Zero Tolerance for Backseat Brouhaha

Although few childhood entertainments offer the fun and satisfaction of driving brothers and sisters crazy while touring in the backseat of the family vehicle, and sensible arguments about safety have no influence or visible effect on children under age 21, nevertheless the kids absolutely must behave while they ride around with you. Their lives depend on it.

The most recent statistics from the National Highway Transportation Safety Board indicate “distracted driving” can be up to 17 times more dangerous than driving while mildly intoxicated or extremely fatigued. The statistics make distracted driving by far the greatest risk to your own and your family’s automobile safety.

With children in the car, you must take extra precautions never to use your cellphone for conversation or texting, and you should use every tool and trick in your mama’s-toolkit to make sure the kids do not harass, annoy, torment, tease, antagonize, bullyrag, incense, anger, or wage war against one another.

Be pro-active. Pre-empt small passengers’ pommeling and pounding one another.

Before you even begin considering the requirements of good parenting, consider the more important requirements of your own and your children’s safety. Take bold, aggressive action to end backseat battles once and for all, making it perfectly, unequivocally, undeniably, and non-negotiably clear that will not tolerate backseat brouhaha in any of its forms.

First, have a family meeting to discuss the issue; then, arrange a quick intervention, remembering that strategic timing matters in the best pre-emptive strikes against rear-seat recalcitrance: Getting set for the first outing after the big family meeting, get everyone securely strapped in, effectively immobilized, and then repeat the zero tolerance policy, issuing threats you have every intention of keeping if the passengers grow unruly.

The experts suggest five specific remedies for drive-time terrorism:

• Negotiate a peace treaty. While you discuss the issue in your family meeting, solicit the kids’ input. If your children bravely admit they harass one another mostly because they feel bored, enroll them immediately in the GATE program, because they are showing self-awareness well beyond their years. Otherwise, approach the matter more practically, asking, “What do you need to stay happy and quiet back there?” Mothers generally report their children come-up with perfectly practical, workable solutions. Implement the kids’ suggestions as quickly as possible, and hold them accountable to their own ideas.

• Seize the opportunity to talk with them. As you drive around with the little people in the back seat, you have a captive audience. Carpe diem! Talk to them about where you’re going, what you’re doing, and how they can participate. If you’re on the way to pre-school or school, discuss the day’s agenda; if you’re driving home from school, do the usual “how was your day, dear?” With older children, seize the opportunity to discuss delicate issues about their personal lives, parent-child issues, or family dynamics. The car promotes the illusion of perfect privacy, so that kids often will open-up in the car on subjects they never would discuss in any other setting.

• Distract, entertain, or engage them. Even if you abhor handheld video games, detest the idea of giving a small child a smart-phone, and generally disapprove of television as the electronic babysitter, you may want to reconsider your feelings in light of auto safety. Equip the passengers with game systems or DVD players, or use their low-tech equivalents—coloring books, puzzle books, and crayons. Alternatively, play the kids’ favorite CD, getting everyone to sing along. Once the kids develop longer attention spans and basic language skills, start collecting and playing CD storybooks. Many families have “read” the entire Harry Potter and Lemony Snickett series while driving.

• Put them to sleep. The car’s warmth, safety, and rhythmic sound and motion make it the perfect place for high-quality napping. Equip your passengers with all they require for sweet dreams, and encourage them to snooze while you cruise. Promote restful sleep with proper ambient music—as long as it does not put you to sleep, too.

• Leave the kids at home. When you carefully analyze your driving habits according to “most likely to inspire backseat battles,” you probably will discover car-seat criminals work their evils mostly when you are dragging them around on your routine errands. They understand just as well as you do how they are excess baggage, and nothing about your shopping and bill-paying interests them in the least. Moreover, because smaller children do not respond to deferred gratification, the promise of reward at trip’s end has very little effect. If you can arrange to take care of your business while the kids are in school, at daycare, or chillin’ with their dad, you probably can decrease drive-time discord by more than 50%.

