Over the River and Through the Traffic-Filled Freeways

Ah, holiday travel. It brings out the best in us, doesn’t it? I mean, when your kids are taunting each other and creating havoc in the backseat, don’t you always slow down and let the next guy merge in front of you? If not, take heart. There will be plenty of chances to repent this holiday season!

Because my husband and I have always lived far away (10 hours+) from family, my kids are used to being awakened in the dark, wee hours and put into the car with a pillow and blanket. A such, here are my tips for successful travel with little ones:

1. Lower your expectations. If you expect perfect harmony, you are setting yourself up for frustration. Even the best laid plans go awry. Know this going in and you’ll be more likely to gracefully deal with mishaps.
2. Be prepared. The Scouts got it right with this motto. You can’t get into the car with your luggage and purse and expect the kids to enjoy the scenery. Bring age-appropriate games & toys. I’d suggest buying one small new toy (or book) for each child, along with a bevy of favorites. Pack a backpack of fun they can dig through along the way.
3. Act like a camel: pack plenty of food and water. When my kids were in diapers, I brought lots of snacks for desperate moments and we stopped for meals. (An Oreo can buy you several minutes of peace.) Once they were potty trained, I found out that food and water means stopping – again - for the bathroom. Now we pack enough food (snacks, sandwiches, fruit), so we can keep driving until someone NEEDS to stop.
4. Plan on at least 3 extra bathroom stops. Nope, not for the kids. It’s all that darn Starbucks.
5. Books on tape. Okay, I realize this sounds like the dark ages to all of you video-in-the-minivan types. But give it a chance. There are some great books on tape (Ralph S. Mouse, Ramona the Great) that everyone can enjoy and they help kids use their imagination, too. Imagine, the picture isn’t right there in front of them! If your kids are old enough, you can even listen to Harry Potter.
6. Songs on tape. Yikes. I hardly ever do this, but you really good moms out there might engage the kids with a little Raffi. I’d rather play I Spy for the eight-millionth time, but, hey, to each his own. If you can bear it, your kids will love you for it.
7. Stock up on stickers. If your kids are old enough to use stickers, you can keep them amused for quite some time simply by giving them 1000 stickers to paste in a notebook. For older kids, buy workbooks, travel game books, or print out the License Plate game from the Internet. Washable markers are a good thing.
8. Remember that this, too, shall pass. One day, you’ll look back on travel with your tykes with fondness. It won’t be long before they’re tweens in their own iPod-driven world.