You’re on your way to vacation or just coming back from school, and suddenly: a strange noise, a warning on the dashboard and the car decides to stop. If traveling with children requires calm, being stranded on the road with them can turn into a stressful situation.
However, the key to preventing a breakdown from becoming a traumatic memory is emotional management. Here’s how to survive this situation with as much peace of mind as possible.
Safety first: Calm outside for calm inside
Before attempting to calm the little ones, you must secure the environment. In Spain, safety regulations are strict and following them will give you peace of mind that everyone is safe.
Immediate steps when stopping
The first thing to do is to signal. If you can, stop the vehicle at the safest place on the shoulder. Set up the V16 light and put on your reflective vest before setting off. Once the car is visible, the general recommendation is that the occupants remain outside the vehicle, protected behind the guardrail, as long as there is a safe place to be. If the area does not allow safe exit, it is best for everyone to stay inside the car with seat belts fastened until assistance arrives.
You may also be interested in: Keeping calm when the engine dies: Psychological guide to avoid panicking
How to manage family stress while assistance arrives?
Once you’ve called the towing service, the real countdown begins. For a child, 30 to 45 minutes on a highway can seem like three hours. Stress usually arises from boredom, heat or fear of the unknown.
Turn worry into calm
Instead of burdening yourself with the problem, try to change the way you tell her what is happening. Explain to them matter-of-factly that the car needs an assistance professional to come and check it out and that, while help arrives, the best thing they can do is to keep themselves entertained, like:
- Classic games: Counting cars of a specific color works wonders.
- Impromptu stories: This is the ideal time to tell a story and stay together while the tow truck arrives.
In conclusion, having a car break down is a setback, but not the end of the world. If you stay calm, follow the safety rules and keep the children entertained, waiting for the tow truck will be just another anecdote of the trip. Remember that your attitude will be the mirror in which they look at you.
Has this ever happened to you? We know that every family has its own tricks for surviving a wait on the road. Let us know in the comments what your secret is to keeping the kids calm or if you have any other anecdotes you remember today. We look forward to reading you and learning from your experience!
