Tips for a worry-free travel to school

OVER the weekend, I found myself in the company of some good friends who were jittery over having their eldest young kids start school in a big campus rather than some small daycare or nursery school. We discussed about making things easier for both kids and parents to tide over the anxiety of first day in school; and being car guys, we came up with some basic ideas to ease the tension.

1) Leave early. Traffic and being late add to the anxiety of both the children’s and parent’s first day in school. I knew I was scared, way back many moons ago when I first started school. Leaving home and arriving school early allow both  children and parents to acclimatize to the new campus environment slowly but surely before the hustle and bustle begin.

Besides, it’s a good attitude to ingrain being  early always, ahead of time, by at least 10 to 15 minutes. If you have mobile apps such as Waze, which I cannot recommend enough for busy people, use them to navigate to your destination while avoiding traffic as much as you can.

2) Make sure your car is in tip-top shape. I always urge  people to have their cars properly maintained. See that the car is still well within the PMS  (periodic maintenance schedule) intervals, and the tires are in good condition, properly inflated and aligned.

The opening of school coincides with the beginning of the rainy season, and adverse weather often magnifies potential car problems. It’s quite traumatic for both parents and children to have vehicular breakdowns and be isolated/stuck in a remote location while waiting for help.

Also, make sure that your car’s battery is in tip-top condition. There’s going to be a lot of waiting, idling and short/quick drives, which shortens the battery life. A battery specialist shop can help determine your battery’s condition so have it checked as well.

Look into batteries such as Amaron, ACDelco or Bosch, which give very long warranties. Motolite batteries, on the other hand, has a delivery service in case your battery dies out on you (3706686 for Metro Manila).

And while you’re at it, also check the wipers; replace them if they looked cracked and dry, or just plain old. PIAA sells long-lasting, silicone-infused wiper blades and refills for a large variety of cars for improved visibility in bad weather.

3) Have an extra change of fresh clothes for yourself and your children inside the car.  The first day of school can still be a fun-filled, exciting and adventurous experience; both children and parents can end up running around and having a grand time. So on going home, while still inside the car, change out of your soiled clothes. It also helps to  keep your kid relaxed and upbeat if he or she feels fresh. As for you? Of course, you’d want to change out of your clothes quickly if they are dirty.

Keep clean clothes and hygiene-related products inside a purpose-packed bag. Pack soap, powder, alcohol and hand sanitizer as your kids might pick up random things in school that might be dirty. This isn’t just for the first day of school but also for the rest of the school year.

Keeping a change of clothes also helps whenever rain suddenly pours and gets you and your children wet. Change immediately to avoid getting sick.

4) Bring your kid’s toys and mobile gadgets to entertain them, but only when going home. I had a long discussion regarding this. My friend, a parent, says it’s not a good idea to bring toys or gadgets in the car when kids are going to school. They might focus on them rather than on school, and even insist on bringing them along—also not a good idea.

But if you’re stuck  in traffic on the way home, the kids might get bored, fussy and difficult. The compromise? Keep the toys and gadgets inside, but don’t show them while going to school. If you and the kids are  stuck in traffic while going home, and they start getting fussy, that’s the only time you bring out the toys and gadgets to entertain them.

If your vehicle has a built-in DVD/TV system, don’t play movies while going to school; use it only when the kids are getting bored and difficult on the way home. Again, Waze will be helpful to navigate getting home as quickly as possible.

5) Always bring umbrellas, raincoats and slippers. Since the weather in our country is always unpredictable, you should always put two to three umbrellas and raincoats inside your vehicle to avoid getting wet. A few towels will also be useful to help dry yourself and your kids, in the event of a light and mild drizzle.

6) Pack some clean rags for the car. A hand-held vacuum is also a great idea. In case it is raining, your car’s interior will always get wet. Thus, pack some clean washcloths for the car so you can wipe down dry the interior.

A clean interior can prevent children from getting sick, as their environment is always clean. If you have a handheld vacuum cleaner that can  suck in fluids, use it regularly to help keep the interior clean.

Remember, kids are more prone to sickness and disease from dirty/polluted environments; and your car’s interior, if wet and dirty, is a breeding ground of germs and bacteria. Keep the interior clean as much as possible.

SONAX offers some cleaning chemicals for your car, such as  leather and upholstery cleaners, to remove stains caused by food spills. SONAX also offers an air-conditioner cleaning system for DIY use: Turn on the  air-conditioner, leave the fan at its highest setting, place the SONAX air-conditioner cleaning system underneath the dashboard/footwell, and press the release button. The SONAX air-conditioner cleaner will release all of its contents, which will be sucked in by the air-conditioner system. It releases chemicals that eliminate bacteria and odor caused by the humidity/condensation of the air-conditioner, providing a cleaner environment. Leave the car running with the air-conditioner at full blast for at least 15 minutes to get the full benefit.

It’s also a good idea to replace the cabin air filters with PIAA’s new line of vitamin C-infused filters to help give a fresher, air-conditioned environment.

And lastly, SONAX has a car deodorizer called Car Breeze. It’s a simple spray-on chemical deodorizer which is powerful enough to remove cigarette smells inside the car (as tested by yours truly). Leave it inside the car, and spray it on lightly from time to time to eliminate bacteria and bad odor inside the cabin. Log on to www.sonax-ph.com for more information about SONAX car care products; and www.piaa-ph.com for more information on PIAA’s new line of cabin air filters infused with vitamin C.

7) Pack some light snacks and drinks. If the kids start getting cranky, there’s a good chance that they are hungry. I can totally relate to this myself. So pack some light snacks and their favorite milk or juice to tide them over until you all get home. To help keep your car’s interior clean, bring a small paper or plastic bag to dispose of the packaging, refuse or leftovers.

8) Pack your mobile phone and media device chargers and a powerbank. Despite being a cheap electronic gadget, it’s best to use a quality engineered mobile USB charging device such as those offered by MiLi. It has dual USB charging ports in a single cigarette lighter/12-volt outlet or socket which can charge two mobile phones quickly and safely.

Along with a charger, it’s good to carry a spare powerbank from MiLi. Why? Using Waze and playing games while checking your social media accounts on 4G drain the battery fast. You need to be in constant contact with your loved ones, the  household help and the family chauffeur, so it pays to always have power for your mobile phone.

And if you’re stuck in traffic on the way home, the iPad/iPod/handheld gaming console might need charging to keep your kids entertained and not cranky. Check out  www.miliphil.com for information on its USB device car chargers and powerbanks.