Parenting Guru: Road rules, family style

Mommyfriend

Ah, the family road trip, a Griswold tradition our family is well accustomed to. We manage to visit Grammy and Poppy out of state at least twice a year and I've finally learned through many a road trip mishap how to pass the miles with plenty of smiles.

In my roadie experience I've developed a five-fold plan of road readiness that has managed to make our journey almost as fun as the destination.

1. Must Have: Portable DVD player. This compact piece of entertainment gold is an absolute must have! If you are a frequent road traveler, a portable DVD player is a wonderful way to pass the time and keep boredom at bay. A word of advice, bringing along family favorites aren't half as effective as a few unseen new releases.

2. Must Empty and Fill: Planned pitstops. I'm one of those roadies who just wants to get there as quickly as possible but I've learned smart planning involves scheduled pitstops. There's nothing worse than passing the last rest stop 30 miles ago and without realizing it. Planning for bathroom breaks and fill-ups can mitigate a whole host of potential road problems.

3. Must Nosh: Snacks, snacks and more snacks. And I'm not just talkin' any old snacks, I'm talking road snacks. Road food is a special kind of naughty fun your kids will love. Why not let them get a little crazy with Flamin' Hot Cheetos, Slurpees and beef jerky? It's the stuff you never buy and thoroughly enjoy in road trip situations.

4. Must Rest: Quiet time. Road trips are really exhausting, even when you aren't doing the driving. Turn off the DVD, snuggle with a pillow and blanket and get your cozy on. A little quiet time set to soothing music is a great way to burn through the miles as you pass the time.

5. Must Use: Snack & play travel tray. Have you seen this thing? It's genius. I found a great travel tray from Leaps and Bounds that my children use to color on, snack on, play games on, you name it! It's soft, comfortable and best of all, it keeps the Flamin' Hot Cheetos off the car floor.

Best of luck and safe travels as you embark on your spring break adventure!

Have a family road trip "must"? Tell us all about it!

Mommyfriend goes by Lori Garcia in real life and is a Shine Parenting Guru. She writes at www.mommyfriend.com where she's busy finding perfection in imperfection daily. When she's not folding laundry she's a Featured Parenting Contributor for Yahoo! Contributor Network.