Helpful Hacks For On-The-Go Oregon Parents

As August comes to a close, many of us are preparing for the fast-approaching school year. Families are stocking up on school supplies while actively making plans to squeeze the last drops of fun out of summer vacation. As evenings cool off and hoodies are pulled out of the closet, kids are excited to meet new students and teachers, join sports teams, audition for the fall play, or start their own after-school clubs! One thing is for sure: parents are headed into a hectic season. From taxiing kids around town to balancing schedules, we collected this list of handy hacks for life on the go from active Oregon families just like you. Hopefully, it serves as a helpful reminder that a little preparation and knowledge can go a long way toward easing the strain of a busy school year!

Stocking the Car

While Oregon may be deeply appreciated for its lush, green landscape, it comes with a price. The activities your family members need to get to can be many miles and even cities apart! Cherriots bus or bike can only get you so far, and oftentimes, Oregonians find themselves dependent on cars to navigate the state. Fueling up for trips is not only crucial for your gas tank. Hours on the road can be grueling for everyone, and that is why a stocked travel bag of supplies can be a lifesaver! Basic staples can include:

– backup set of clean clothing for each family member–do not forget the socks and undies!
– shelf-stable snacks minimally impacted by temperature change, such as jerky, nuts, fruit bars, and crackers
– roll of toilet paper for unexpected mess or as emergency kindling
– a gallon jug or a few bottles of drinking water
– notepad, a couple of pens, and a small travel game such as Sudoku, Fireside Story dice, or Boggle
– roll of doggie bags to be utilized for wet items or a convenient way of collecting trash to help keep our state clean and green
– sunscreen and bug spray
– first-aid kit (complete with useful extras like topical antibiotic, fingernail clippers, and tweezers)
– waterproof blanket (we prefer a version with one waterproof side and one soft, absorbent side for a dual-purpose towel or dry place to sit)

These items are a great foundation for a road-preparedness kit. Consider adding additional safety tools such as a small fire extinguisher, flashlights, batteries, and a portable power bank. A majority of these items may remain unused, but remember the adage: it is better to be safe than sorry! Here is an additional article with an emergency preparedness checklist for Oregon drivers. Each family is unique, so freely customize the travel bag contents to suit your needs.

Potty Time

If you have ventured outside Oregon’s borders, you may have noticed the difference between our rest areas and those in other states. Oregon rest stops are designed to be safe, convenient places for travelers to rest before continuing on the road. Often, vending machines and information kiosks offer free local activity pamphlets and maps. Some of the larger stops even have a fresh coffee stand! Use the official Oregon Rest Areas webpage to learn about these locations. Be aware that multiple studies have proven tired driving is just as dangerous as drunk driving, so toilets are not the only valuable part of Oregon rest areas. However, I am confident we’ve all been in a situation where a toilet wasn’t nearby, yet we desperately needed one. Those of you with potty-training toddlers are frequent victims of this very problem! Take a helpful hint from local garbage collectors, who spend their days on the road with no regular access to bathrooms. They have learned–mostly via unpleasant experiences–to keep their eyes peeled for construction sites or groups of roofing and painting companies. Where there are lots of outdoor workers, there are always porta-potties! Every human understands the urgent, unavoidable need for a restroom in inconvenient places. As long as the porta-potty is not within fenced working areas, relief is only a polite question away. Still, this is no foolproof system for potty troubles. As an extra precaution, my family bought a collapsible emergency toilet that easily slips under a car seat. For under thirty dollars, we now have a toilet wherever we go! In less than a few months, we definitely got our money’s worth (saving many pairs of pants and ourselves a lot of embarrassment in the process). 

Family Briefing

What do Oregon Ducks football players and your family need to have in common? The useful pre-game huddle! Clear communication is essential to an effective team, so set aside time each week for all family members to get together and review the schedule. All players need to know their individual responsibilities, as well as the group’s unified goal, to play the game well! Within your family, please decide which day of the week is easiest to hold the briefing consistently, then make it a habit. Naturally, some unplanned additions and changes can occur throughout each week. Still, the whole family will be more educated and adaptable if the briefing is dependable and the communication remains transparent and open. Many families have found it helpful to keep a master schedule board in a common space in the house. This master schedule can be utilized in a monthly, weekly, or daily format–whichever suits your home life and communication style best. Here are some helpful items to include on your master schedule and cover during weekly family briefing sessions:

– work and school timeframes
– doctor/vet appointments
– extracurricular activities
– social visits or family events
– chores
– meal planning
– shopping lists

Encourage all family members to carry their own copy of the master schedule, either via picture(s) on a cellphone or in an individual planner. It is never too early or too late to foster responsibility in our children. If a weekly family briefing seems too dull, follow up with something more enjoyable. Consider pairing the weekly brief with a family game night/movie night, or ordering out from your favorite restaurant. Check out this Oregon State University article detailing six qualities of strong families for additional encouragement. Efficient communication does not have to be a hassle, but it does need to be a priority!