Road trips, long hours in a small space for miles upon miles with your family can actually be enjoyable. Really, I am telling the truth. It it easier on you if you take care of the most common complaints before they turn into whining.
I am bored. We are so lucky to be able to go on road trips with technology. Our kids have it so easy. They will never know the struggle of counting cows on the side of the highway for entertainment. Over the years and changing technology we have brought CD players, iPods, cell phones, DVD players and now our laptop computers. Did you know you could stop at ANY Redbox and buy a movie and return it the next day at a different Redbox?? As we traveled through the states we have picked and returned many movies. These day we upload the movies onto our laptops when we have WIFI to watch it later on the road. Our kids love to read so we usually hit up the book store for a few good books to read along the way. We also check out (or have the kids check out) webpages such as http://www.roadtrippers.com to see if there is a place of interest along the way to our end destination of the day. Sometimes it is a place to eat, a water fall to explore or some crazy tourist trap. Either way, it gets them involved in the trip and sometimes they find great places.
I am hungry. I am thirsty. Before we head out on the road, I run to the grocery store to grab some snacks to take on the road. I pick a good variety of snacks so everyone has something to enjoy on the road. The snacks are inside the car close to you so when hunger strikes in the middle of no where it is within easy reach. It is also much cheaper than picking up snacks at the gas station after refueling and bathroom breaks. This year we had a case of water in the back and we took out bottles of water as needed. It is easier to have reusable grocery bags and a collapsible ice chest that way as they empty they take up less space. You know, to fit all those souvenirs you pick up on the way.
I do not feel good. This is one complaint you hope you do not have to hear on the trip. It happens though and it is best to be prepared just in case. You never know if you will be camping in a middle of a National Forrest with no stores nearby. If there is a over the counter medication for it, I pack it. I put all the medicine, first aide items into a plastic tub with no lid. My reasoning is if it has a lid on it then something is able to be stacked on top of it. If there is no lid it tends to stay on top of what is packed and within reach. Our youngest Emily gets car sick and we take dramamine for those winding roads going over mountains. One time a friend suggested having her sit in the middle of the car to help her. Guess what it worked! So most of the time she doesn’t have to take any medications on our road trips.