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Making that car trip with children less stressful

Summer family vacations are fun, unless you count that part about driving to the vacation destination with a backseat filled with one or more unhappy children.

Children can possess a great sense of anticipation but often a low level of patience. An upcoming beach vacation has them excited, but the all-day drive to get there not so much.

With a little planning and preparation, however, even a long car trip can be made more enjoyable, and certainly less stressful, for children and parents.

An important first step? Have the car ready for the trip. Get the oil, air conditioning and tires checked before heading off. Broken down by the hot roadside is stress producing for everyone.

Next, think entertainment. Put together a package with favorite and new books, magazines, video games, downloaded movies and music. Have the right electronics and the needed car chargers, so those entertainment choices help the miles go by. Dole out the entertainment items one at a time. And don't turn the whole trip into an electronic cocoon. Family talking, bantering and even mild arguing is all part of creating the nostalgia of a family road trip.

It's also important to remember that children' time-to-eat schedules are not going to be the same as their parents. The fact that the family stopped for lunch only two hours ago doesn't mean the backseat buddies aren't starving. Pack a collection of small containers of healthy and filling treats. Skip the high-sugar, high-fat snacks and the resultant sugar high and crash they often produce.

And yes, the children can sometimes look out the window. Get a road map – yes, they still make them – and mark out the route to the destination. Every once in a while, get the children to trace the route, locate where they currently are and see if they can find something worth seeing up ahead.

If something seems interesting, try actually stopping and seeing it. Make the trip not just getting to a destination but about things along the way: a scenic overlook, a whacky museum or just a small town with a great local ice cream spot. An occasional stop might add travel time, but it gives the children a chance for some exercise and can often be an unexpectedly fun experience for the whole family.

Making the drive an interesting part of the vacation can actually reduce stress for both parents and children and add to everyone's enjoyment.

Counseling Corner is provided by the American Counseling Association. Send comments and questions to [email protected] or visit the ACA website at http://www.counseling.org.

 

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