Julie BaumgardnerAre we there yet?
He's touching my side of the seat.
I'm hungry.
I need to go to the bathroom.
Anybody who has ever taken a family vacation will recognize these questions and statements as part of the package when it comes to taking a trip with children.
Whether you are taking a two- or 10-hour adventure, families can actually succeed in spending lots of time together in a small confined space, create great memories and share some good laughs.
Although there's no guarantee you'll have a perfect trip, here are a few suggestions to help along the way.
» Include your children in the vacation planning process. Even at an early age, children can help find information about your destination on the internet or in books. Whether plans include camping for the weekend or a long trip, let them help you choose the activities.
» Mark off the miles. Once you know where you are going, ask your children to draw a map from your home to your final stop. As you click off the miles in your car, have them fill in the road on their drawing. This will help them visualize how far away they are and may help curb a few of those "Are we there yet?" questions.
» Allow each child to assemble a trip kit. Make sure you give them a size limit, like a backpack, for their goody bag. Ask them to include games and toys they can play by themselves and at least one game they can enjoy with the entire family. Parents can even put together their own trip bag containing some surprise activities or treats for the family. Rand McNally has fun travel games for families, including a scavenger hunt.
» Create tech-free time frames along the way. Remember the license plate game, road trip Bingo, Name That Tune and add-on storytelling? All of these would be great to teach your kids while giving them a break from DVDs or video games.
» Start a daily "positive attitude" contest the minute you pull out of the driveway. Select a family mascot, then award the mascot to the person who has had the best attitude of the day every evening. The selected family member can keep the mascot until the next evening, when it is passed on to someone else.
» Plan "play breaks" into your allotted travel time. Even adults can find it hard to travel for long distances without a break. Instead of planning on the quickest route to your vacation destination, plan some stops along the way so the children can run off pent-up energy. Have lunch at a park. Look for educational points of interest along the way, and give the family a break from the cramped quarters of a car.
All of this may require a little extra planning, but the outcome will be worth it. These days, families get to spend so little time together, which makes it even more important to make the best of the times you do have with each other. Here's to happy travels and making great memories.
Julie Baumgardner is president and CEO of family advocacy nonprofit First Things First. Contact her at julieb@firstthings.org.