Car ride help

[dharmamama]

I have three kids, 11, 4, and 3. Being in the car is a free-for-all in terms of asking questions. All three of them start in on me and they talk over one another and interrupt on another and ask the same question 10 times and shout to get my attention if I am answering someone else's question. We always have books on tape to listen to or we can listen to music or whatever, but it's like, now that they have me as a captive audience, they are going to ask non-stop questions for the entire length of the car trip. It's unnerving and makes me cranky and, more than that, it makes it hard for me to drive because my mind is on trying to answer questions/get them to stop shouting at me/interrupting each other rather than on driving.

Is it ok for me to just say, "I have to concentrate on driving and I am not going to answer questions. I have this book on tape for you to listen to" (they love books on tape). I hate hard-and-fast rules like that, because inevitably someone will ask an interesting or very relevant question that I want to answer, but if I answer it, the floodgates open and everyone starts asking questions again.

Help!

Namaste!

[Throkmorton]

Originally Posted by dharmamama

Is it ok for me to just say, "I have to concentrate on driving and I am not going to answer questions. I have this book on tape for you to listen to" (they love books on tape).

I think that is fine. tell them to remember their questions, and you will discuss them before bed. Chances are, they will forget most of them

[mummy marja]

Maybe they could take turns? It might be a while until they get this, but once they realize that their question will get answered, it might work.

If the traffic is busy and you really do need to concentrate on driving, I see no problem in saying so.

I get what you mean though...sometimes it would be nice to just relax and enjoy the drive. Ds doesn't talk much so I only have 1 chatterbox in the car right now, and that's hard enough!