Punch buggy - no punch backs.

Punch buggy... it's a phrase we hear often these days. The kids have found a new fun game for the car and they are learning the thrills of being the beater, as well as the beaten. Or should I say puncher and punchee? I'm so thankful Volkswagen brought back the Bug. The games we played as kids on long road trips, revisited. We sometimes have to referee, but mostly we just laugh with the winner.

Lydia and Maggie sit next to each other and always want to be the puncher... but then don't really want to play if the other is doing the punching. I've tried to explain the whole "if you punch then you can be punch" philosophy, but they aren't accepting it yet. All 4 are getting pretty quick in spotting the bugs - and I am always trying to spot it first and yell punch buggy so nobody else can start punching. Once it's been called, it can't be punched again! It keeps the peace in the backseat... but it's not nearly as much fun.

I'm so thankful my kids are good riders. For 10 years, we have had pleasant trips no matter where we go. There have been times when the last 10 minutes to Grandma's house have been noisy and painful. But for the most part, they ride well! I'm thankful (SO thankful) we do not have a DVD player installed in our van. Many of our friends have those and I'm not knocking them... but I would rather hear my kids yell "punch buggy" than hear complete silence from the zombies in the back seat. I would rather hear them play the "ABC game" than hear the words of Buzz, Shrek, Cinderella, or even Bob and Larry. I would rather them see shapes and animals in the clouds than the newest videos. Now, we have used a DVD player for trips to Pennsylvania, Virginia, and DC... trips that are longer than 6 hours! And even then, we save them for when the sun goes down "because it's too hard to see in the daytime"! But we do not use it for trips to WalMart, church, Grandma's house. Why do people turn on the video for a 15 minute trip home from church? I don't understand that logic. Wouldn't you rather hear what the kids just learned about in class, or hear the songs they just sang?

So... kiddos, when you read this post and you're 10 years older, just remember I love riding with you in the car. I appreciate your love for each other. That you talk to each other. You read books together. You play dolls, family, whatever. You make up stories. You fight each other for billboard letters. You play punch buggy! You'll remember these times when you have kids of your own. You'll appreciate our trips without the DVD. In fact, you wouldn't remember any trips if all you did was watch DVDs everywhere we went.

PS - as you become icky old teenagers, I may change my mind about movies and hand held games!@ Just saying! :)

PUNCH BUGGY!! I win!