If you have to take a long road trip with small children, there are some things that you can do to make the trip a little more bearable for everyone. If at all possible, I recommend traveling at night. If you leave a couple of hours before dinner, you can stop on the road for a meal and put on pajamas and change diapers and get ready for bed right before you get on the road again. Then the majority of the ride will be spent sleeping without interfering with normal sleep times.

You also need to work in extra time to account for breaks for all the passengers. A ride that took my husband and I about 11 hours takes about 12.5 to 13 with two small children. It is hard for them to get comfortable when they are strapped into car seats, so we make sure to stop and let them stretch and move around for a little bit. We usually do at least one long dinner break at a kid friendly fast food place, preferably one with a play area, and then short stops at rest areas with a large grassy area where it is safe to run around. The long break helps the kids release some energy and they also give the driver a chance to stretch out and recharge too.

It is important that you travel prepared. Keep a couple of extra blankets and a pack of wipes in the car and also pack snacks and drinks for you and the kids. I also recommend getting a traveling changing pad that holds diapers and wipes if any of your kids are in diapers. These are found in most stores in the baby department. That way you have a clean surface to change diapers anywhere and you don’t have to take your whole diaper bag into dirty restrooms. Another good tip: always have at least one extra change of clothes per person in the car, including adults. Kids can easily mess up their own clothes with one bad diaper blowout and you don’t want to be digging through your luggage for a clean shirt if your toddler accidentally spills a drink all over you or some other messy accident happens.

Finally, if you are at the end of your rope, a portable DVD player can be a life saver. We made it through a 16 hour trip without using ours, but it was charged and ready to go just in case. A favorite CD is another great distraction to have on hand for the kids. And if you are traveling through the night, a suspenseful audio book can help entertain the driver through the long stretch of darkness.

No one knows your own kids better than you do, so try out a few different things and see what works best for your family. Long trips don’t always have to be dreadful and exhausting; with the right planning and preparation you can avoid a 70mph nightmare and make some great family memories.