I am grateful to live about one mile from a Home Depot. That’s because I do a lot of DIY projects, and if you’ve ever tried to tackle one of them over the weekend, you know it’s basically impossible to finish without making multiple trips to pick up the right screws. I used to make those runs to the store on my own until I did some math. A 15-minute round-trip taken twice per week adds up to 1,560 minutes in a year. That’s 26 hours! Why was I spending that time by myself? Now, I no longer take solo trips anywhere. I always take a kid.
Need more milk? Hop in the car, son. Sunscreen? Come on, daughter. Those minutes—1,560 of them—are prime moments for connection without distraction. If you’re looking for a way to get to know your kids better, I have great news. You don’t have to carve out time. You just have to take advantage of the quality time that’s hiding right in front of you. Here are 5 reasons to take your kids everywhere.
1. Kids open up more when you get them alone.
I remember sitting at a red light with my son. He hadn’t said much during the ride, but, unprompted, he asked, “How do we know God is good?” Would he have asked such a deep question with his sisters around? Maybe, but he definitely felt comfortable enough to talk it out with just the two of us in the car. I have noticed that the more alone time I get with my kids, the chattier they become. They ask deep questions and share information more freely. My son talks to me about things that he wouldn’t ask Mom. My daughters feel safe sharing because they know I won’t go blabbing to their friends or siblings. I want to have a close relationship with each of my kids, so I’ve chosen to sacrifice a few quiet rides in the car. It’s worth it to get them to open up.
2. Kids crave one-on-one time.
One of the objections I hear to bringing kids everywhere is that driving by yourself is a parent’s “sanity break” or a way to prioritize “mental health.” I get that, but one thing it won’t do is satisfy your child’s need for quality time with you. They crave it. It’s on me to make myself available. My kids get my undivided attention when we’re riding in the car. That one-on-one time helps them to feel seen, wanted, and important. They recognize that Dad could have left them at home but opted to hang out with them instead. That’s a big deal. When they think back on their childhood and have hundreds of memories of Dad choosing to be with them, they’ll rejoice knowing you loved, cared about, and wanted to be around them. Exclusivity is powerful.
3. It lays the groundwork.
I started driving my oldest child to her piano lessons. On the first trip, she wasn’t super talkative. By the tenth trip, she wouldn’t stop chatting. There is tremendous value in stacking time with your kids. Each moment builds an additional layer of connectivity and comfort between you. A conversation is like one book in a library of everyday adventures. It’s there on the shelf forever, and you can go back to that moment in the future when you need to. That same daughter had an issue recently, and she came to me to hash it out. She was very open and vulnerable. I was able to go back to a prior conversation we’d had and point out the similarities. Those compounding moments aren’t wasted.
4. I need help.
My son likes to watch me do woodworking projects, and I frequently invite him to the store for supplies. I’ve been teaching him the difference between 80-grit and 400-grit sandpaper, types of screwdrivers, and how to use air compressors safely. I’m also teaching him that life isn’t about doing things on your own. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 talks about this, concluding that “Two are better than one” because “if either of them falls down, one can help the other up,” and a “cord of three strands is not easily broken.” When we rely on each other, we are better versions of ourselves. I let my kids help me, even when I don’t think I need it. When we offer and accept help, the full weight of a problem, struggle, or battle no longer falls on just one person. If this lesson sinks in, my kids will probably come back to me for help when life gets hard, and as they grow, they’ll learn to help others too. So, when we’re out running an errand, I like to say, “Thanks for helping me.” That way, they understand that “two are better than one.”
5. They’ll be gone “soon.”
I took my oldest daughter to the grocery store to pick up some ingredients for dinner. She’s been taking cooking classes, so this was a great opportunity to talk about one of our shared interests—food. We grabbed everything we needed to recreate the dish she learned to make in class that day. It was weird to think she’ll be doing this on her own in a few short years. “Soon” shows up much sooner than we think it will. I hate the idea that my kids may not live with me anymore, but that’s part of life for most people. Every trip I take without them is one more missed opportunity to connect before they leave. It’s not fun to talk about, but it’s reality for most families. Taking your kids with you places is time well spent because time is running out and, if you’re like me, you don’t want any regrets.
Sound off: What holds you back from taking your kids with you more often?
Huddle up with your kids and ask, “How can we spend more quality time together?”