老年护理院工作亮点:我想找一篇有关“ family car”的文章，英文的 长一些的。有没有人可以找到？

Family car travel will be at a peak over the next few weeks as hundreds of families head south and or spend the time day tripping during March Break. But with constant screams coming from the backseat like “I’m hungry” or “She’s looking at me again!” most parents barely get out of their driveway before the stress starts to build. And don’t forget the evitable questions like, “Are we there yet?” or “Can we pull over? I’ve got to pee.” It kind of makes you wonder why us parents even bother at all.

But alas, it’s all for the fun of it. The fun of a family vacation – the quality time and the relaxation. Well, scratch the relaxation part – but you can still have fun especially if you plan ahead and expect the unexpected.

Following are some of my favorite ways to make a family car trip not only bearable but fun.

THE ESSENTIALS

Activity Boxes: Prepare an activity box for each child. A plastic tote with a flat lid works best as it not only holds their supplies but doubles as an activity surface.

Bottled Water: If you’ve got the room, bring a whole case for drinking and quick wash ups.

Paper Towels: These are indispensable when eating and make short work of cleaning up.

Blankets or Coats: The warmth of a blanket or coat comes in handy for nap time.

Pillows: A pillow can be a lifesaver to a tired and cranky child not to mention, everyone else in the car.

Plastic Bags: Various sized plastic zipper-type, grocery and garbage bags are handy for everything from storing crayons and leftover crackers to separating wet bathing suits and collecting trash.

When it comes to kid-friendly car meals/snacks get your kid’s input well in advance. Better yet, if your kids are old enough put them in charge of packing the food while you pack the car.

Once in the car, give your kids a further sense of independence and responsibility by making their food and drink easily accessible.

Drinks: Place a small cooler filled with beverages in a central location where everyone can reach. (Personalize each with ‘permanent marker’ initials.)

Snacks: Crackers may be crummy but if there is any chance of car sickness you can’t beat them. Think saltines and goldfish. Individual boxes of cereal; cups of fruit, applesauce or yogurt are also good, just don’t forget the spoons. For some kids a jar of peanut butter, a knife and a loaf of bread may be your best bet.

KEEPING THEM BUSY
If you’re planning on driving a considerable distance, buying or renting a TV/VCR or TV/DVD combo may be your best bet. But there are also other more cost-effective ways to create harmony in the car. First, raid your child’s toy box for games that haven’t been used in awhile. Handheld video games, a Discman or Walkman, books on tape, a deck of cards and magnetic board games are ideal.

You may also wish to satisfy their curiosity (and limit their questioning) by providing the rights tools for the voyage - a map, a compass, and an inexpensive digital watch. If you don’t have an extra road map, make a photocopy of your original. Give your kids an estimated arrival time and have them follow along on both their map and on their watch. The compass helps them understand the direction(s) of your journey. Use a bright marker map out your route and add stars at scheduled rest stops.

Speaking of rest stops, you may want to set aside some playthings just for those stops. A Frisbee, an inflatable ball, skipping ropes, and bubbles are great items to bring along and put into action when everyone gets out to stretch their legs and take a bathroom break. When traveling long distances with kids, we’ve always found a 15 minute stretch and pee break is usually due after every two hours on the road. A quick game of family tag at a roadside park can refresh even the weariest of travelers.

Another one of my favorite ideas for extra long road trips is to pack each child up to four personalized activity bags. Each bag (paper lunch bags are ideal) can be coded with star stickers on the outside of each bag, one star for the first bag and four stars for the last bag. At a certain predetermined travel distance say at 375 kilometers, your kids get to open their first bag or you could have them open their bags when passing certain cities or towns. If your kids are following your route on their own map, mark where the first bag will be handed out with a #1, the second bag with a #2 etc. Fill the bags with dollar store treats, activity books and games (or any other forgotten toy box trinkets).

Other fun ways to pass the time include having the whole family make up a story together. Someone starts the first sentence and then each family member takes turns adding a sentence as the story unfolds.

Another idea would be to buy or borrow a book on tape the whole family will enjoy. Kids can draw pictures of the story they are listening to.

Or, how about the "I'm going on a trip and I'm bringing..." game? Here someone starts the game off by naming an item that starts with the letter "A". After "A" , the next player will say the same thing but with the letter "B", and so on.

Finally, one of my favorite distance countdown ideas is to thread a bunch of Cheerios on a shoestring licorice and have your kids enjoy one with every passing kilometer. (Candy necklaces also work well, but aren’t so easy on their teeth.)

Happy Travels.