How to Survive a Family Holiday Road Trip

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With the holiday seasons approaching, you may find yourself dreading the annual family road trip,
and with good reason! Cranky children, demanding pets, spouses or partners who refuse to drive,
dangerous roads, cantankerous cars, and waiting at the end are in-laws you might not be in the mood to
see after hours on the road with your very own Wild Bunch. Not to fear, however! Here are a few tips
to surviving what could become this year’s holiday roadside massacre:

Remember the Boy Scouts. That means be prepared! As your sainted grandmother probably said, “An
ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!” This is especially true with road trips of any kind, but
particularly those revolving around the holiday season, which are often fraught with extra-special
stressful goodies. Emulate Santa Claus: make a list of everything you need (or think you’ll need)
and check it twice (or even thrice). This means planning activities, making sure everything is packed,
knowing directions if you need to (print them out on Mapquest if you don’t have a GPS), and having
your car detailed before you drive it into the great blue yonder. How does your spare tire look? Better
get it checked.

Keep the Kids Amused. If your car isn’t equipped with DVD players, you may want to invest in the
portable kind. With headphones. Especially if you have more than one kid, they’ll be less likely to get
on each other’s nerves (and yours) if they can keep their movies or music separate. You might also
make sure everyone has a book (so long as they’re not prone to car sickness) or games or toys to amuse
them. If you’re the proud owner of an iPhone (or maybe even more than one), you can download
games or apps that are inexpensive or maybe even free.

Snacks. The troupes (and that includes you) will be prone to less grumpiness if you pack enough snacks
for the road. You can choose the kind you want and keep them on the healthy side, which can save
money and calories if you’re not picking up Hostess snack cakes at the gas station when you stop for
bathroom breaks.

Early Birds. If you can get an early start, you can plan for possible mishaps or acts of weather. Hitting
the road at a decent hour also guarantees that you can stop along the way for sightseeing or to visit
friends or relatives. The biggest advantage is that the kids can sleep for a few hours, giving you some
peace and quiet.

It’s All About the Journey. Ultimately, even if the holidays are a stressful time of year, remember that
this is quality time that you can spend with your family and loved ones (even if your partner happens
to snore during nap-time). Plan for conversations or games that involve everyone (or let your kids plan
them!), or share an audiobook that everyone will enjoy.

Stay safe this holiday season, and enjoy the time you can spend together.

Evan Fischer writes for Kanetix, where you can compare quotes to find the best coverage. Perform your
own auto insurance comparison at Kanetix.