Traveling with Teens The protracted screech of a braking train is perhaps the only thing less pleasant than the thought of a no-escape vacation in close quarters with a teenager. Travel can bring out the worst in people and if you are going through a rough patch with your teenager, don’t expect a family vacation to bring out the Waltons in you. There are things you can do, however, to increase your chances of good holiday. Ask your teen to help plan the trip, and make sure it includes things he or she wants to do. Avoid long drives in the car. Allow time for more leisure activities like time in the pool, even if you’re in a “once in a lifetime” spot. Go easy on iPod and video game restrictions...

I know some couples who have been married for 20 years and never have had a weekend without the kids since they were born. I wouldn’t recommend this. Married couples need nights out, and even nights away to recharge the romantic batteries. Whether it’s a motel down the road, or a trip a thousand miles away, try to make at least one trip away each year. Obviously, this is impossible in some situations where reliable childcare is not available or affordable for such a long time away. If, however, you have family around, take advantage of their generosity, and overcome your guilt, even if for just 24 hours. Here are some rules to make that getaway easier for you, and for the kids: 1....

Here’s a fun dadventure for those in or close to Oregon. This is a newspaper recount of an expedition made by Jennifer Margulis and her husband, GreatDad contributor, James di Properzio. If you’ve never been snowshoeing, you probably imagine you’ll crunch effortlessly atop acres of snow in your tennis-racket-like snowshoes, just like Yukon Cornelius, the blustery prospector who subdues the Abominable Snow Monster in “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” But when my husband and I took our three children to Crater Lake on a squally Saturday in December, we grown-ups sank into the snow, flipping the powdery stuff into the faces of those who walked behind us. The kids,...

Guess Who Travel Game – Our kids loved this simple game that teaches kids deductive reasoning as they eliminate suspects to find the last person standing. By asking questions of their competitor like “does the person where glasses” or “have blond hair,” kids can easily play the game even before they can read. It’s an easy to pack travel game, or for playing at home. Unfortunately, the cards, however, are easily lost so it takes an adult around to keep from losing all the parts. My kids played this so many time though, they broke the pieces off the hinges before they lost any cards. $10.45 (a bit more expensive than you would think for a game built like this,...

As I settled into my tiny seat on a recent flight, a woman asked me if I’d trade my aisle seat for her middle so she could be, as she said, ” with my girls.” She was a young-ish looking mom-type, and my first reaction was to give up my seat. After all, it was just a short 90 minute flight and for the sake of a beleaguered mom, I could afford to be chivalrous. However, in a split second, I realized that the “girls” she was referring to were the two boisterous women who were already next to me. It was a trip to Las Vegas after all. Was I close to having been hoodwinked, or was she just using the vernacular of the situation? It’s not important, but I wondered,...

We are starting a ten day summer vacation and, like millions ofnpther families, we’re spend the first day in the plane. My daughter, age eight, is happy though. She has four books and is just discovering Lemoney Snicket. She’s been asking for a Nintendp DS, but we are holding fast against that. I did give in, finally to Wii, but only because we can play that as a family. The only activity I want her doing that envelops her in her own private world is reading, at this age. Even now, reading for her is a communal activity. She stops every few pages to read me a particularly funny sentence.

Sony Cyber-shot DSCW120MDG/P 7.2 MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom with Super Steady Shot $180 – Amazon I love this camera! We just got the DSCW 120 for our summer holiday and I was hoping it would work well and replace our five year-old DSC V1. The two cameras have several things in common: a Zeiss lens and many manual over-ride features, but the new camera is far smaller and easier to use. This is a great little camera and represents how far Sony has come in developing an interface that is easy to use. This is the first camera I’ve seen where an explanation of the icons shows up on-screen when you dial a selection. No more trying to remember what an icon of a tree or a mountain...

I doubt I’m the only dad who just doesn’t have the energy to carry a baby AND a baby seat when we travel even though the experts say babies and toddlers need to be more than buckled up in regular adult seatbelts. The Baby B’air Flight Vest has been tested to exceed FAA stress tests for aircraft seats. $35 available in baby and toddler sizes. Flight Vest Travel Harness from Baby B’Air Infant Products