Driving Miss Cutie

This makes a cute picture but don't even think about pulling a you-know-who with the baby on your lap as you drive.

If you thought that driving test with your Driver's Ed instructor was stressful, you haven't driven children around! Between the whiny, "Are we there yet?" chanting and the fights that erupt out of boredom, you'll have your hand full. But it doesn't have to be such an overwhelming task.

While driving with kids in the car can be hectic, you can follow these guidelines to be well on your way to smooth sailing (or driving, as the case may be).

TRAVELING WITH KIDS

• Make sure to have full instructions from the parent on which child requires a safety seat and how to properly fasten it. All car seats are different, and some are more cryptic than the Da Vinci code the first time you use it. Don't allow the children to buckle the seat themselves even if they think they are big enough to do it on their own.
• The safest place for kids to ride in the car is in the back seat, so keep the kiddies out of the front. The airbag located in the front seat can be very dangerous to a child under twelve, so the back is best.
• Before leaving, give each child a few minutes to select a few toys they would like to bring along. Encourage them to bring items like crayons and a coloring book, a stuffed animal or a small, quiet toy like a mini Magna doodle. Stay away from noisy toys that might distract the driver (you) or irritate other kids in the car.
• Bring drinks and snacks for each child. If their mouths are full, they're quiet. Individual packets of crackers, granola bars and juice boxes minimize the chance of arguing because everyone can have his own treat. Avoid hard foods like carrots that could be choking hazards in a moving vehicle. And steer clear (not pun intended) of things that require utensils, like yogurt. One big bump and that spoon smacks little Susie in the teeth.
• Find an old blanket to place under the car seats and on the floor. This blanket will catch food crumbs and other messes, making clean-up easy and hopefully vacuum-free.
• Pack an emergency kit to take with you every time you drive with kids. Include a flashlight, band-aids, antibacterial gel, wet wipes and several bottled waters. Get a car charger for your cell phone too, since we sometimes forget to charge them at home.
• Take each child to the bathroom before loading up the car. This prevents the need for unnecessary stops or trips to the restroom at your destination.
• If you're traveling with older kids and they have the inclination to argue, seat them away from each other (each child by a window) so they will be less likely to irritate one another. Of course, with some kids, the Great Wall couldn't keep them from bickering, so try to keep each one focused on his toy rather than his sibling.
• Remember that positive praise encourages good car behavior. You can even try a points system where each child gets points for every ten minutes of good car behavior and they can later redeem these points for rewards (perhaps a stop for ice cream on the way home?).

TRAVELING WITH BABIES

• Check for dirty diapers - that dirty diaper smell can be so toxic, it’s like it seeps into your seats to become a permanent "air freshener" - and make sure meals have been eaten and naps have been taken before going on a car trip. Hungry, cranky babies don't make for good travel companions.
• Pack the baby bag as you usually would with diapers, wipes, pacifiers, extra change of clothes, etc. Don't put it next to the baby or else he may get grabby enough to pull that one wipe out and gnaw on it for a while. He will be hard to reach from the driver's seat (plus that's a super dangerous move – don't even think about it), so your best bet is to keep the bag on the floor of the passenger's seat where you can access it easily.
• Be sure to place the baby's toys within his or her reach before departure (now's a good time to use the seat beside the baby, to rest a bag of stuffed toys). NEVER reach in the back seat while driving to find a baby's toy. If you need to retrieve the toy, wait until you can safely pull into a parking lot and put the car in park.

DRIVING SAFELY

• Do not drive with friends in the car. You are transporting precious cargo and need to focus all of your attention on safely getting them from place to place. If your BFF is dishing the juicy details of so-and-so's horrible blind date, you may get too caught up in the gossip to make smart, safe driving decisions.
• Avoid additional distractions like cell phones, or the stereo and CD player. If the phone rings, let it go to voicemail until you're no longer driving and are able to return the call. As for background music, the only sounds you should hear are the noises coming from the baby - some of these may be cues that you need to listen for.
• Don't feel afraid to tell the parent you're uncomfortable driving in certain conditions. If you feel like your driving might be impaired by driving in the rain, by driving at night, etc., speak up! Mom or Dad will appreciate that you are responsible enough to make that decision rather than putting their child in potential danger.
• Always have the parent's permission before driving the children anywhere. After getting permission, be sure to leave a detailed list of the times you'll be gone and the places you'll be going in case the parents come back early or (knock on wood) something unfortunate happens while you're out.
• Take advantage of the car's safety features like window locks and child safety locks on the rear doors - they're not just there for you to mess with your friends. If you're unsure of how to operate these features, ask the parent.
• Parents sometimes think that certain things go without saying, but just because they don't mention something doesn't mean you can let your common sense fly out the window. No drinking, drugs or speeding. Make sure the car is full of gas and has no obvious problems or blinking lights before you head out.