"Are We There Yet?" Here Are 6 Ways to Rock the Family Road Trip by Shannon Benish

It’s that time of year again! The holidays are here and families are hitting the road. With a little pre-planning you can rock the road trip!

• Before you even leave the driveway schedule a maintenance check on the vehicle. Change the oil, check fluids and tire wear, confirm you have jumper cables, spare tire and tire iron on board. Don’t forget a valid insurance card and emergency cash.

• Avoid “Are we there yet?” cries by making surprise fun baskets. Include disposable cameras, coloring books, colored pencils, reading books, activity cards and magnetic board games.

• Print lodging information and call your credit card company to notify them you’ll be traveling.

• Pack a first-aid kit and include pain medicine, motion sickness pills and ear plugs.

• Pack a small cooler for snacks, and don’t forget the sunglasses and sunscreen.

• Most importantly, be flexible and just have fun. Missed naptimes and varied schedules will undoubtedly trigger some meltdowns and sibling bickering. “She’s touching me!”

Remember, you are making memories that will last a lifetime. And the missed exit and spilled Teddy Grahams won’t even matter.

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