Pitstops are a necessity, part and parcel of any roadtrip. When you’re traveling with three young boys, one of whom is an infant, stops will have to occur nearly every two and a half to three hours. Thus, in 36 hours of driving, there will be somewhere between 12 and 18 stops. Which means it’s essential to make stops as efficient as possible. Lest you want to add another twelve hours to an already long journey.

Which is why I’ve made rules for stopping.

1. The pitstop locale must be visible from the highway.

2. Get gas at every stop, even if the tank is half full. This avoids the annoying conundrum known as ’empty gas tank and sleeping children’.

3. Every member of the car has to use the washroom or have their diaper changed.

4. Clear the car of any trash and tidy the interior space to make moving around (i.e.crawling all the way to the back to attend to children’s needs) easier.

5. Prior to getting back on the road, make sure everyone has a snack and a drink.

6. Make sure essential items – like pacifiers, diapers, wipes are easily accessed.

7. Have fun.