Make Family Road Trips Painless

Taking a road trip with young children can be difficult. Kids bore easily. Bored kids become cranky kids, and that's when fights start. Family travel expert Deb Geigis Berry says the key to warding off unpleasant road trips is the three C's: comfort, control and company.

Comfort:

Berry says there is no need for a lot of gear. Kids don't need to wear their entire snow suit in the car, or even the clothes they will wear to the holiday gathering.

Berry says she gives her two children blankets and car slippers. She throws them in the drier before they leave for the road trip so her children can have a little "nest" to stay warm in.

Control:

Bored kids often ask the question no parent wants to hear while taking a road trip: "Are we there yet?" To stave of this assault, Berry said she straps her "magic clock" to the back of the driver's seat headrest.

"Challenge him or her. Say, 'Hey, will you be the conductor today? Let me know when the hand reaches the four,' " Berry said. "Obviously, this is for younger kids. Teenagers wouldn't be so interested in this. When it reaches the four, they will tell you because they love to be in charge."

Give kids a treat if they stay calm and don't get cranky, she said. Also, Berry advises strapping a water bottle to a car seat so kids can grab it when they need a drink.

Company:

Berry suggested that kids pass the time by looking photo albums of the family or friends who you are visiting.

"Maybe even review some of the relatives if you haven't seen them in a while," she said.

Another way to pass the time is to make a gift in the car. Brainstorm a list of 10 reasons why you love grandma or grandpa and have the parent in the passenger seat fill out the list.

"Once you have list, wrap it up and give it to grandma," she said.

She also suggested keeping a portable Etch-a-Sketch, which costs $5, in the car. Game Snacks are played on portable DVDs and last 30 minutes or less. For example, one trivia Game Snack allows parents to play against children. Berry said they cost about $10 each.