Safety remains your highest priority, and radical alternatives often work. If your family values include teaching the children to settle their own conflicts, and if you constantly instruct, “Work it out between you,” then consistency may demand building your tolerance for the kids’ wrestling and wrangling in the back seat until they do work it out. At the bottom line, when you achieve a solution that enables you to drive safely, completely free from distractions, then you have found the right answer.

Lisa Tulley is a stay at home blogger and writes for www.Kanetix.ca, a site where you can get an auto insurance quote. Find a better rate by getting online vehicle insurance quotes!

Traveling for Work? 5 Tips for Helping Kids Cope

Parents that travel frequently for their jobs, such as those deployed in the military or long-distance truckers, must pay special attention to the relationship they have with their children. Children whose parents are gone for long periods of time may experience some of the same emotional or behavioral disturbances as children who are going through a divorce. Here are tips to help your children cope with the long-distance relationship caused by occupational travel.

1.  Call Frequently

Consider giving small children a child-friendly cell phone that they can use to call mommy or daddy whenever they wish. Even if you’re too busy to take their call, hearing your voice on voicemail and being able to leave you a message can be enough. Having their own special phone can give them a sense of relief, knowing they can always punch a number and talk to you. Along the same lines, make sure to call your children frequently; whether it’s on the family’s phone or your child’s “special” phone.

2. Skype

There are many things you can do over a Skype video connection. Watch a favorite movie together, play a board game together or even read a book to your child before bed. Skype is a fantastic, free way to stay in touch. If you don’t have a laptop that you can take on the road with you, download the Skype for Mobile app and use your smartphone to video chat with your children.

3. Send Mail

Children of all ages love getting mail, but especially small children. Try to send home a postcard or two a week for your kids. Find a card that has a picture of your current location on the front or a photo of a local attraction. Describe your location in your note so that your children have a better sense of where you are. Ask your child to keep these in a shoebox or scrapbook and sit down with them, when you get home, and tell them about your trip, using the cards as cues.

4. Take a Friend

If you have small children, ask them if you can take a doll or action figure of theirs on the road with you. Take a photo of the toy at each stop along your way and send them home over WiFi or through text message. Your children will look forward to the photos each day and will feel as though they are with you in a way. If you’re creative, come up with a story to go along with the picture. This is not only fun for your kids, but a great way to take your mind off of work for a little while.

5. Mark the Time

Find a creative way to mark the time so your children know can visually see when you will be home. Put a corresponding number of jelly beans in a jar, allowing your children to eat one every day; this will serve as a yummy countdown: when the jar is empty, you’ll be home. Younger children don’t understand the days on the calendar; come up with a unique way to allow them to keep track of your time away.

If you travel frequently for your job, your relationship with your children doesn’t need to suffer. Come up with creative ways to stay in touch and in your children’s lives. Not only will your children cope better but you’ll feel less lonely as well.

Author Casey Stevens is a long-distance trucker who writes for truckertotrucker.com, a site featuring all types of Trucks For Sale. The choices include many types of trucks -- from a box truck to a mack truck, as well as dump trucks and flatbed trailers. 

Escape Winter in the Greek Islands

You need escape from mid-winter insanity. You need a well-deserved trip to the Greek Isles.

Call it what you want—“winter blues,” “cabin fever,” “post-Holiday let-down,” “vitamin D deficiency,” or “seasonal affective disorder”—if you live north of the Mason-Dixon Line and you do not suffer near-terminal sadness from the middle of January until the day you see the first crocus sprout through the snow, there is something seriously wrong with you. The sun sets in the middle of the afternoon; the icicles grow longer than ZZ Top’s beard; and the kids are so sick of their snowsuits they are plotting to set them on fire. Even the dog is sick and tired of wearing his overcoat. You need serious relief. You need a sundrenched island surrounded by calm seas so blue you can see the edge of eternity on the horizon. To bust out of your doldrums and recover your true self, you need centuries-old charm, five-star accommodations, and world-class service. You need a Greek Island…or two, or three.

