Friday Fieldwork: The Simple Way to Turn Carpool Stress Into Connection

It doesn’t take a road trip to make memories, just the ride to practice.

This week’s Fieldwork comes out of a piece I wrote about how my kids turned pre-game wildness into car-ride connection. You can read the full story by clicking on the image below:

Every parent knows the drill: you’re trying to get everyone out the door, but the shoes vanish, one kid disappears into thin air, and another decides this is the perfect moment to practice their jump-scare routine.

It’s loud.

It’s unpredictable.

It’s wild.

But then, the car doors finally close. The noise softens. And in that small sanctuary on wheels, laughter bubbles up. A simple question, a silly game, or a shared joke shifts the wildness into connection.

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This Week’s Fieldwork: Play During the Drive
Here’s your reset for this week:

1. Pick the game.

   • Categories: Choose a topic and take turns until someone runs out.
     • Superheroes
     • Things with wheels
     • Foods that start with “P”

   • Would You Rather: Keep it light, keep it moving.
     • Would you rather fly or be invisible?
     • Would you rather eat pizza for life or ice cream for life?
     • Would you rather have a pet dinosaur or a pet dragon?

   • Questions: Each person takes a turn asking one. Everyone answers — silly or serious.
     • What made you laugh today?
     • What’s one place you’d love to go?
     • If animals could talk, which one would be the funniest?

2. Narrate the fun.
   Say what you notice: “I love how you thought of that,” or “That cracked me up.” Your words help the moment stick.

3. Lean into the wildness.
   Don’t try to control or critique. Let the answers be silly and make yours silly too!

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Why It Works
Kids don’t remember every detail of the schedule. They remember the moments when you looked up, joined in, and made space for them.

When small actions get repeated

a question on the drive,

a silly game,

a check-in before bed

they become positive family rituals.

Psychologists call this “emotional tagging”: the brain links those ordinary moments with a strong, lasting memory.

That’s why the car ride, the walk to practice, or the five minutes before bed can matter more than the game itself.

Quote to remember: