Are we there yet? No matter how short the car trip, this is the most commonly heard phrase by parents, followed closely by the refrains of "I'm bored!" So here is how to make the trip go by as smoothly as possible.

Seperate fighting kids
If your son and daughter don't get along, it might be worth losing a bit of storage space by putting one in the back seat and the other in the third row. And if you know they will argue over who sits where, decide at the beginning who will get the third row for on the way there, and who will get it for the ride back.

DVDs
Do you have a DVD player in the car or can borrow one? This will definitely help with boredom, as will having new movies your kids have never seen before... because if they are watching Finding Nemo for the 100th time (unless that is really what your kids want to watch again and again) they can easily get bored and distracted. Rent some movies before you leave so their attention will be fully on the movie.

Snacks and drinks
Bring snacks for the kids when they are hungry. It doesn't mean you have to give them potato chips though! Preplan and bring a small travel cooler filled with individual baggies of things like grapes and apple slices. Instead of chips, bring Crispie Minis (flavored mini rice cakes). And again, if your kids fight, make sure each child gets an equal amount.

Travel games & books
Bring along a travel sized Connect 4 or Battleship. For older children, you might want to bring something more advanced like Scrabble. And make sure each child has a selection of reading books and activity books to keep them occupied.

When you follow these tips, your next car ride with kids in tow should go much easier for everyone!