Road Trip!
Does the thought of a 3 hour ride in the car or 4 hour flight with your kids threaten your ability to even look forward to a vacation? Do you start apologizing to people sitting around you and your kids on a flight before you even get off the ground?
I recently took a flight to Miami which is relatively short from Tennessee but for one Mom… it was an eternity! She was traveling with her two boys, ages 2 and 4 and they literally put her through the ringer (not to mention the rest of us). They kept Mom moving constantly between the two of them… “I need a snack, I want his toy”. While the 2 year old constantly kicked the seat in front of him the 4 year old dropped his toys in the aisle repeatedly. They both constantly put the tray table up and down and that alone nearly caused Mom to lose her sanity. It was like Mom was on a swivel being spun like cotton candy. You know what cotton candy looks like when it’s done… all fuzzy and puffed up!
I really felt for her because she had obviously made an effort to keep the kids occupied during the trip by bringing toys and snacks but there was one thing missing that held the potential to prevent her flight from hell. The missing element was SURPRISE!!!
Try this next time you travel and you may actually hear the sound of silence again for the first time 
Prepare a small travel bag or box for each of your kids with toys that are new to them. If they bring toys from home they tend to get bored very quickly because they already know how to work them and all the limitations. Fill the box with unfamiliar toys… often times these can be simple things like a deck of cards for a game of go fish, a Slinky, Play-dough, Rubik’s cube, a brand new coloring book or comic book, a stamp book with a set of new stamps and stickers, or a new video game they haven’t played if they have the handheld games. Also think about downloading a movie they haven’t seen to your iPOD or MP3 player.
As for snacks, put some things in there that keep the mouth busy such as a pack of gum, suckers, sunflower seeds, and peanuts or pistachios in the shell. These also help with problem of plugged up ears.
I’m sure you can think of many more items that suit your kids individual tastes and personalities. Often times, the kids end up swapping stuff on the way back… it’s spectacular!
Traveling with kids can be a challenge but it doesn’t have to ruin your trip. We have had many successful trips by using this little trick and it’s worth spending a few bucks for the sanity of all 
Happy travels!
Have a great 4th of July!!
Tags: 4th of July, kids, travel, trip
