Below are a list of ideas, and items, you can bring to help ensure your next road trip is a more peaceful, less stressful one. The ideas are listed in no particular order. Just select which ones (or all of them) you think will be helpful in your particular situation.

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• Be prepared for the baby.

  If you're riding with a baby, make sure you have a change of clothes, plenty of diapers, and plenty of wipes.

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• Ensure each child has some new toy or other item to take with them. Surprise them with it once you're in the car and at the first sign of "trouble". It can be things such as: new video game for their handheld game; a comic book, or other book.

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• Pack some drawing pencils and/or crayons as well as plenty of paper. You may even look into purchasing some small trays the kids can open up across their laps to make drawing easier.
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• Snacks.

  Have plenty of them! Choose those snacks that store well, such as granola bars, cheerios, fruit roll-ups, or nuts. Also, have some boxed juices kept in a travel cooler.

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• For those cars equipped with DVD or VCR players, bring their favorite movie. Or, better yet, get a new movie that they haven't seen yet; that way they'll be more apt to be in agreement on watching it as opposed to one child not wanting to see it while another child does.

  It might be best to get the videos from your neighborhood library, that way you're not stuck with paying for an unpopular choice.

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By: Jeff Boyd