Holiday Harmony Comes To Halt After 47 Minutes -
August 2011
Millions of parents feel car journeys are the most stressful part of a family holiday, with children beginning to moan after less than an hour on the road.
The first dreaded “I’m bored” comes just 47 minutes into the drive, a new survey by Halfords Autocentres reveals, as youngsters start to test thepatience of their parents.
After one hour 18 minutes cries of “Are we there yet?” can be heard from the back seats and the first comfort break is demanded one hour and 52 minutes into the journey.
Two hours and 25 minutes is the average time it takes for family arguments to break out, with over two thirds of parents blaming the children for starting the row, the research for Halfords Autocentres found.
Nine out of ten drivers planning a UK break revealed the holiday drive would be the longest car journey they would make all year - an admission that has implications for both the car and for family relationships.
Almost six in ten (58%) of mums and dads say they will have fallen out while travelling and over two thirds (66%) blame the children for starting the row. Other main causes are getting lost (24%), forgetting something (6%) and running out of petrol (2%).
Leading garage network Halfords Autocentres has joined forces with national family charity Care for the Family to provide a guide to a stress-free car journey, and suggests planning in advance can ease the stress for parents and help them make the most of quality time with their children
Halfords Autocentres’ Marketing Director Rory Carlin said: “Halfords Autocentres is here to keep motorists on the move and we’re hoping our guide will make our customers’ journeys that little bit easier.
“We wanted to get this guide in place as a helpful way of ensuring that motorists really enjoy their trip without ending up on a hard shoulder or in an asylum!”
The growth in ‘staycations’ means more families than ever will be spending long hours in their cars this summer.
Over seven out of ten (72%) say they try to keep the children quiet by bribing them with sweets, and two thirds (65%) have portable video players or video games. Among 11-16 years old the most popular form of entertainment is the iPod. Only 11% say they carry spare pens and paper to use for family games.
Care for the Family’s Chief Executive, Mark Molden, believes long car journeys can provide a great opportunity for parents to spend special time together withtheir children, away from the distractions of everyday life.
Mark said: “The thought of a long car journey can often fill parents with dread but, if planned properly, it can actually be a great way to help you and your children have fun while building up some family traditions that can be treasured for a lifetime.
He continued: “A little forward planning, such as preparing your car and having plenty of entertainment ideas up your sleeve, can go a long way towards turning the situation from a potential nightmare into a happy experience. After all, with many UK families spendingless than 45 minutes together each day, the journey to and from a holiday is an opportunity not to be wasted!”
He suggests simple tips like planning the route in advance and starting out at night orvery early in the morning when the children will be asleep.
“Consider banning the iPod and video games for at least part of the journey and indulging in more old-fashioned games such as I Spy or Number Plate Bingo.
“This will help you to have fun as a family instead of travelling as a group of individuals. Encourage your children to use their imaginations and to make up new games too,” Mark added.
The guide is now available at www.careforthefamily.org.uk/summerdriving or www.halfordsautocentres.com/news.
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
Care for the Family
Care for the Family is a national charity which aims to strengthen family life throughout the UK and help those facing family difficulties. Over the past 21 years, over 350,000 people have attended the charity’s events, workshops and family-building breaks. Many more families find support through its resources and other initiatives – including stepfamilies, bereaved parents, parents of children with eating disorders, families where children have additional needs, those parenting alone and those widowed young.
For more information please contact:
E mail@cff.org.uk
T (029) 2081 0800
W www.careforthefamily.org.uk