 It's the dreaded question of any car trip and it's usually asked within five minutes of departure. Residents of Newfoundland and Labrador have certainly heard that question once or twice. More than any other Canadians, we're likely to spend long weekends driving our families from point A to point B - usually from the house to the cabin, the national park or anywhere "around the bay."
To keep the kids content during extended periods of confinement in the car, parents everywhere are turning to portable DVD players, hand-held video games and other electronics. In our opinion, this is a shame. A road trip is one of the few chances modern families have to spend quality time together. Fortunately, there are low-tech options that can involve every passenger, such as reading out loud. Bring along the latest Harry Potter novel and enthrall them until you're hoarse. (If you have difficulty reading in the car, bring along an audio book.) Classic games like "I Spy" and "20 Questions" are also good time killers, along with the "Sign Game" where participants look for words on passing signs beginning with the letter A and continue through to Z. The first person to spot words starting with letters from the entire alphabet wins.
Another great way to have fun (and keep the kids quiet at the same time) is to play the "Tic Tac Game." Pass one Tic Tac mint to each person in the car and whoever can keep their candy the longest, without dissolving it, wins another one. Everyone will try so hard not to salivate they'll forget to sing another verse of "99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall."
Overall, the secret to a successful road trip is to be prepared with enough snacks, games, music and patience to get you where you're going. If all goes well, the kids will be asking, "We're there already?"
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