We live in a rural area of southwestern Ontario, and the winters can be brutal. It?s not uncommon for schools to be cancelled and roads to be closed due to extreme winter conditions. In fact, driving can be so bad that people tend to avoid scheduling major events during the worst part of winter, just in case there is a winter storm.
Given our precious cargo?a.k.a. our four kids?my husband and I have always been extra cautious when it comes to driving in the winter. This year, even more so: My stepdaughter recently got her license, which means she will be experiencing her first year of winter driving. While it?s great that she can get herself to and from work and help chauffer the younger kids to their extra curriculars, as a parent this new freedom adds to the extensive list of things that we worry about. What if she gets stuck" What if she ends up in a ditch" What if she slides when she comes to a stop sign" Does she know about black ice" What if something happens and her phone is dead" The list goes on.

The reality is, kids grow up. They go out into the world. All we can do is ensure that they are prepared for those ?what ifs?. And no matter who is driving, it?s important to ensure that your car is winter ready. In partnership with Michelin, I?m sharing a few things that we try and do before the first snow fall so that we don?t find ourselves unprepared (and unsafe) when winter hits.
1. Ensure there is a phone charger in the car
With four kids, i...