August 2021 Monterey Bay Parent Magazine

As a kid, I remember being told to
wait to use the bathroom until another
exit or two (or more). I now do the
opposite. We take advantage of the
expected rest stops, stretch our legs,
and feel the difference in the climate.
I especially like this part of the road
trip. On our coastline, summer often
seems like a mythical creature. The
intensity of the heat is a novelty (for a
limited time). My wife and I both grew
up in hot places, so it is reminiscent
of our pasts. It is a new experience of
hunting for the shady spot, keeping
a drink handy, and being wary of
metal playground equipment for our
daughter. We also read the signs about
the region’s history, learning how the
Native Americans shaped the land and
the animals seen in the area (including
warnings of rattlesnakes).
In the past, I would have focused
just on getting to the destinations. This
time, we stayed in a reasonably-priced
Santa Barbara hotel on the way home
for two days. With the last year of
being at home, we felt like the benefits
of exploring somewhere new and
mitigating risks by wearing masks were
worth the detour. My family would
accompany my father on sales trips he
would take to the cities and towns up
and down California as a child. While
he was out drumming up business,
my mother would take my sister and
me to see what the town had to offer.
“As we drove, I pointed out the
neat rows of almond trees and the
oil rigs in the middle of the state so
that she would learn more about
California.”
We saw lots of historical sites, local
museums, playgrounds, or just enjoyed
the hotel pool. For my daughter, I want
her to know the diversity of places and
see the uniqueness of towns on the
way. Knowing we were going to travel
to Santa Barbara, I looked at what kidfriendly
activities were there. I planned
one major kid activity (the Zoo) and
then left the other time open to figure
out something else to do. We ended
up finding a great science museum
that offered fun for all of us.
Once we returned to the hotel,
we joined our daughter in the small
pool to be her playmates. As a family,
we rarely are in a pool together.
Fun was had as we chased each
other underwater, had splash fights,
and I threw my daughter up in the
air to land with cannonballs in the
water. As a dad, I would hope my
daughter would learn lots from the
Zoo and science museum, but it is
these activities that my daughter
will remember--the playful, relaxed
activities as a family.
For a successful road trip, you
need to set aside the expectations of
a rigid schedule and adopt the right
attitude of exploring what you see
along the way. Take the time to read
the posted information, try new foods,
and explore what is unique about your
destination. We don’t usually have
to watch carefully for rattlesnakes at
home, but we did on this trip.
Robert (Rob) S. Weisskirch,
MSW, Ph.D., CFLE is a Professor of
Human Development at California
State University, Monterey Bay and is
a Certified Family Life Educator. He
and his wife are parents to a chatty,
elementary school aged daughter and
reside in Marina.
MONTEREY BAY PARENT • august 2021 montereybayparent.com 15