I have just survived a trip from Roanoke, Virginia to Lewiston, Idaho. That is an accomplishment in and of itself. Now I need to tell you that I did it with a husband and 3 children under the age of 5. I bet you are impressed now aren't you? Both my family and my husband's family are from the west coast. We make this trek across the country every year and each time I learn something new about making the trip a little easier and a little less stressful next time.

1. If you are flying out of an airport more than an hour away from your home and you have an early morning flight you may want to consider staying at a hotel the night before. The children will not have to be up so early which will make the day more pleasant. Often you can find hotels which will offer you free parking and shuttle service to the airport when you stay with them. At many airports the cost to park your car for the time you are away would cost more than a night at a hotel.

2. Make sure that you get to the airport at least 90 minutes before your flight - even if it is a domestic flight. The stress of long lines and the thought that you may miss your boarding will put everyone on edge.

3. Bring all your travel documents and I.D. As long as your children are under 18 they do not need identification to travel within the United States but if you travel out of the country after January 1, 2007 all travelers will need a PASSPORT. Everyone in my family travels with a passport all the time. I would rather be safe than sorry so even though a domestic flight does not require it I have my children's identification with me.

4. The portable DVD player can be your new best friend. These wonderful devices are not very expensive anymore (about $90) so if you can afford one (or even one for each child) you will be doing yourself a big favor. How my parents ever traveled with us is beyond me. I packed a DVD player for each of my 2 oldest children and let them pick out 10 movies each. There was no fighting over which movie to watch or when they wanted to watch it.

5. For young children it will also pay off to bring things like coloring books & crayons, a small and portable magna-doodle, a few toys and a few books. I bought a Crayola Mess Free Color Wonder package for my kids. What a great idea these are!! They are markers that can only draw on this special paper. No coloring on clothes or the airplane. For older children books and music are often ways to keep them occupied.

6. Pack snacks!! Many airlines serve nothing more than drinks and peanuts or pretzels. A few airlines do better but by bringing your own snacks you will know that your children will like them and that you will have enough. This trip we packed a box of Goldfish, a bag of colored marshmallows, some oatmeal cookies, Cheerios (for the baby), a box of Teddy Grahams and a box of granola bars. I bring along a little bowl for each child and everyone is set.

7. Keep the kids separate if you can J Rather than all sit together, we try to get 2 sets of 2 seats together (the baby sits in my lap) and it works so much better for us. If we don't each get a window seat we will switch the kids half way through or if we are making a connecting flight the duo that did not have the window on the first flight gets it on the second flight.

8. Don't use the pre-boarding for families with small children if at all possible. I know you might think that is a crazy idea but I promise to have good logic behind it. Once you get the kids on the plane it is usually about another 30 minutes until take off. There is no room on the plane for them to walk around BUT there is in the airport. Don't wait until the very last minute to board but the longer that you wait the less time your children will have to spend sitting.

9. Drink lots of water on the airplane. It is so important to stay hydrated while traveling. If the drink cart has not come by in awhile and your child is out of juice or water do not be afraid to find a flight attendant and ask for more to drink. Most flight attendants I have talked with have children of their own so they know what you are going through and will be very helpful and accommodating. I take sippy cups (even for my 5 year old) because they can't spill and if they don't drink it all you can save it for later.

10. Make sure that you have enough of everything in case your flight is delayed etc. Pack diapers and wipes, an extra change of clothes for each child and medications. Spills and dirty diapers happen and by being prepared you can eliminate the stress caused by an unexpected situation.

11. Bring your child's blanket from home or ask for a pillow and a blanket when you board the plane. If you are at all fortunate at some point on the flight your child will want to go to sleep. Kids seem to be blessed with an innate ability to be able to sleep anywhere and in any position. Try to make is as comfortable and as restful as possible. A rested child will usually not be a grumpy child.

I don't know that traveling with children will ever be easy but I hope that it becomes less stressful each time that we do it. Give yourself every opportunity to have a successful trip but using tips that you know will be great for your kids. Have a plan and try to stick with it but allow for the bumps in the travel road that may come along. Take everything in stride and know that you will get you your end destination. The goal will always be to get there safe and sane!!