In hindsight I have to question how we ever survived those long family drives.
I can remember vividly as a child traveling in the family Suburban as we made our way from one end of Saskatchewan to the other.
Child restraints? Ha, yeah right.
My brothers and I would be in the back of the family’s blue “bus” in what was essentially a huge play pen. The bench seats were down, sleeping bags laid out allowing us to play with our Star Wars toys and Matchbox cars or read Tintin books.
Meanwhile, while my mom would be listening to Trooper or the Bee Gees on the eight track reading her smutty romance novels, my dad would be reading his Sgt. Rock comics while steering with his knee or a thumb only occasionally sneaking a peek at the road.
I just assumed he knew the road really well.
Of course, looking back now, I am not so comfortable with the seeming lack of focus on behalf of the driver or concern for the safety of the children. It was nothing unusual and I am sure most people travelled in the same way.
Things changed in the politically correct era which included this clamp down on seatbelts, car seats and distracted driving.
As a result, car trips were no longer an adventure. They became tedious as children were welded to their seats and eventually drove their parents insane as they became claustrophobic and jittery in the car.
Now, things have come full circle. Children are still safely buckled up, but technology has replaced comic books and Tonka toys.
As I cruised down the desolate TransCanada Highway on a dark, cold winter night last week I expected my children to be whining or fidgeting incessantly during the long drive east to Saskatchewan.
Despite the tedious drive we arrived in Regina and to be honest the drive did not seem all that bad.
What made the drive so nice this time is the fact I heard nary a peep from my girls. Not once did I hear any gripes about being bored, needing to go to the bathroom, or even one, “Are we there yet?”
In fact, they were eerily quiet.
What do children have to complain about in the car — technology has once again made the car like a bedroom on wheels as it was when I was a child.
In the backseat my youngest had our laptop and watched her favourite movies while my oldest tapped on her cell phone texting her friends or listening to her music.
It could not have been more relaxing as we made our way to visit my family in the Queen City.
In fact, technology has made the drive much more enjoyable for me as well. With satellite radio I did not have to resort to crop reports, evangelists or Barbara Streisand’s greatest hits. I listened to the best of 80s hair metal, comedy and sports talk to pass the time and kept my eyes on the road the entire time. “Wait a minute. Does anyone remember passing through Piapot?”