Anybody can jet off to Florida, and the cheapskates drive themselves down to Arizona, just a hop, skip, and jump down the I-55. Both “snowbird” destinations are affordable and snow-free; but, really, where is the romance, the adventure, the charm? Phoenix does not overlook the world’s most important archaeological sites. Tampa is not the home of a submerged volcano thought to be the origin of the Atlantis myth. Odysseus himself never felt homesick for Biloxi. Plan now to winter in the Greek Islands. If you cannot quite swing the full January to Memorial Day arrangement, a one-of-a-kind spring break would work.

You cannot afford to stay home.
Keep this next little factoid all to yourself: Transporting a family of four from Chicago to Phoenix and back in a late-model motorhome will cost you a tidy $4100; taking the same family from Chicago to Greece will cost only about $3300. Your $800 savings will pay for five nights’ five-star lodging at a deluxe villa in Kefalonia. Or simply compare $60 per night to park your motorhome in Apache Junction, Arizona, versus surrounding yourself and your posse in Greek luxury for approximately $85 per night. Remember that your spring break falls in the very slowest period of the Greek Islands’ off-season, so that owners take deep discounts on their hotel rates. The neighbors and PTA moms do not need to know. You might frame the comparison a little differently: how much was last month’s heating bill, and how much did you pay for new snow tires last fall?

Winter in the Greek Isles.
Yes, “winter” is a verb, an action, and decisive and decidedly heroic act. Triumph over snow-drifts and wind chill, wintering in the Greek Isles. Greece’s Mediterranean Coast stretches more than 8700 miles, mostly undeveloped and unspoiled. Just off the magnificent Greek coastline, more than 1400 Greek islands dot the Mediterranean; 227 of them are inhabited. All of them are eminently winterable. A few of them are just simply perfect. Go for the Greek Island trifecta: Start in Crete, continue to Santorini, and then settle down for a long winter’s retreat in Kefalonia.

Study classics in Crete.
The perfect place for your island culture initiation, Crete is the biggest, most populated, and most visited among the Greek Islands. January temperatures average in the low sixties—sweater weather for the locals, but downright tropical for upper-Midwesterners who have remained locked in their deep-freezes since Halloween. The local tourism board unashamedly boasts Crete has “everything” to offer—breathtaking mountain landscapes, gorgeous white sand beaches and enticing coves, plus ruins and an archaeological dig at Knossos, seat of the Minoan civilization. Crete serves-up better-than-excellent food, and it rocks the night with the hottest clubs anywhere on the Islands. On Crete, you can find the full array of lodgings. Choose among post-modern super-hotels, modest eight-to-ten unit villas, or bed-and-breakfasts so adorable you never will want to leave.

Sun and surf in Santorini.
The Greeks themselves holiday in the Santorini—ample testimony to the island’s charm and allure. Better still, the locals claim Santorini has “by far the best wine tasting anywhere in Greece”…must be something in the air. The island was the site of one of the largest volcanic eruptions in world history, and the submerged volcano still taunts the island from just off the breathtaking black-pebbled beaches. Kamari is the center of beach life on Santorini, and fine hotels, beguiling shops, and upscale clubs line its beachfront. At the beach, you can take snorkel or scuba lessons, developing new aquatic skills while studying ancient history and geography.


Carefree Kefalonia Calls!
You go to Kefalonia simply to luxuriate in the casual comfort of island life. You swim and sun all day, feast and dance all night. Get up the next day and do it all over again. You choose Kefalonia for this idyll, because it offers the most attractive, hospitable, affordable lodgings anywhere on the Islands. Family-owned bed-and-breakfasts, apartment-style accommodations, and villas abound, all of them extremely well-maintained and perfectly family-friendly. You also go to Kefalonia because it has the very finest beaches anywhere on Greece’s Mediterranean coast with waters so clear the ancient Greek poets described them as “wond’rous to behold, too miraculous to describe.”

Plan your escape to the Greek Islands now. You can make all of the arrangements online. Think of your winter escape to the Greek Islands as “extreme home schooling,” using that notion as your rationale for staying extra long. When the kids study “anachronism” in literature class, they can take-in their autographed photographs of Odysseus and Aeneis, reciting arma virumque cano.

