“Just the one?” “No plans for anymore?” these are questions as a mother to one I get asked all the time – it’s as if one child could never be enough. Most of the time I do that nervous laugh we as Brits are famed for in a bid to move the conversation on. Occasionally I will reply with that it would be a bit hard to have another child seeing as I’m single – however even as I say it I’ll often think of how that’s no longer a barrier to motherhood. I’m always amazed at just how brazen and nosey people can be when it comes to your family set up. Gone are the days of the traditional 2.4 family set up being the only way – now families come in every shape and size. In my life I’ve been part of a blended family, single parent family, and as a parent I’ve been both a mother to Boo and a stepmother to her brothers. Families come in all shapes and sizes and thankfully there’s no ‘normal’ anymore.

Having blogged as a mother for over six years I receive lots of messages from women who want to know what it is truly like to be a single parent; I’m always honest and explain how incredibly hard parenthood is regardless of whether there is one, two or even three of you raising a child. Yes many hands make light work but that really isn’t what having a baby is all about – only a very tiring side effect! One thing I’ve learnt from talking to a whole variety of women is that there are lots who have the feeling of: I want to be a mother but I’m single. For so many women the journey to motherhood is one they feel most follow a certain path and as any parent will tell you the rule book goes out the window as soon as baby arrives as you find your own way; so why should the road to becoming a parent be any different?

Becoming a mother is the single most life changing and defining decision in my life. I love Boo with all that I am and all that I do – she is me and I her. Having started adulthood not wanting children (I was absolutely adamant that motherhood wasn’t for me!)  I understand that life and what we want from it changes. If you think about it, relationships have the capacity to come and go in your life but once you become a parent that bonds for life. If I had found myself single and wanting a baby I would be encouraged to learn how it’s possible; to become a single mum by choice – such an empowering message.

I admire anyone who makes a conscious decision to seek out motherhood – I promise it will be the best thing you do and when a child calls out Mama they don’t care how you got to being their mother they just care you’re there and love everything about you.

Disclosure: A fee was received for this post.

Whether you’re setting off from your house or renting a car in a far-flung land, road trips are often the best way of exploring new countries at your own pace, taking in the surroundings from comfortable familiarity and enjoying the non-touristed, authentic destinations en route. It also works out far cheaper than package holidays, taxi hire, or coach tours. To make these odysseys into foreign fields a success, though, it pays to plan them with all eventualities and points of conflict at hand: read through this useful guide to preparing for the road trip of a lifetime.

Plan Your Accommodation 

Whether you’re a military-style itinerary planner or hoping to go more with the flow, driving a tired family around at night with little idea of where you’ll be resting your heads is the road trip nightmare that’ll put you off ever doing another one. You can book ahead for meticulously-planned trips, or if you want to go at your own pace, drawing up a list of accommodation options on your route, perhaps noting them on Google Maps, will ensure you’ve always got a bed to look forward to.

Think In-Car Entertainment

To avoid the cry of ‘are we nearly there yet’ rattling around in your brain for the duration of your driving holiday, planning some methods to keep the kids entertained is a savvy pre-trip plan. It can mean anything from headrest-mounted screens and portable game consoles to books, puzzles and word games. You may want your children to be staring out of the window, sharing in the awe that you’re experiencing, but long spells in cars spell irritation for kids. Packing some ways to keep them busy will save you in-trip headaches.

Don’t forget to keep the kids entertained by tales of what you’re going to do when you’ve reached your destination. Perhaps you’ll even give them the chance to get behind the driving wheel in their very own go kart! Reading go karts review will help you find the best one.

Pack an Emergency Kit 

It goes without saying that the safety of your family is paramount when taking to the roads for a holiday. Consider all the risks of your chosen destinations, from snow and ice in mountainous regions to the tyre-stressing heat of desert roads. Have a read through the essentials so that you’re not caught short with the family somewhere less than ideal – and you can count on the location of your driving mishap to be just that.

Strike the Right Balance

Epic road trips cross countries and continents, plateaux and mountain ranges. However, an eagerness to gobble up the miles will likely offset your family’s enjoyment of the trip: after all, you’re there to see the country not just from the confines of a car. It’s paramount to ensure you’ve got a plan that takes in regular breaks and rest days, as well as the hard-core drives that’ll get you from A to B. As road trip tip websites will tell you, there’s plenty to be found between A and B, you’ll just have to do your research to find it.

Road trips are unique ways to see the world, but they can result in a fair amount of stress, panic and disaster if not properly thought through. To experience the bliss of the open road without surrendering your family to a regrettable experience, follow these guidelines for your next car-based travel endeavour.

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.