A Few Questions - Please Help Quick?

Question

We are going on a long car trip (40 hours each way - EEK) with one 13 y/o, one 14 y/o, four adults, and four 4 y/o. We are leaving in a few days. The other mother and I have been planning vigorously. Somehow we overlooked a pretty important detail. Brushing teeth while on the road. My family travels often, but we have never drove this long without staying overnight at a hotel on the way. Due to a time crunch, we have to keep this trip relatively short, but we can't fly because the other mother is afraid of flying. We have 2 options for brushing teeth on the way. Which do you think is best...

A) In a rest stop bathroom where people can look at us like we are weird or homeless.

B) In the car with a paper cup and bottled water as our sink where we could spill on the car seats, but people won't be able to look at us weird.

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Both of our families are very healthy eaters - mainly organic. We know that we can't pack 40 hours worth of meals, but we are packing enough for a few meals. For the meals that we can't bring, we will need to purchase elsewhere. We would like to keep fast food to a minimum, but sit down restaurants could take a while. We were thinking grocery store deli counters. How healthy is that stuff? Do they use preservatives? What are the best options from there? We know that we can buy fresh fruit/veggies and fresh already sliced fruit/veggies. The other mom said that she heard you can buy meat and ask the person at the meat counter to cook it for you. Is that true? PLEASE HELP!

Answer 1

Just stop at a rest stop. People don't look at you weird - they usually know you are just traveling. Even if they do, why does the opinion of a complete stranger matter? Or you could stop at a store and do it. I had to go on a 20 hour trip once and I stopped at a Starbucks and brushed my teeth. =]

Answer 2

Just do it in the restrooms... and who cares what people think?  Most people will think nothing of it...no big deal.  Does that other mother realize that flying is FAR safer than driving?...I would be likely to let her drive if she wants to, but  I would  fly.  

I think sometimes people tend to "enable' other people's unreasonable fears.  This may sound a bit heartless, but she is putting all of you through a lot of trouble for an unreasonable reason...and everyone has to accommodate her.  Anyway...don't be so picky about "healthy" food on the road...it is just a trip, not a lifetime.  And for heavens sake, if you can buy meat at a deli or grocery and stand there and wait for them to cook it, you can certainly take time to sit down in a restaurant...and I never hear of them cooking meat for you. Sounds like this trip is not being planned to be smooth and easy, but as complicated as possible...again , it is just a  couple of days trip...eat what is easy , break a few rules!  Ain't gonna kill ya for a couple of days.

Answer 3

Definitely I would go with the rest stops.  Everyone will appreciate the chance to stretch their legs and have in minute to look in the mirror and freshen up.  I take my 2 kids cross country often and would much rather take a minute for things like this that make everyone a little more comfortable.  

As for the whole food part of your question, I really can't tell you.  I would say that there are several different qualities of meats and cheeses and grocey delis.  Just take a minute to check out what suits you best and be prepared that those are probably going to cost you more...

Good luck with the trip

Answer 4

You should definitely just make a stop. If you aren't too keen on the idea of the rest stops because they can sometimes be dirty or things like that, my family usually just stops at a Target store or something similar. You can use their clean bathrooms and get out and stretch for a few minutes as well.