Happy Trails! Keeping Kids Happy on a Road Trip

Summer is here and with it that old vacation standby: The Summer Road Trip. Adored by some, dreaded by others, it is the quintessential family vacation. Almost everyone has memories associated with at least one of these extended jaunts into a land dotted with alligator farms, ghost town mini-theme parks, roadside fruit stands, and kitschy little diners. The modern road trip likely has a destination much grander than the trip itself, but with a little preparation, the hours spent on the road can be fun and memorable for your children.

Tips on Toddlers:
Keeping the littlest ones content will most likely be your greatest challenge. Attention spans are shorter, the ability to entertain oneself is limited, and straying from the familiar routine can make life difficult.

* Start fresh or start late.
If beginning the trip early in the day, try to make sure your child has gone to bed on time the night before and is well-rested. In the excitement of packing and loading, you may need to remind yourself to stick to your toddler's routine. Another option may be to drive at night with the expectation that the youngest members of the family will be lulled into a long restful sleep by the drone of the car's wheels on the highway and the passing traffic. Don't forget favorite blankets, pillows, or stuffed animals that your child will not sleep without.

* Snacks, snacks, snacks!
Keep favorite ones in the car and in reach. A hungry preschooler is a miserable preschooler. Sippy cups instead of juice boxes will save the car's upholstery and water may sometimes be a welcome change from juice.

* A toddler's motto is: 'Entertainment provided by Mom and Dad'.
If your mind goes blank when your children ask for a story or a song, make a list of their favorites along with some new ones to learn. Books can be read aloud if motion sickness is not an issue, but your children will dearly love to hear stories told off the top of your head, especially if they are drawn from your own childhood. If you are not comfortable leading a sing-along, be sure to pack CDs of children's songs. When the song-fest is over, play games. Even children as young as eighteen months can enjoy looking for cows or counting red or blue cars and you wouldn't want your children to miss out on this old standby of family road trips.

* Stop often.
Just five or ten minutes to run and stretch will work wonders for younger children. (Think of how active they are on a normal day). If your child becomes cranky and nothing will soothe him, it may be time to stop and get out of the car seat.

* Try to maintain the routine.
If your child can eat, sleep, and potty at about the same times as at home, everyone will benefit.

Must-Haves for Middlers:
Middle-aged children (elementary through 6th grade) will most likely be your happiest campers. Still young enough to be thrilled by the trip, but independent in most ways, they will be easily entertained and mostly self-sufficient.

* Reward these kids for being easy by giving them their very own Trip Kit.
Include anything and everything your child loves or may be excited to receive for the first time. Most will enjoy having reading material, writing materials, coloring books, travel games, hand-held electronic games, comic books, small toys, and individual sizes of their favorite snacks, candy, and gum. Include washable markers or crayons. The trick is to include only brand new items. Anything that is not new will not have the same appeal or the same ability to entertain for extended periods.

* Make use of this child's natural curiosity and excitement about the trip.
Let him help plan stops and activities and mark the route on a map. Some may even get excited about washing the car in preparation for the trip and doing chores to earn trip money.

* When making stops, don't let this child's growing maturity and independence stop you from keeping a close eye.
Remind your child to stay close to you and to refrain from talking to strangers.

* Although this age child will often entertain himself for long periods, use car time to spend quality time together.
The same songs, games, and stories that enthrall the younger ones will still be enjoyed by these children, too.

* You have a captive audience--make the most of 'teachable moments'.
When arguments begin, ask your children to brainstorm ways to solve the problem instead of stepping in to solve it yourself. Encourage creative thinking by talking about ways in which people in other parts of the country may differ from people in your hometown. One discussion may lead into another and your children will be off and running on their own with you as their tutor.

Those Trying Teens:
Teenagers are notorious for making life miserable on family vacations. They would rather be at home with their friends and their familiar activities. Try the following to help make vacation life with teens a little sweeter.

* Provide those things that make teens feel most secure and happy--a cell phone and an MP3 player.
A gift card to download a new batch of music before leaving home will be appreciated and will give your teen something new to listen to. Allow teens to talk to friends by cell phone, but remind them to take care when using anytime minutes. An hour on the phone feels like ten minutes to a teen.

* When the trip is in the initial planning stages, ask your teen what he or she would most like to do or see on the trip.
Then try to accommodate. Younger children will be happy with almost any type of entertainment, but teens may find some options to be too childish for their taste. If the whole family absolutely must ride Disney's Jungle Boats together, make sure your teen gets to do Space Mountain and Tower of Terror. Without allowing them to become demanding and overbearing, make sure teens are getting to do a lot of the things that excite them.

* While your middle child will love the Trip Kit, a teen will be much more excited about a new digital camera or a new DVD to take on the trip.
These can be included in a smaller version of the Trip Kit geared especially toward teens (candy, gum, sunglasses, lip balm with sunscreen, a cool water bottle, and a book or magazine).

* Your teen will naturally want to have his or her own spending money on hand at all times.
If they work, have them save money toward the trip. If not, give a small extra allowance to save and offer jobs at home to earn even more (yard work, car washing, etc.). Open a bank account before the trip so that the teen can use a debit card or put the cash into a prepaid credit card.

* Your teen will roll his eyes at those silly car songs and stories from your childhood, but don't be fooled.
These times with family mean just as much to them as they do to little ones. Don't be put off by the cold shoulder and silence. These are times they will later cherish.

When all is said and done, the family road trip may continue to live in infamy, but it also lives in the hearts and minds of millions as the one thing they always go back to when they think of warm childhood memories. I know that is the case with me. After this summer, perhaps it will be for you. Happy trails!