Photo credits: Cindy clearing a path by Mike Babcock/flickr; Greek Temple Ruins by phault/flickr; Parasol and deckchairs by Alexis O'Connor/flickr;

Francesca Santelli is a travel agent who suggests cheapholidaysabroad.org, a site for everything from cyprus holidays in Paphos to Canary Islands package holidays to tenerife.

Flying Smoothly with Children

There is no visitor’s guide that will tell you how to deal with the challenges of getting kids through security checks at an airport, or a kid guide that will tell you how to get through the actual plane ride. How do you get those kids through security and through the plane ride without mess, fuss, complaining, screaming, kicking, or meltdowns? Good question!

One answer you probably don’t want to hear is that you can’t prevent it all from happening; sorry, but you can’t turn your kids into perfect angels for your plane ride. However, you can do some things that will help you and your kids to get through the airport and the plane ride with as little hassle as possible. Here are some tips and tricks that can help you out:

Timing. Try to book your flight at a time when your child is most sleepy. Also prepare for surprises. You never know what your kids will do next so plan to be ahead of time so that you can be ready for those surprise tantrums and surprise messes and delays.

Seating. It is not required for you to get an extra seat for your baby, but if he or she is a little older and may at times want his or her own seat it may be a good idea. Also it is recommended that babies under 40 pounds be put in a secure car seat.


Asking. Don’t be afraid to ask others for help. Seriously, there are a lot of nice people out there and some of them would be perfectly fine with helping you out, they will not think of you as a burden.

Packing. Involve your kids in the packing process. If each child gets his or her own backpack that they are able to choose the contents of they will feel more grown up and they will know exactly what they have to play with. And as for you, bring everything you need… then bring some more. As a parent you need to adopt the Boy Scout saying for these kinds of situations, “be prepared.”

Walking. Walking through the metal detector can be a scary experience however it is recommended that you and your child go through separately. Children can feel uncomfortable or scared in different circumstances so make sure you ask your child if he or she would like you to go first or if they would like to go first through the metal detector.



Madison Hewerdine is an author who likes to write about visitors guides and has a passion for dancing.

Is it Okay to Pull Your Kids Out of School for a Vacation?

Image: http://allthingsportland.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/shutterstock_50624380.jpg

Is it okay to pull your kids out of school for a vacation? This question is an important one and should be given serious thought before planning that fun trip to Disneyworld. It’s true that traveling during high peak season, aka, “the summer,” is just too expensive, not to mention crowded. Planning a family vacation in the months before or after summer could equal substantial savings, but what about your child’s education? If elementary, junior high, or high school students are involved, there are some things to consider.

1. Familiarize yourself with the school’s attendance policy. Most of the time, these are case-by-case situations; however, some schools have a non-negotiable rule about attendance. Others only allow a certain amount of days to be missed for traveling.There are also state mandated laws for attendance, too. You will definitely want to check into these laws before planning your vacations.

2. How is your child doing in school? If your child is struggling with one or more subjects, has a negative disposition about school, or has trouble completing assignments on time, it might not be a good idea to take that trip. On the other hand, if your child shows competence in most subjects, completes his/her work on time, and generally has a good understanding of the importance of education, then you might be able to get away with some fun family time.

3. How old are your kids? The younger the student, the easier it is to take that vacation. Junior high gets a little tricky as students are rotating between multiple teachers and learning how to balance a more in depth workload. High school becomes even more difficult as students are working on bigger projects with more responsibility and preparing for college.

4. Talk to your kids. Just because a family vacation is important to you, doesn’t mean the rest of the family agrees. There may be a special project or event that your child is involved in or has been waiting to attend, and a vacation would cause him/her to miss it. It’s better to ask than to travel with an angry teenager.

Tips when traveling during the school year:

1. Think about the teachers. Keeping a teacher in the loop is your best bet when attempting to plan a trip during the school year. Talk about how you can work together so your child does not fall behind and assure the teacher that you will monitor his/her progress throughout the trip. A teacher will want to have enough time to fully gather your child’s assignments. Informing a teacher the day before that you need your child’s work for the next week will only cause stress and frustration to the teacher and this isn’t good for your student.

