our car rides more fun, I curated a list of fun questions that I hoped would spark some great conversations. There are some silly questions, some serious . . . some aspirations, some nostalgic. I printed it out and took it with us on our last trip to grandma’s, and we had a lot of fun with them.

1. What is the hardest thing you’ve ever done?

2. If you could have dinner with any person from history, who would you choose?

3. What makes someone kind? How could you be kinder this year?

4. If you could solve one problem in the world, what would it be?

5. If you had to live on a deserted island with only one book, one song, and one movie, what would you choose?

6. Would you rather be a rock star, the president, or the person who cures cancer?

7. Tell me something new you would like to learn to do.

8. What do you think mom does while you are at school? What do you think dad does?

9. If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life what would you choose?

10. Talk about a friend who makes you feel good about yourself. What do they do that makes you feel good?

11. Tell me about your dream vacation. Where would you go? What would you do?

12. Say something you appreciate about each member of your family.

13. If you could trade lives with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?

14. What are three qualities you look for in a friend?

15. Tell me about a movie that made you cry.

16. You win a million dollars. What do you do with it?

17. Would you rather have a mean teacher who you learn a lot from, or a nice teacher who doesn’t teach you much?

18. Tell us about something embarrassing that happened.

19. Describe the perfect day. What do you do?

20. Describe what your house will look like when you are a grown-up. Where will it be? What does it look like?

21. What is the earliest thing you can remember?

22. If you could have any super power, what would it be?

23. Would you rather be the best player on a losing team or the worst player on a winning team?

24. What is your favorite room in the house and why?

25. Share something you like about yourself.

For me, these conversations with the kids in the car are some of the most important ones I have. This makes it all the more important that I have a car in great working condition, so I can minimize any bumps in the road (both literally and figuratively). From simple oil changes, to tire pressure, to the shocks and struts; a smooth ride means more time to focus on each other, and less energy spent on maintaining control and stability of your vehicle.

Everyday driving has a notable effect on your car’s shocks, which are a critical aspect of steering and stopping your car. Keeping your shocks in good shape is a part of driving safely with your family. Worn-out shocks can affect other parts of the vehicle. Protect your family by including shock inspection in your preventative maintenance routine. Be proactive and ask your mechanic to make sure shocks are being inspected every time your vehicle is brought in for tire, brake or alignment service. For more information on shocks and car safety, check out Monroe Shocks and Struts’s website, as well as their facebook page.