2. Keep the trip short and plan wisely. Acquaint yourself with the school calendar and be aware of major projects and events happening. Consider traveling over a long weekend so that your child only misses a few days of school rather than a full week. Also, traveling during the second half of the year is usually better than the first half since students are getting adjusted to the new routine in the beginning of the year.

3. You never want to give the impression that school is unimportant to either your child or the school. Limit your family trips to once a year during the school year. Pulling your child out of school should be the exception, not the rule.

4. Make the trip as educational as possible. Don’t allow your child to get so out of touch with reality that they have an even harder time jumping back into their schoolwork. There is history everywhere. Take any opportunity to cause your kids to think…Who knows? The whole family could learn something!

Heather Johnson writes for Honeymoon Destinations, the best honeymoon research and planning website. Discover some great honeymoon ideas today!

Thanks for your contribution to Mommy Rantings! You covered some great tips about vacationing during the school year!

Great Vacation Spots for the Family

Guest blog post by Kristine

I grew up with four siblings. That’s five of us all together. We weren’t able to take as many vacations growing up as some other families because of our size, but we did manage to go on a couple of really great ones. One of my favorite trips was renting a cabin in Colorado for a week. The cabin let us be in close enough quarters to hang out with one another a lot, but still provided enough space and privacy for the family. It was great because the cabin was located near the woods and the resort club house, which gave us kids an endless amount of entertainment.

One of the most important aspects of booking a cabin for a family vacation, and keeping it affordable, is knowing when to have your vacation. Most cabin rental companies have a “regular season” that is much cheaper than other times of year like “high season”. These vary from company to company and location to location, but if possible, try to schedule your vacation during this time to reduce the price. Generally, try to stick to late spring and very early fall.

Another issue to keep in mind while planning a family vacation is to decide whether or not the family pet gets to come along on the trip or not. Many cabin rental companies have options that allow pets. Be sure to ask if there is an extra deposit, but most of the time it will already be worked into the rental price.

Here are a few great picks:

Heartland Rentals, Gatlinburg, TN

Heartland Rentals, Gatlinburg, TN – Get a little history in on your family trip. Not only can the family experience the awesomeness of an epic battle field but also the amazing wildlife.

Bear Creek Cabins, Evergreen, CO – Located in the Smokies, this resort offers the greatest and most beautiful views. This is a perfect place to go for prime relaxation.

Georgia Mountain Rentals, Suatee Nacoochee, GA

Georgia Mountain Rentals, Suatee Nacoochee, GA – This location has some great waterfalls close by. I would recommend going on a family hiking trip to a waterfall, and then taking pictures and swimming for some time.

Remember to also book fun activities while on vacation at your family. My family and I went rafting, hiking, and made some tie dye shirts on our cabin vacation! Make sure to look into each resort and see which one works best for your family. Either way, being outdoors with the family is always a recipe for a good time!

Kristine writes for ReadingGlassesShopper.com during the day, and in her spare time, she watches TV religiously. In between episodes of her favorite shows Kristine loves to bake, write poetry, and walk her new puppy.

Thanks, Kristine, for your great ideas for family vacations!

Top 8 Awesome Family Summer Vacations

Guest blog post by Jennifer Bell

Yes, you can take a vacation even with a large family on a budget.

Some awesome trips to think about:

Washington DC- Do the whole tourist thing. Visit the monuments, the Smithsonian Museums and the National Zoo all are free. Take the train in to add another interesting experience to your itinerary.

Pennsylvania- Hershey offers a factory tour and neat experiences for kids. They even have a theme park. The Amish Country offers the children an opportunity to learn about a different way of life. The land is beautiful as are the arts and crafts they sell.

Great Wolf Lodge Midwest, city and lake trip- Great Wolf Lodge resorts are a mini water park in a hotel. Combine it with a tour of a great city and a lake/camping vacation and you get all the perks a city has to offer plus the peacefulness of a lake getaway.

State or National Park- Some of the best trips are at state or national parks and are free to nominal in cost. Renting an RV or camping is a wonderful way to spend unplugged time with family that can really bring you closer together. Check out what your state offers and take your camera because the views are breathtaking.

Nags Head, NC- Get ready to catch some rays and waves. If you are seeking a beach vacation on the east coast it is hard to beat the white beaches of Nags Head. Family friendly motels, resorts, and campgrounds offer a variety of accommodations. Take advantage of activities offered by the parks service for the best and most affordable adventures suitable for even the youngest of travelers. Don’t forget to go see the Lost Colony the famous outdoor drama depicting the mystery of the first settlers in NC.

Oregon coast Cannon beach area- For folks closer to the Pacific, the Oregon coast is a perfect choice with its quiet, pristine beaches. From Astoria to Newport, the area boasts 80 plus national or state parks and 9 lighthouses for your pleasure.

Mountain destination- Say you would rather put your toes in a mountain stream and picnic by a waterfall than a sandy beach? Then a mountain trip is one for you. Check out the ones closest to you.

Route 66 Road trip- If you have teens or adventurous kids (young children probably will not be up to sitting as long), a considerable road trip may be ideal. One of the best in the country is the trip along Route 66, an 8 state trip from Chicago to LA with the most attractions in Arizona.

Whether you fly, drive, or take a train, camp or stay at a hotel, your vacation for your family of four to 14 can be affordable and memorable.

This guest article was contributed by Jennifer Bell from Health Training Guide. Jennifer is a freelance writer and mother of 2 based in Los Angeles, CA. Check out her site to learn more about medical administrative assistant training and other exciting health careers.

Thank you, Jennifer, for your great ideas for some awesome family trips! 

Where have you taken your kids that is a perfect family vacation? What do you recommend???

Tire Safety Week: Keep Your Family Safe For Your Summer Travels! (Guest Post)

I received this email in my inbox the other day and thought it would be ideal to help spread the word...I, personally know that the winter roads are colder, but when the tires on your family vehicle hit that hot summer pavement, the mixture of that heat and the rubber on your tires...well, let's just say that it can immediately pose a problem if your tires aren't completely safe.

With that said, the following is a guest post from my inbox:

Summer driving season has officially arrived and while we are all concerned with safety on the road, we often forget one of the most important components: our tires.  According to a study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 660 highway fatalities are caused by underinflated tires annually.

This National Tire Safety Week (June 5-11, 2011) tire expert and Michelin subjective test driver, Sarah K. Robinson can share her tips for tire safety.  She can explain some of the simplest steps you can take to ensure you have a smooth, and most importantly safe, ride this summer travel season including:

• Check you tire pressure – Check your tire pressure at least once a month and before and after a long trip.  Tires can lose 1-2 psi per month.
• Examine your treads – Always make sure your tires have at least 2/32” of tread depth (the penny trick). Examine the wear patterns; the wear patterns can tell you whether your tires are over or under inflated and if your alignment is off. 
• Avoid hydroplaning – Simple adjustments to driving including reducing your speed and avoiding wet spots, especially standing water can reduce your risk of hydroplaning.
• Rotate – Tires should be rotated every 6,000-8,000 miles.
• Keep deepest treads in the rear – Make sure when replacing just two tires that you put the two tires with the deepest treads on the rear axle regardless, whether you have front-wheel, rear-wheel or all-wheel drive.

About Sarah K. Robinson - As the first female test driver at Michelin North America, Sarah K. Robinson is paving a new road for women in the automotive world. Robinson’s current responsibilities as a subjective test driver for Michelin include evaluating tire performance in both objective (e.g., wet braking) and subjective tests (e.g., wet and dry handling, noise) then delivering her results to Michelin’s designers and engineers to ensure the best possible tire is brought to market. She also develops and coordinates all visitor demonstrations, product launches and promotional activities occurring at Michelin’s test track, Laurens Proving Grounds (LPG) in Greenville, South Carolina.